Assistant Scientist, Associate Scientist, Scientist in Nonlinear Computational Dynamical Systems, College

Position: Assistant Scientist, Associate Scientist, Scientist in Large Nonlinear Computational Dynamical Systems, College of
The Opportunity The University of Central Florida (UCF) is looking for a 12-month, non-tenure earning assistant scientist, associate scientist, or scientist, to conduct research in the College of Optics and Photonics. This position is located at the UCF main campus with an anticipated start date in Spring 2027. UCF is undergoing rapid growth in the size of external research funding, academic stature, and student and faculty groups.

UCF supports and benefits from economic growth in Central Florida, which is emerging as a major hub for technology development. The University is located in the metropolitan Orlando area, which offers a vibrant lifestyle and a variety of cultural and recreational activities.

CREOL (Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers) is one of the world’s foremost institutions for research and education in optical and photonic science and engineering. The College offers MS and PhD degrees in optics and photonics, and a BS degree in photonic science and engineering. The faculty engages in fundamental and applied research and education in lasers, optical fibers, semiconductor and integrated photonic devices, nonlinear and quantum optics, imaging, sensing, and displays.

The college is home to the CREOL, Florida Photonics Center of Excellence (FPCE), and Townes Laser Institute (TLI), and the Institute for the Frontier of Attosecond Science and Technology (iFAST). In addition, the College of Medicine, which includes the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, provides rich opportunities for collaboration. For more information see (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). .Applications are invited for a position in computational nonlinear dynamics and large-scale numerical modeling of semiconductor laser arrays at the College of Optics and Photonics (CREOL), University of Central Florida.

Our research program investigates collective dynamics, synchronization, and self-organization in large arrays of coupled semiconductor diode lasers. The work combines experiments with computational and theoretical modeling of nonlinear dynamical systems with time-delayed interactions.

A major objective of this position is to develop and implement efficient numerical methods for increasingly large and complex systems of coupled nonlinear delay-differential equations (DDEs). Models range from arrays of single-mode semiconductor lasers described by Lang–Kobayashi-type equations to substantially larger multimode systems incorporating multiple optical modes, carrier dynamics, nonlinear interactions, heterogeneity, and delayed nonlocal coupling. As the number of lasers and optical modes increases, direct numerical simulation becomes computationally demanding.

The successful candidate will therefore focus not only on physical modeling but also on developing, optimizing, and accelerating computational approaches capable of treating large laser networks efficiently.

The research scientist will contribute to several areas, including:

Numerical integration of large systems of nonlinear delay-differential equations

Modeling of single-mode and multimode semiconductor laser arrays

Optimization and acceleration of existing simulation codes

Parallel computing and high-performance computing (HPC)
GPU acceleration, where appropriate

Development of scalable numerical algorithms for systems containing large numbers of lasers and optical modes

An important component of the project will be determining how numerical algorithms and existing stimulation codes can be redesigned or optimized to achieve substantial improvements in computational speed while preserving numerical accuracy and stability. The position provides an opportunity to work at the intersection of computational mathematics, nonlinear dynamics, high-performance…