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Post-Doctoral Research Associate: Department of Physics and Astronomy - UTK

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Knoxville, TN, USA
Posted on Oct 2, 2025

Post-Doctoral Research Associate: Department of Physics and Astronomy - UTK

Knoxville, TN, United States (On-site)

Job Description

The Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Computational Astrophysics, starting August 2026 (or earlier by mutual agreement). This is a grant funded position.

The project aims to enable large-scale, multiphysics simulations of core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe) and related problems in general relativistic astrophysics. The postdoctoral researcher will join a multidisciplinary team of physicists, applied mathematicians, and computational scientists to develop computational tools that will enhance our understanding of CCSNe and provide improved predictions of their neutrino and gravitational-wave signals.

Responsibilities

The successful candidate will contribute to the design, implementation, and application of novel methods for relativistic neutrino kinetics within the toolkit for high-order neutrino-radiation hydrodynamics (thornado). The project emphasizes advanced numerical techniques, including discontinuous Galerkin discretization and implicit–explicit time-stepping, combined with adaptive mesh refinement and multiscale time integration, for deployment on high-performance computing (HPC) systems.

The UTK–ORNL astrophysics group has a strong track record of securing time on leadership-class HPC systems, including the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF) and the National Energy Research Scientific Computing (NERSC) center. The postdoc will play an active role in the preparation and execution of large-scale computational campaigns on these resources.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

  • Ph.D. in physics, astrophysics, mathematics, computational physics, or a closely related field, to be completed before the start of employment. Applicants who expect to complete their degree by the start date are encouraged to apply.
  • Demonstrated ability to publish research in peer-reviewed journals (preferably with lead-author publications).
  • Programming experience in C, C++ or Fortran.
  • Broad understanding of building computational tools for scientific investigation.
  • Experience with implementing and testing numerical methods for solving partial differential equations.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience with parallel programming (e.g., MPI, OpenMP).
  • Experience with GPU programming (e.g., CUDA, OpenACC).
  • Experience with adaptive mesh refinement frameworks (e.g., AMReX).
  • Experience with advanced time integration libraries (e.g., SUNDIALS).

Work Location

The postdoctoral researcher will be based at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and will collaborate closely with the UTK–ORNL astrophysics group, which includes physicists, applied mathematicians, and computational scientists. This is an in-person position.

Compensation and Benefits

  • Find more information on UT Benefits here
  • Travel support for conferences and workshops.
  • Mentoring opportunities with graduate and undergraduate students.
  • Access to world-class HPC facilities through group allocations.

Application Instructions

For best consideration applicants should submit the below materials before December 1, 2025.

  • Cover letter
  • Curriculum vitae, including list of publications
  • Research statement
  • At least two letters of recommendation

About The Department

The Physics and Astronomy Department has an exemplary research record, with eight professors earning NSF CAREER awards since 2012, eight professors among the world’s top two percent of physicists based on citation count, the award of the prestigious American Physical Society 2021 Bonner Prize, eleven APS Fellows, and four AAAS Fellows. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville is Tennessee’s flagship state research institution, a campus of choice for outstanding undergraduates and a premier graduate institution with a number of nationally and internationally ranked programs and with national and international leadership in numerous fields.

About Us

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has shaped leaders, changemakers, and innovative thinkers since its founding in 1794. The university is home to more than 38,000 students and 10,000 statewide employees—the Volunteers—who uphold the university’s tradition of lighting the way for others through leadership and service.

UT Knoxville offers over 900 programs of study across 14 degree-granting colleges and schools. As Tennessee’s flagship land-grant university, its footprint spans the entire state. The university holds the highest Carnegie classification for research activity and has deep partnerships with industry leaders and the US Department of Energy’s largest multidisciplinary laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The Knoxville campus serves and recruits for UT Knoxville, including the Institute of Agriculture and the Space Institute, as well as the UT Institute of Public Service.

UT Knoxville considers its employees its number one asset. With values that focus on work-life balance, compensation, and innovation leadership, all Vols are supported to advance professionally. Employees have access to career development and coaching, continued education, and an extensive list of development and training possibilities. The Volunteer employee experience implements structures and practices to attract and retain top-tier talent, fostering a strong staff community and supporting a culture of involvement and engagement for everyone.

The university holds a strong commitment to its land-grant mission of learning and engagement, with a tradition of service and leadership that carries that Volunteer spirit throughout the state and around the world. It has been ranked nationally as “Best Employer for New Graduates,” “One of America’s Best Large Employers,” and “Best Workplace for Women,” and has been designated as “Best Place for Working Parents” by Forbes Magazine.

Apply today and join the Tennessee Volunteer community!

Job Info

  • Job Identification 5309
  • Job Category Research
  • Posting Date 01/10/2025, 05:46 pm
  • Job Schedule Full time
  • Locations 1331 Circle Park, Knoxville, TN, 37996, US (On-site)

EEO/AA STATEMENT / NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT

The University of Tennessee is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA/ADEA institution in the provision of its education and employment programs and services. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to, and will not be discriminated against on the basis of, race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, or covered veteran status.

Inquiries and charges of violation of Title VI (race, color, national origin), Title IX (sex), Section 504 (disability), ADA (disability), ADEA (age), sexual orientation, or veteran status should be directed to the (EEO). Requests for accommodation of a disability should be directed to the ADA Coordinator at the EEO office.

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