Postdoctoral Research Associate - Scalable Machine Learning for Coupled Physics Applications

Requisition Id 15527 

Overview:

As a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national laboratory, ORNL has an impressive 80-year legacy of addressing the nation’s most pressing challenges. Our team is made up of over 7,000 dedicated and innovative individuals! Our goal is to create an environment where a variety of perspectives and backgrounds are valued, ensuring ORNL is known as a top choice for employment. These principles are essential for supporting our broader mission to drive scientific breakthroughs and translate them into solutions for energy, environmental, and security challenges facing the nation.

The Computational Coupled Physics (CCP) Group within the Computational Sciences and Engineering Division (CSED), at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate to develop and apply scalable artificial intelligence (AI) / deep learning (DL) methods to advance multi-scale coupled physics simulations in support of the missions and programs of the US Department of Energy (DOE). ORNL’s CCP conducts world-class research and development in multi-scale computational coupled physics, large scale data analytics and DL, and model-data integration at the DOE’s leadership class Computing Facilities (LCFs). The successful candidate will demonstrate strong expertise and skills in computational materials, data analytics, development of surrogate and generative DL models, high-performance computing (HPC), and computational sciences.

Major Duties/Responsibilities:

• Participate in: (1) design and implementation of scalable DL algorithms for atomistic materials modeling applications, (2) design and architecture of integrated, hybrid, atomistic simulation software packages (e.g., LAMMPS) and DL models, and (3) documentation, verification and validation, and software quality activities.
• Author peer reviewed papers for journals and conferences, technical reports, open-source software, and represent the organization by making technical presentations at workshops and conferences.
• Collaborate within a multi-disciplinary research environment consisting of computational scientists, computer scientists, experimentalists, engineers, and physicists conducting basic and applied AI/DL research in support of the Laboratory’s missions.
• Engage with the broader DL community to develop and apply scalable physics-informed DL techniques to application areas of interest to the CCP group.
• Deliver ORNL’s mission by aligning behaviors, priorities, and interactions with our core values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service. Promote equal opportunity by fostering a respectful workplace – in how we treat one another, work together, and measure success.

Basic Qualifications:

• A PhD in materials science, applied mathematics, computer science, or an AI related field completed within the last 5 years.
• Demonstrated experts in atomistic materials modeling for organic, inorganic, and/or hybrid compounds.
• Demonstrated experience with open-source classical molecular dynamics software LAMMPS.
• Demonstrated expertise in writing advanced software in Python.
• Demonstrated experience with the LINUX operating system, LaTeX, Git, Python.
• Demonstrated expertise in the design and implementation of deep learning algorithms in PyTorch.
• Expertise in object-oriented programming, and scripting languages.
• Parallel algorithm and software development using the message-passing interface (MPI), particularly as applied to AI/ML algorithms.
• Demonstrated effective written and oral communication skills, a proven publication record, and effective interpersonal skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working in a multi-disciplinary research environment that follows modern software quality standards (version control, unit testing, continuous integration, etc.).
• Experience in the development of large-scale physics simulation codes, including computational scaling and efficiency, for hybrid exascale supercomputing systems.
• Programming model for multicore and heterogeneous architectures such as graphical processing units (GPUs).
• Motivated self-starter with the ability to work independently and to participate creatively in collaborative teams across the laboratory.
• Ability to function well in a fast-paced research environment, set priorities to accomplish multiple tasks within deadlines, and adapt to ever changing needs.

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.

Candidates are asked to submit a detailed cover letter describing their experience relative to the duties and qualifications described in this posting with their application.

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

For technical questions, contact: Massimiliano Lupo Pasini (lupopasinim@ornl.gov) or Alex Plotkowski (plotkowskiaj@ornl.gov).

Security, Credentialing, and Eligibility Requirements:

• This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain an HSPD-12 PIV badge.
• For employment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), a Real ID compliant form of identification will be required.
• Additionally, ORNL is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as mandated by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) and Department of Energy (DOE) Order 473.1A, which requires a favorable post-employment background investigation.
• To obtain this credential, new employees must successfully complete and pass a Federal Tier 1 background check investigation. This investigation includes a declaration of illegal drug activities, including use, supply, possession, or manufacture within the last year. This includes marijuana and cannabis derivatives, which are still considered illegal under federal law, regardless of state laws.

For foreign national candidates:

• If you have not resided in the U.S. for three consecutive years, you are not eligible for the PIV credential and instead will need to obtain a favorable Local Site Specific Only (LSSO) risk determination to maintain employment.
• Once you meet the three-year residency requirement, you will be required to obtain a PIV credential to maintain employment.

Benefits at ORNL:

ORNL offers competitive pay and benefits programs to attract and retain talented people. The laboratory offers many employee benefits, including medical and retirement plans and flexible work hours, to help you and your family live happy and healthy. Employee amenities such as on-site fitness, banking, and cafeteria facilities are also provided for convenience.

Other benefits include: Prescription Drug Plan, Dental Plan, Vision Plan, 401(k) Retirement Plan, Life Insurance, Pet Insurance, Generous Vacation and Holidays, Parental Leave, Legal Insurance with Identity Theft Protection, Employee Assistance Plan, Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Accounts, Wellness Programs, Educational Assistance, Relocation Assistance, and Employee Discounts.

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.