Postdoctoral Appointee - Hypersonic Aerosciences, Onsite

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Sandia National Laboratories is the nation's premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:

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Sandia's Experimental Aerosciences Department is seeking a Postdoctoral Appointee to conduct basic and applied research on multiphase shock interactions and hypersonic flow phenomena related to national security. Work will primarily be completed in one of four facilities, the Trisonic Wind Tunnel (Mach 0.5-3.0), Hypersonic Wind Tunnel (Mach 5, 8, 14) and Hypersonic Shock Tunnel (Mach 8, high enthalpy), and the Multiphase Shock Tube.

You will be mentored by staff researchers and will work closely with test engineers and technologists to conduct research. A successful postdoctoral appointee will develop and test independent hypotheses within a focused topic area and synthesize results for publication in peer-reviewed journals.

On any given day, you may be called on to:

• Develop experiments and apply diagnostic techniques to explore hypersonic flow, gas opacity, high-enthalpy shock effects, and/or reactive flow shock-boundary layer interactions.
• Develop data-driven models from experimental results to answer scientific questions and collaborate with engineers to compare experimental data with modern computational models.
• Publish research in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
• Present research to team members and the broader scientific community.

Are you ready for your next challenge? Join our team and achieve your goals while advancing national security.

Due to the nature of the work, the selected candidate must be able to work onsite.

• You have earned, or are pursuing, a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related engineering field, and will have completed all Ph.D. requirements before starting at Sandia.
• Excellent scientific writing and presentation skills, demonstrated through a record of peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.
• Ability to acquire and maintain a DOE L security clearance. US Citizenship is required.

• Experience with compressible fluid mechanics.
• Experience applying nonintrusive optical diagnostics including but not limited to high-speed schlieren, focused laser differential interferometry (FLDI), ultra-fast laser-based spectroscopy, particle image velocimetry (PIV), laser absorption spectroscopy (LAS), etc.
• Surface sensor measurements such as high-frequency pressure, shear stress, heat flux, infrared thermography, and DAQ systems.
• Data analysis techniques such as signal processing, image analysis, and data assimilation techniques.
• Thorough knowledge and applied experience with scientific and engineering methods and with standards for ethical conduct of research.
• An ability to interact well with fellow technical workers with diverse technical backgrounds.
• Previous experience demonstrating an ability to work safely and efficiently in a fast-paced research laboratory.

The Experimental Aerosciences Department of Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico, offers challenging and important work relating to national security in R&D and technology applications in aerodynamics, aerothermodynamics, compressible fluid mechanics, and flight dynamics. Our primary mission supports U.S. Department of Energy Defense Programs, and aerosciences projects funded through the U.S. Department of Defense, DARPA, NASA, and industry. Our projects span the Mach number range from subsonic through hypersonic and involve systems ranging from aircraft-released ordnance to reentry systems and rocket systems.

Technical activities include experimental and analytical efforts plus support of flight test activities, both pre-flight/post-flight analyses and field test operations. The Experimental Aerosciences Department maintains a strong balance of research and development activities and works synergistically with other organizations at Sandia to meet current and future customer needs.

This posting will be open for application…