Research Associate: NASA-funded Metal AM & Characterization

Carnegie Mellon University; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Tuition benefits

Retirement contributions

Paid time off

Transit pass

Job summary

Carnegie Mellon University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering’s EMIT Lab seeks a Research Associate to support NASA‑funded research on Alloy 718, process modeling, and materials characterization. The role targets a recent MS or PhD holder with strong technical skills and interest in future faculty or leadership paths.

The position emphasizes hands-on characterization, modeling collaboration, and producing high-quality experimental outputs, with opportunities for growth in a collaborative,

Qualifications

• MS or PhD in materials science, mechanical engineering, metallurgical engineering, additive manufacturing, or closely related field
• PhD preferred
• Prior experience with metal additive manufacturing processes
• Strong hands-on laboratory skills and experimental workflows
• Experience with microscopy, tomography, metallography or related characterization methods
• Basic experience with modeling or relevant coursework
• Strong organizational skills and ability to coordinate with students and collaborators
• Combination of education and relevant experience may be considered

Responsibilities

• Lead hands-on characterization work including tomography, microscopy, metallography, and related materials analysis.
• Build on existing process and microstructure modeling efforts to connect experimental results with modeling findings.
• Produce high-quality experimental results, figures, methods descriptions, and technical summaries.
• Integrate knowledge across stages of the metal AM workflow: processing, post-processing, characterization, and interpretation of results.
• Support collaborative project activities by providing characterization expertise, feedback, and data organization.

Skills

Metal AM

Hands-on lab skills

Modeling knowledge

Education

MS or PhD in materials science or mechanical engineering

PhD preferred

Tools

Tomography

Microscopy

Metallography

Job description

Carnegie Mellon University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering’s EMIT Lab seeks a Research Associate to support NASA‑funded research on Alloy 718, process modeling, and materials characterization. The role targets a recent MS or PhD holder with strong technical skills and interest in future faculty or leadership paths.

The position emphasizes hands-on characterization, modeling collaboration, and producing high-quality experimental outputs, with opportunities for growth in a collaborative,