Postdoctoral Research Associate - Algorithm Development for Scientific Computing

Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Oak Ridge (TN); On-site; USD 60,000 - 82,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical plan

Retirement plan

Flexible work hours

Job summary

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) seeks a Postdoctoral Research Associate to join a large team developing novel algorithms for scientific computing focused on nonequilibrium quantum many‑body systems. The role spans applied mathematics, computational science, and HPC, aiming to deploy advanced methods on leadership compute facilities.

The candidate will collaborate across computational chemistry, nanomaterials sciences, and interdisciplinary researchers, contributing to high‑impact research

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in computational physics or related field within the past 5 years.
• Experience with tensor networks, Monte Carlo, or related areas.
• Strong background in quantum mechanics and linear algebra.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, benchmark, and advance novel computational methods for equilibrium and nonequilibrium quantum many‑body systems.
• Contribute to scalable implementations for state‑of‑the‑art HPC facilities.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to link models with high‑performance computing.
• Publish peer‑reviewed papers and present at workshops and conferences.

Skills

Tensor networks

Monte Carlo

Machine learning

Quantum mechanics

Linear algebra

Education

Ph.D. in computational physics or related field

Tools

C++

Python

Julia

MPI

OpenMP

CUDA

Job description

Overview:

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate to join a large research team working on the development and implementation of novel algorithms for scientific computing, with a particular emphasis on methods tailored to study nonequilibrium quantum many-body systems. The position offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to cutting‑edge research at the intersection of applied mathematics, computational science, and high‑performance computing. The successful candidate will help develop advanced scientific computing methods and deploy them on state‑of‑the‑art high‑performance computing facilities. There is significant potential for high‑impact research contributions at the forefront of computational quantum many‑body physics.

This position resides within the Computational Chemistry and Nanomaterials Sciences group in the Computational Sciences and Engineering Division (CSED) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). CSED focuses on transdisciplinary computational science and analytics at scale to enable scientific discovery across the physical sciences, engineered systems, and biomedicine and health. It provides foundations and advances in quantum information sciences to enable quantum computers, devices, and networked systems. It develops community applications, data assets, and technologies and provides assurance to build knowledge and impact in novel, crosscut‑science outcomes.

Major Duties/Responsibilities:

• Develop, implement, benchmark, and advance novel computational methods for equilibrium and nonequilibrium quantum many‑body systems.
• Contribute to the development of scalable and efficient implementations of these algorithms for state‑of‑the‑art high performance computing facilities.
• Collaborate within a multi‑disciplinary research environment consisting of computational scientists, applied mathematicians, and computer scientists to link models and algorithms with high‑performance computing.
• Author peer reviewed papers for internal and external release as well as represent the organization via technical presentations in workshops and conferences.

Basic Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in computational physics or a field relevant to the job duties such as physics, mathematics, computer science, or engineering within the past 5 years.
• Previous theoretical and/or computational research experience in tensor networks, Monte Carlo, machine learning or a related field
• Proficiency in quantum mechanics, statistical modeling, and linear algebra

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with density matrix renormalization group and tensor network algorithm development and application.
• Competency with common scientific programming languages such as C++, Python, and/or Julia and version control systems.
• Experience in parallel programming with one or more common parallel programming models, like MPI or OpenMP.
• Experience in heterogeneous programming (i.e., GPU programming) and/or developing, debugging, and profiling massively parallel codes.
• Experience with using high performance computing for lattice model simulations.
• Experience working in a multi-disciplinary research environment.
• Demonstrated written and oral communication skills, a proven publication record, and effective interpersonal skills.

Special Requirements:

• Postdocs: 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 up to 24 months with the potential for extension. Initial appointments and extensions are subject to performance and availability of funding.
• 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.

Letters of Recommendation:

Please submit three letters of reference when applying to this position. You may upload these directly to your application or have them sent to

About ORNL:

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.

ORNL offers competitive pay and benefits programs to attract and retain individuals who demonstrate exceptional work behaviors. The laboratory provides a range of employee benefits, including medical and retirement plans and flexible work hours, to support the well‑being of you and your family. Employee amenities such as on‑site fitness, banking, and cafeteria facilities are also available for added convenience.

• Prescription Drug Plan
• Dental Plan
• Vision Plan
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Contributory Pension Plan
• Life Insurance
• Disability Benefits
• 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
• 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.

If you have trouble applying for a position, please email [e-mail].

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.

QUANTUM ROLE CONTEXT | Appended by Quantum.Jobs v2

Role context:

This role type exists to advance computational modeling techniques for complex physical systems and integrate these mathematical tools into high-performance computing architectures. Situated within specialized research divisions at national laboratories or academic institutes, the position sits between fundamental mathematical theory and practical scientific software deployment. Researchers in this role translate physical equations into scalable numerical algorithms, enabling multidisciplinary teams to solve complex simulation problems across chemistry, materials science, and physics while leveraging advanced computational hardware.

Quantum ecosystem relevance:

The role supports the quantum ecosystem by developing foundational mathematical algorithms and tensor network methodologies essential for simulating quantum systems. By modeling quantum many-body dynamics on classical high-performance computing systems, researchers establish critical baseline benchmarks for evaluating early-stage quantum hardware and quantum algorithms. Additionally, advances in computational quantum mechanics contribute directly to quantum information science, helping researchers design better quantum devices, understand quantum phase transitions, and bridge hybrid classical-quantum computational workflows across national research facilities.

Capability signals:

• Advanced expertise in tensor network algorithms and quantum many-body computational methods
• Proficiency in scientific programming languages including C++, Python, and Julia frameworks
• Demonstrated experience developing parallel computational algorithms using MPI and OpenMP tools
• Ability to deploy complex computational models on heterogeneous high-performance computing architectures
• Record of publishing peer-reviewed research papers in computational physics and mathematics