Physical Sciences Post-Baccalaureate; Postbac Student

What You Will Do

You will perform high impact research at one of the world's most prestigious and innovative multidisciplinary research institutions supporting our national security mission. The Integrated Design and Assessment (XTD-IDA) group in the X Theoretical Design (XTD) division is seeking motivated candidates for a three-month Post-Baccalaureate Student appointment verifying LANL's charged particle transport simulation capability. This project is a deeper dive from previous projects verifying the charged particle transport (CPT) capability in our codes, based off of analytic test problems that include a cold-beam evolution problem (i.e., slowing‑down and spreading out in the velocity space) as it propagates through a thermal plasma;

the alpha‑particle energy deposition and velocity distribution function evaluation in a burning ball of a deuterium‑tritium plasma; as well as two sophisticated problems addressing reaction‑in‑flight (RIF) physics. The growing body of this verification work, based off these analytic test problems, has errors on the order of a few percent. The goal of this project is to extend into more of these analytic problems;

to develop capabilities in the code and to define refinements to the test problems that enable agreement down to machine error or estimated accumulated roundoff error; and to devise “comparison problems” that demonstrate proper code behavior for interesting and more complicated problems even if there exist no analytic solutions. Also, we should be looking for new analytic test problems. Test problems at the integral level can be designed to test unit‑physics plus all the interfaces in between.

These integral test problems are only part of a broad verification effort that includes unit tests, regression tests, and tests of methods, algorithms, order of convergence, data, runtime behavior, computer science, order‑of‑operations, and parallel communication. These tests will need to be committed to the common model framework, and, if possible, live alongside the code. We are seeking to grow the breadth of testing and seek new analytic test problems.

At a minimum, an end‑of‑summer presentation and close‑out memo are required; opportunities will be sought to present at conferences and publish in journals.

• Must have a minimum cumulative GPA that meets the LANL graduate research assistant requirements, generally at least a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent).
• Appointments are a limited term, full‑time status for no more than three months and not to overlap in time with any other LANL‑funded subcontract.
• Appointment will be remote, with at least one visit for a final project presentation.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate (verbal and written) well in a professional scientific context; and Commitment to achieving results in a complex social and organizational setting.
• Experience working effectively as part of a team with a willingness to assist and support other team members as needed and ability to work independently.
• Proficient in the use of Linux and Mac/Windows, python, Fortran/C++, and other scripting languages; LANL‑security‑minded AI/ML use and development; and standard office software, such as Microsoft Office Suite applications including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.

• Experience with verification of charged particle transport
• Demonstrated skill with computer programming in support of scientific data acquisition or analysis
• Exposure to and interest in plasma physics and inertial confinement fusion
• Undergraduate degree in a physical science is preferred

Awarded a bachelor's degree in a STEM related field from an accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 within the last three years.

The work location for this position has the potential for remote work. Remote work is defined as working offsite that is greater than 2 hours of the Laboratory location. Reporting onsite may be periodically necessary. All work locations are at the discretion of management.

Located in beautiful northern New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a…