Postdoctoral Research Associate - Programming Systems for Extreme Heterogeneity

Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Oak Ridge (TN); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision plans

401(k) retirement plan with employer match

Paid vacation, holidays, and parental leave

Job summary

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher focused on advancing programming systems for extreme-scale heterogeneous computing. The role involves enhancing compiler infrastructure and performance engineering, particularly utilizing LLVM and HPC technologies like CUDA and OpenMP.

Ideal candidates hold a Ph.D. in Computer Science or related fields, with extensive experience in compiler and systems expertise. The position offers competitive salary and comprehensive benefits, including medical plans and relocation assistance.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. should be received within five years before the application.
• Extensive experience with LLVM and HPC programming.
• Solid understanding of distributed-memory systems.

Responsibilities

• Extend the LLVM toolchain for autonomous optimization environments.
• Investigate AI-guided architectural design decisions for HPC systems.
• Profile, model, and optimize distributed codes using modern technologies.

Skills

LLVM expertise

C++ programming

HPC technologies (MPI, OpenMP, CUDA)

Education

Ph.D. in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Z3

Qiskit

Gem5

Job description

Job Overview

The Computer Science and Mathematics Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) seeks a Postdoctoral Researcher to advance programming systems for extreme‑scale, heterogeneous computing. The role focuses on compiler infrastructure, formal verification, runtime systems, and hardware/software codesign, expanding into emerging paradigms such as quantum and analog computational models.

Major Duties / Responsibilities

• LLVM Compiler Innovation: Extend the LLVM toolchain to support autonomous “closed‑loop” optimization environments, enabling AI agents to analyze, transform, and validate intermediate representation with performance‑driven reasoning.
• HPC System Co‑Design: Investigate methods for AI agents to guide architectural design decisions for massively parallel heterogeneous systems, including integration with quantum or analog co‑processors.
• Performance Engineering at Scale: Profile, model, and optimize distributed codes using MPI, OpenMP, CUDA, ROCm, and related HPC technologies, bridging theoretical AI models with real hardware constraints.
• Cross‑Paradigm Integration: Explore unification of classical, quantum, and analog execution models under a shared optimization framework.

Basic Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a closely related field.
• Compiler and Systems Expertise: Extensive experience with LLVM (e.g., writing passes, IR transformations) and HPC programming in C++, MPI, OpenMP, CUDA, or related models.
• Solid understanding of distributed‑memory systems and manycore architectures.

Preferred Qualifications

• Formal Methods: Experience with automated reasoning or verification tools (e.g., Z3, TLA+, LEAN) to ensure correctness of compiler‑ or AI‑generated code.
• Mathematical Foundations: Background in linear algebra, graph algorithms, and related areas central to dataflow and tensor optimization.
• Hardware/Software Co‑Design: Familiarity with architectural simulators (e.g., Gem5, SST) or HDLs.
• Quantum / Analog Computing: Exposure to quantum programming models (e.g., QIR, Q#, Qiskit, Cirq) or analog/neuromorphic systems and interest in integrating these paradigms into unified compilation and optimization strategies.
• Programming Languages & Frameworks: Experience with Julia, Rust, Python, Kokkos, OpenSHMEM, or similar emerging ecosystem tools.

Eligibility and Appointment

Applicants must have received their Ph.D. within the five years preceding the application and must complete all degree requirements before appointment. The appointment lasts up to 24 months, with potential extension based on performance and funding availability.

Three letters of recommendation are required for consideration.

Security, Credentialing, and Eligibility Requirements

All employees must possess a Real‑ID compliant form of identification and a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card, as mandated by DOE and other federal regulations. New hires must successfully complete a Federal Tier 1 background check. Foreign nationals who have not resided in the U.S. for three consecutive years are not eligible for the PIV credential and may need alternative credentialing.

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Medical, dental, and vision plans
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer match
• Life insurance and disability benefits
• Paid vacation, holidays, and parental leave
• Relocation assistance
• Employee assistance and wellness programs

Equal Opportunity Employer

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.