Postdoctoral Fellow (PREP0004832)

The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc.; Gaithersburg (MD); On-site; USD 82,000 - 89,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

Job summary

Johns Hopkins University seeks a PREP Research Associate in Gaithersburg, Maryland, focusing on enhancing seismic design for steel structures. This role involves synthesizing research findings, developing nonlinear models, and contributing to high-impact research projects.

The successful candidate should have a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, strong skills in experimental testing, and proficiency in Python or MATLAB. The position offers an annual salary between $82,000 and $89,000 along with various employee benefits.

Qualifications

• Preference for U.S. citizenship.
• Strong background in the experimental testing of structural steel components.
• Publication record in leading peer-reviewed journals.

Responsibilities

• Synthesize knowledge from past tests and models of structural steel components.
• Develop new nonlinear finite element models.
• Prepare high-quality research papers for peer-reviewed journals.

Skills

Python

MATLAB

Nonlinear analysis

Experimental testing

Excellent communication skills

Education

Ph.D. in Civil Engineering

Job description

About the Position

Johns Hopkins, founded in 1876, is America's first research university and home to nine world-class academic divisions working together as one university.

Salary : $82,000-$89,000 a year

Johns Hopkins University: Whiting School of Engineering: Office of Research and Translation

Description

PREP Research Associate

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program. NIST recognizes that its research staff may wish to collaborate with researchers at academic institutions on specific projects of mutual interest, thus requires that such institutions must be the recipient of a PREP award. The PREP program requires staff from a wide range of backgrounds to work on scientific research in many areas. Employees in this position will perform technical work that underpins the scientific research of the collaboration.

A postdoctoral fellow is sought for a position in Structural Engineering to contribute to cutting‑edge work on resilience‑based seismic design of steel structures. This opportunity is part of a high‑impact research effort focused on advancing the science of seismic design to enable the functional recovery of steel buildings at both the component and system levels. The researcher will collaborate closely with leading experts at NIST and academia to accelerate the development of next‑generation seismic design and post‑earthquake evaluation procedures.

Research Title

Design of Steel Structures for Functional Recovery

Key Responsibilities

• Synthesize knowledge from past experimental tests and high‑fidelity models of structural steel components.
• Develop new nonlinear finite element models to address key data gaps in steel component behavior.
• Develop and validate functional recovery design limits for various steel components and systems.
• Translate findings into technical guidance that informs seismic design for functional recovery, post‑earthquake assessment, and decision‑making for structural engineers.
• Conduct nonlinear dynamic analyses and consequence modeling across a suite of steel building archetypes to demonstrate the real‑world application of the developed procedures.
• Prepare high‑quality research papers for peer‑reviewed journals and present findings at national conferences.

Qualifications

• U.S. citizenship is preferred.
• Ph.D. in Civil Engineering with a focus on the behavior of steel structures.
• Strong background in the experimental testing of structural steel components and nonlinear analysis of steel systems, with emphasis on seismic effects.
• Experience in developing high‑fidelity finite element models of steel components and calibrating them to test results.
• Experience in developing and validating high‑fidelity finite element models for steel buildings.
• Experience in developing and validating steel component modeling parameters against experimental outcomes and finite element models.
• Proficiency in Python and/or MATLAB.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Strong publication record in leading peer‑reviewed journals.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Johns Hopkins University is committed to equal opportunity for its faculty, staff, and students. The University is committed to providing qualified individuals access to all academic and employment programs, benefits and activities on the basis of demonstrated ability, performance and merit without regard to personal factors or ordographic characteristics that are irrelevant to the program involved.

Total Rewards

Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports our employees' health, life, career and retirement. More information can be found here: https://hr.jhu.edu/benefits-worklife/.