Postdoctoral Researcher: Mechanical Modeling of Composite Structures at National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Postdoctoral Researcher: Mechanical Modeling of Composite Structures

Location: CO - Golden

Position Type: Postdoc (Fixed Term)

Hours Per Week: 40

Job Summary

NREL’s Transportation and Hydrogen Systems Center has an immediate opening for a postdoctoral researcher with emphasis on developing models of mechanical failure incorporating material degradation due to changes in constitutive relations and properties driven by thermal and chemical evolution. The selected candidate will be responsible for developing mechanical models of battery cell components and integrating those models with thermal and electrochemical models previously developed at NREL. For instance, as material properties change over time, the mechanical properties will change, ultimately resulting in mechanical failure (fracture, delamination, etc.). Expertise in impact simulations (e.g., material fracture in response to a crash), the evolution of the geometry and subsequent implications to device performance and safety are relevant. The models will be used in conjunction with new multi-physics codes to solve for the degradation of advanced composite materials relevant to both multi-layered reflectors for concentrating solar power applications and advanced battery architectures. The focus of this research will be on incorporating mechanical failure predictions into the aforementioned multi-physics codes. The postdoctoral researcher will also validate the simulation models by analysis of experimental data. This position will support R&D conducted in-house and externally by NREL researchers, other university, lab and industry participants.

Required Education, Experience, and Skills: Must be a recent PhD graduate within the last three years.

Application link: https://nrel.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/NREL/job/CO---Golden/Postdoctor...