Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Operations Research and Data Science (AFIT)

Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education; Dayton (OH); On-site; USD 73,000 - 92,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance Supplement

Training and Travel Allowance

Job summary

Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) invites you to join AFIT for a twelve-month post-doctoral research opportunity in Dayton, Ohio. You will work under a mentor, studying adversarial interactions, multi-agent systems, and decision-making under uncertainty in security and defense contexts.

The role emphasizes methodological innovation, theoretical development, and applied mathematical/statistical modeling, with stipends based on academic standing, and provisions including health

Qualifications

• PhD within 60 months or pursuing; discipline-aligned qualifications.
• Strong publications or presentations in relevant areas.
• Proficient in Python/R/Julia/C/C++/MATLAB for scientific computing.
• Familiar with solvers like Gurobi/CPLEX or probabilistic frameworks Stan/PyMC.
• Ability to formulate high-impact research questions from unstructured requirements.

Responsibilities

• Research adversarial interactions and multi-agent systems.
• Develop methodological and theoretical models and apply statistical methods.
• Contribute to Bayesian statistics, decision analysis, and optimization research.

Skills

Quantitative research

Bayesian statistics

Mathematical optimization

Game-theoretic analysis

Network problems

Decision analysis

Behavioral economics

Python

R

Julia

C++

MATLAB

Gurobi

CPLEX

Stan

PyMC

Research question formulation

Education

Doctoral degree candidate or PhD in Operations Research / Industrial Engineering / Statistics / Data Science / Applied Mathematics / Computer Science / Systems Engineering

Tools

Gurobi

CPLEX

Stan

PyMC

Job description

A post-doctoral research opportunity is available through the Department of Operational Sciences at the Air Force Institute of Technology.

What will I be doing?

As an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) participant, you will join a community of scientists and researchers studying adversarial interactions, multi-agent systems, and decision-making under uncertainty relevant to security and defense settings. Research activities will focus on methodological innovation, theoretical development, and applied mathematical/statistical modeling.

Why should I apply?

Under the guidance of a mentor, you will gain hands‑on experience to complement your education and support your academic and professional goals. Along the way, you may engage in activities and research in several areas. These include, but are not limited to:

• Adversarial location and network interdiction models
• Adversarial machine learning attacks and defense (e.g., against Bayesian inference)
• Algorithmic development for bilevel (or multilevel) optimization
• Methodological developments in Bayesian statistics and/or decision analysis
• Application of adversarial risk analysis within security settings

Where will I be located? Dayton, Ohio

What is the anticipated start date?

Exact start dates will be determined at the time of selection and in coordination with the selected candidate. Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis and fellowships will be filled as qualified candidates are identified.

What is the appointment length?

This appointment is a twelve-month research appointment, with the possibility to be renewed for additional research periods. Appointments may be extended depending on funding availability, project assignment, program rules, and availability of the participant.

What are the provisions?

You will receive a stipend to be determined by AFIT. Stipends are typically based on a participant’s academic standing, discipline, experience, and research facility location. Other provisions may include the following:

• Health Insurance Supplement (Participants are eligible to purchase health insurance through ORISE)
• Training and Travel Allowance

About AFIT

The Air Force Institute of Technology, or AFIT, located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the Air Force’s graduate school of engineering and management as well as its institution for technical professional continuing education. A component of Air University and Air Education and Training Command, AFIT is committed to providing defense-focused graduate and professional continuing education and research to sustain the technological supremacy of America’s air, space and cyber forces.

About ORISE

This program, administered by Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) through its contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to manage the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), was established through an interagency agreement between DOE and DoD. Participants do not enter an employee/employer relationship with ORISE, ORAU, DoD or any other office or agency. Instead, you will be affiliated with ORISE for the administration of the appointment through the ORISE appointment letter and Terms of Appointment. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. Health insurance can be obtained through ORISE. For more information, visit the ORISE Research Participation Program at the U.S. Department of Defense.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should hold or be currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Operations Research, Industrial Engineering, Statistics, Data Science, Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, Systems Engineering, or a closely related field. A postgraduate is required to have earned their degree within 5 years of the appointment start date.

A PhD is not required at the time of selection. Ideally, a participant will complete their PhD prior to the opportunity's start date; however, an \"all but dissertation\" status may be acceptable as well, provided the requisite research qualifications.

Preferred Skills:

• Background in quantitative research, evidenced by peer-reviewed publications, academic presentations, or preprint manuscripts
• Knowledge of Bayesian statistics, mathematical optimization, game-theoretic analysis, network problems, decision analysis, or behavioral economics
• Proficiency in a scientific computing or statistical programming languages (e.g., Python, R, Julia, C++, or MATLAB)
• Familiarity with mathematical programming solvers (e.g., Gurobi, CPLEX) or probabilistic/Bayesian computing frameworks (e.g., Stan, PyMC)
• Ability to formulate high-impact, novel and well-defined research questions from unstructured requirements

Application Requirements

• Zintellect Profile
• Educational and Employment History
• Essay Questions (goals, experiences, and skills relevant to the opportunity)
• Resume (PDF)
• Transcripts/Academic Records - Please upload a copy of a transcript for your current or most recent degree program that meets the disciplinary qualifications of the opportunity.
• One Recommendation. We encourage you to contact your recommender(s) as soon as you start your application to ensure they are able to complete the recommendation form and to let them know to expect a message from Zintellect. Recommenders will be asked to rate your scientific capabilities, personal characteristics, and describe how they know you. You can always log back in to your Zintellect account and check the status of your application.

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Stipend

$6,500.00 – $8,250.00 Monthly

Eligibility Requirements

• Degree: Doctoral Degree received within the last 60 months or currently pursuing.