Postdoctoral Research Associate - Materials Science (Alloy Processing)

$66,000 - $75,000/Yr

Washington State University - Pullman, WA

Full-time - Entry Level

Pullman, WA

Educational Services

About the position

The Spokane-based Applied Sciences Laboratory (ASL) of the Institute for Shock Physics (ISP) at Washington State University is a contract research organization that conducts a broad range of projects for government agencies and corporations, including technology transfer for commercial applications. We have an immediate opening for a Postdoctoral Research Associate to conduct applied research in experimental alloy development and processing. As the Postdoctoral Research Associate, you will work on various aspects of the research project, including alloy development, process development, scale-up fabrication, and process modeling. As an experimentalist, you enjoy hands-on work and problem-solving in a fast-paced research environment. Occasional travel with access to Department of Defense (DoD) facilities is required. This position is located on the WSU Spokane campus in Spokane, Washington.

Responsibilities

• Conduct applied research in experimental alloy development and processing.
• Engage in alloy development and process development.
• Participate in scale-up fabrication and process modeling.
• Perform independent research and problem-solving in a fast-paced environment.
• Communicate research results effectively, both orally and in writing.

Requirements

• A recent Ph.D. degree in Materials Science, Physical Metallurgy, Mechanical Engineering or related field with a strong experimental background.
• Strong academic and research background related to material processing or electro-mechanical systems.
• Hands-on experience with material processing and characterization, or electro-mechanical systems.
• Graduate or post-graduate experience at a U.S. Academic Institution or National Laboratory.
• Good oral and written communication skills, including the ability to engage in deep scientific discussions and summarize research results succinctly.
• Ability to perform independent research.
• Critical thinking, good judgment, attention to detail, and accountability.
• Must be able to obtain a badge at U.S. Department of Defense facilities to gain access to restricted areas/information.

Nice-to-haves

• Experimental background in processing of titanium alloys.
• Proficiency in microstructure characterization and phase identification.
• Hands-on experience on SEM, optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction.
• Hands-on experience on vacuum equipment and high vacuum systems.
• A solid theoretical background in the thermodynamics and kinetics of solidification.
• Experience on induction melting, laboratory arc-melting, and plasma melting.
• Experience with modeling of heat transfer/fluid flow with a solid theoretical background.
• Experience with FLOW-3D or similar casting simulation software.
• Proficiency in CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks, AutoCAD) and laboratory software (e.g., LabVIEW, MatLab).
• Experience in data mining, machine learning using systems such as Python/Minitab.
• Ability to perform statistical analyses and apply statistical calculations.

Benefits

• Paid sick and vacation leave
• Paid holidays
• Medical, dental, life and disability insurance package for employees and dependents
• Retirement
• Deferred compensation and optional supplemental retirement accounts