Requisition Id 9629

Overview:

The Fusion Energy Division at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory seeks applications for a skilled Postdoctoral Research Associate in Computational Liquid Metal Fluid Engineer, with intended focus on magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flows of electrically conducting liquids in a magnetic field, such as liquid metals (LMs) and molten salts (MSs), in conditions relevant to breeding/cooling fusion energy applications. The selected candidate will work on and lead various projects in the development of technical solutions for fusion energy component design and experiments related to the development of a blanket system and plasma facing components. The Fusion Energy Division (FED) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) invites applicants for a Computational Liquid Metal Fluids Engineer position in Fusion Blankets and Engineering Design. The FED is developing the technical basis for the first fusion nuclear facility and involves several disciplines, particularly Liquid Metal MHD and associated transport processes, such as heat and mass transfer, including tritium transport and corrosion of structural steels in the flowing liquid breeder. We seek individuals with advanced computational skills who can lead computational activities using commercial codes and be able to develop new computational models and computer programs. The successful candidate will work with a multidisciplinary team of simulation/design, and technology experts.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

The successful candidate will be involved in both developing new and applying existing models and simulation tools to understand physical processes in fusion applications that involve liquid metals and molten salts as fuel breeders and coolants and their design optimization. This is concentrated on computational MHD, but may involve thermal hydraulics, mass and heat transfer, materials, tritium transport and corrosion. In addition, participating in the development of new Liquid Metal facilities and planning experimental studies is expected. The selected candidate will be responsible for interaction with division staff and the external collaborators that work with the ORNL research group. The candidate will be expected to work independently, lead, perform and collaborate on simulation/design activities, fully document work in technical reports and publications, contribute to the identification and development of research proposals.

Basic Qualifications:

The successful candidate must have completed a Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Thermal-Mechanics, Fluids, or a closely related field within the last 5 years. It is required for candidates to have experience in the development and application of complex engineering codes and preferable to have familiarity with nuclear systems. Familiarity with Liquid Metal systems and MHD is required. Working knowledge of one or more CFD codes (OpenFOAM, COMSOL, HIMAG, ANSYS CFX, ANSYS FLUENT) that can be utilized in MHD flow computations is necessary, and/or research codes developed for liquid metal MHD. Excellent verbal, presentation, and writing skills are required to enable effective interaction and communication with technical peers, program managers, collaborators, and sponsors. Candidates must show examples of their academic and work experience.

Please submit three letters of reference when applying to this position. You can upload these directly to your application or have them sent to postdocrecruitment@ornl.gov with the position title and number referenced in the subject line.

Instructions to upload documents to your candidate profile:

• Login to your account via jobs.ornl.gov
• View Profile
• Under the My Documents section, select Add a Document

Applicants cannot have received their Ph.D. more than five years prior to the date of application and must complete all degree requirements before starting their appointment. The appointment length will be for up to 24 months with the potential for extension. Initial appointments and extensions are subject to performance and the availability of funding.

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This position will remain open for a minimum of 5 days after which it will close when a qualified candidate is identified and/or hired.

We accept Word (.doc, .docx), Adobe (unsecured .pdf), Rich Text Format (.rtf), and HTML (.htm, .html) up to 5MB in size. Resumes from third party vendors will not be accepted; these resumes will be deleted and the candidates submitted will not be considered for employment.

If you have trouble applying for a position, please email ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov.

ORNL is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, are encouraged to apply. UT-Battelle is an E-Verify employer.