Position Description

The Center for High Order Plasma Turbulence Modeling for Z-Pinch (HighZ:  https://highz-fic.github.io), a Department of Energy (DOE), Predictive Science Academic Alliance Program (PSAAP) and Focused Investigatory Center (FIC) center, is seeking to hire a postdoctoral research associate in the broad areas of high performance computing and machine learning.  HighZ is focused on developing scalable high order methods, enhanced with surrogate models for subscale physics, for modeling of pinching plasmas.  This research associate will work with the Michigan State University (MSU) team to develop new scalable algorithms inside of the Parthenon framework, an AMR performance portable framework based on Kokkos and C++ supported by Los Alamos National Laboratory. At full strength there will be 7 PhD students and one postdoctoral research associate working on different aspects of this effort and integrating their work in Parthenon.

In this work, the research associate will focus on either Scientific Machine Learning (SciML) surrogates, with coupling to multi-physics solvers, or scalable high order methods, with coupling to SciML models, for magnetic reconnection problems involving radiation losses or magnetized turbulence.  The research associate will play a leading role in model integration within the Parthenon framework, bringing together new time stepping methods for stiff terms, new high order methods, and SciML surrogate models being developed by members of the team.

Completion of a Ph.D. in mathematics, physics, astrophysics, or a related area is required before Fall 2026.  Knowledge of parallel programming and experience developing methods for 2D and 3D problems are critical.  Experience working with open source software frameworks and/or using modern open source code development methodology is highly desirable, as is experience with numerical methods pertaining to fluid dynamics or plasma physics.

Applicants must submit their application materials for the Research Associate job posting on Mathjobs.org at https://www.mathjobs.org/jobs/list/27558 to be considered.

A complete application includes a vita, a research statement the indicates their experience in any of the four focus areas, and at least 3 letters of recommendation.

Salary is commensurate with qualifications up to $70,000.00.

Pursuant to the federal requirements of this National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) funded project, candidates are required to have United States citizenship or special approval from DOE-NNA.  Non-citizens who do not have DOE-NNSA special approval at time of application shall not be considered. Please contact Professor Andrew Christlieb if you wish to know more about this posting (christli@msu.edu).    Review of applications will begin on December 15, 2025.  

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.