Postdoctoral Scholar, Nuclear Engineering

The Pennsylvania State University; State College (Centre County); On-site; USD 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive benefits

Postdoctoral benefits

Job summary

The Pennsylvania State University invites applications for a full-time postdoctoral scholar position focused on developing capillary porous systems for liquid metals as plasma-facing components in future tokamaks.

The successful candidate will work under Prof. Xing Wang and collaborate with a multidisciplinary team, including Prof. Martin Nieto, to advance liquid metal technology for fusion reactors. Immediate availability; term-based appointment with extension based on need and funding.

Qualifications

• PhD in a related field as listed: Nuclear Eng., Materials Sci., or Physics.
• Experience with plasma-material interactions, vacuum systems, and surface characterization.
• Strong communication and collaborative work abilities.

Responsibilities

• Design and fabricate CPS using advanced manufacturing methods (e.g., field-assisted sintering, laser processing).
• Investigate CPS-liquid metal interactions via in-situ and ex-situ techniques.
• Evaluate CPS performance under plasma exposure and reactor-relevant conditions.

Skills

Communication

Independent work

Team collaboration

Plasma-material interactions

Education

PhD in Nuclear Engineering

PhD in Materials Science and Engineering

PhD in Physics

Job description

Application Instructions

Current Penn State employee (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday. Current Penn State student (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday. If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click "Apply" and complete the application process for external applicants.

Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants.

This is a term position; length of the term will be discussed during the interview process. Continuation past the term length discussed will be based on university need, performance, and/or availability of funding.

Position Specifications

The Department of Nuclear Engineering at The Pennsylvania State University invites applications for a full-time postdoctoral scholar position focused on developing capillary porous systems (CPS) for liquid metals as plasma-facing components in future tokamaks.

The successful candidate will work under the mentorship of Prof. Xing Wang and will lead research efforts that include:

• Designing and fabricating CPS using advanced manufacturing methods such as field-assisted sintering, laser processing, etc.
• Investigating CPS-liquid metal interactions through in-situ and ex-situ characterization techniques.
• Evaluating CPS performance under plasma exposure and reactor-relevant conditions.

The postdoctoral scholar will collaborate closely with a multidisciplinary team, including Prof. Martin Nieto at Penn State, to advance the technical readiness level of liquid metals for next-generation fusion reactors.

Learn more about the research groups here:

Prof. Xing Wang's research group: https://sites.psu.edu/rdmap/

The position is open immediately and will remain available until filled.

Qualifications

Required:

• A Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Physics, or a closely related field.
• Prior experience in plasma-material interactions, plasma facing materials, vacuum systems, and surface characterization.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a team environment.

Application Instructions

Interested applicants should:

• Contact Prof. Xing Wang at [e-mail] with their CV attached. Please include "Postdoc Application" in the subject line.
• Application materials should include a brief statement of purpose and a full CV.
• Submit application materials online through the Penn State Careers website using the "Apply" link above.

Background Checks/Clearances

Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.

Benefits

Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being.

For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page. (Note: For Postdoctoral benefits, please see our Postdoctoral Benefits page.)

EEO IS THE LAW

Penn State is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814-865-1473.