Postdoctoral Scholar - Surgery

Penn State University; United States; On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits package

Job summary

The Penn State College of Medicine, Division of Applied Biomedical Engineering in the Department of Surgery, Hershey, PA, seeks a post-doctoral scholar to contribute to next-generation mechanical circulatory support devices, including a pediatric ventricular assist device.

This on-campus position requires a PhD in Mechanical or Biomedical Engineering and offers collaboration with surgeons, veterinarians, and industry partners.

Qualifications

• Recent PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, or related field with experience in mechanical circulatory support systems or rotary blood pump development.
• Expertise in turbomachinery design, tribology, hydrodynamic bearings, CFD/FSI modeling, or pump hydraulic testing.
• Proficiency with CAD and CFD solvers; familiarity with FEM/FSI tools.
• Strong scientific method, data synthesis, and ability to publish.
• Excellent organizational, written, and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Design and optimize rotary blood pump components (impellers, volutes, bearings).
• Perform CFD/FSI simulations to evaluate hydraulic performance and blood damage.
• Plan and conduct in vitro testing and blood-based assays.
• Support in vivo (large-animal) studies with clinical collaborators.
• Analyze data, prepare manuscripts, and present at conferences.
• Assist in grant preparation and progress reporting.
• Mentor graduate and undergraduate students.

Skills

CFD/FSI modeling

Turbomachinery design

Tribology

Hydrodynamic bearings

CAD SolidWorks

CFD solvers (Converge, ANSYS Fluent,/A

Education

PhD in Mechanical Engineering

PhD in Biomedical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

Converge

ANSYS Fluent

ABAQUS

Job description

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 SPECIFICS

The Penn State College of Medicine, Division of Applied Biomedical Engineering in the Department of Surgery, in Hershey, PA, is seeking a highly driven post-doctoral scholar capable of joining an internationally recognized team developing next-generation mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices, including a pediatric ventricular assist device (Child Pump) and continuous-flow blood pumps. The applicant must have a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, or a closely related field. This position is on campus, in person.

The Division of Applied Biomedical Engineering consists of 5 faculty members with expertise in mechanical engineering, fluid dynamics, electrical engineering, and biomaterials. In addition, there are 9 full-time staff members specializing in computational methods, in vitro and in vivo testing, mechanical design, machining, assembly, and polymer fabrication. The Division collaborates closely with surgeons, cardiologists, veterinarians, and commercial partners, and focuses on the research and development of devices to treat heart and pulmonary failure.

Duties include (but are not limited to)

• Designing and optimizing rotary blood pump components, including impellers/rotors, volutes, and hydrodynamic bearings
• Conducting computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and fluid-structure interaction (FSI) simulations to evaluate pump hydraulic performance, blood damage (hemolysis, vWF, platelets), and bearing clearance
• Planning and executing in vitro experimental testing, including hydraulic performance characterization and blood-based assays
• Supporting in vivo (large-animal) studies in collaboration with the surgical and veterinary team
• Analyzing and interpreting data, preparing manuscripts for peer-reviewed publication, and presenting at scientific conferences
• Contributing to the preparation of grant applications and progress reports
• Mentoring graduate and undergraduate students

Interested candidates should apply online and provide a detailed CV with 2-3 references.

Specific criteria include

• Recent PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, or a related field, with significant experience in mechanical circulatory support systems or rotary blood pump development
• Demonstrated expertise in one or more of the following: turbomachinery design, tribology, hydrodynamic bearings, CFD/FSI modeling, or pump hydraulic testing
• Proficiency with engineering software such as CAD (e.g. SolidWorks), CFD solvers (e.g., CONVERGE, ANSYS Fluent, ABAQUS), and FEM/FSI tools
• Strong critical thinking skills, rigorous training in the scientific method, and the ability to synthesize scientific literature to generate novel hypotheses
• Excellent organizational skills, strong attention to detail, and strong written and verbal communication skills

BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES

This position requires the following clearances in addition to applicable background checks: PA State Police Criminal Background Check, PA Child Abuse History Clearance Form, and Federal (FBI) Fingerprint Criminal Background Check.

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.)

CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS

Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review here .

EEO IS THE LAW

Penn State is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all q