Funder: NRC Research Associateship Programs
Due Dates: May 1, 2025 (Application Deadline)
Funding Amounts: Base stipend approximately $95,000 plus $5,000 travel allowance; experience-based supplements available; typical fellowship duration 2-3 years.
Summary: Supports postdoctoral and senior researchers in developing advanced high-order finite element methods for computational fluid dynamics to improve aerospace vehicle design.
Key Information: Open to U.S. citizens; requires PhD; applicants must contact Research Adviser prior to applying; relocation and health insurance benefits included.
Description
This fellowship opportunity supports research aimed at advancing computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods for aerospace vehicle design, focusing on high-order finite element techniques. The goal is to develop flexible, efficient, and high-fidelity multi-physics simulation capabilities that can handle complex, full-configuration geometries and allow designers to interchange vehicle components easily without extensive grid regeneration. The research emphasizes computational efficiency to ensure relevance within the aerospace design cycle.
Key finite element discretization methods of interest include Discontinuous Galerkin (DG), Hybridized Discontinuous Galerkin (HDG), Streamwise Upwind Petrov Galerkin (SUPG), and Flux Reconstruction (FR) schemes. Research opportunities include:
- Extending high-order methods to overset grid frameworks.
- Stabilizing methods in the presence of sharp gradients and discontinuities such as shock waves.
- Applying methods to Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) turbulence modeling.
- Quantitative evaluation and comparison of computational efficiencies among various high-order schemes.
- Developing multi-physics solvers and domain coupling techniques.
- Creating multi-fidelity approaches to improve computational efficiency.
This research is conducted at the Aerospace Systems Directorate, RQ/Aerospace Vehicles Division, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
Due Dates
- Application Deadline: May 1, 2025, 5:00 PM ET
Funding Amount
- Base stipend: Approximately $95,000 per year
- Travel allowance: $5,000 annually
- Experience-based stipend supplements available for postdoctoral and senior researchers
- Typical fellowship duration: 2-3 years
- Additional benefits include relocation assistance for those living more than 50 miles from the host lab and access to group health insurance for awardees and dependents.
Eligibility
- Citizenship: Open to U.S. citizens only
- Education: Applicants must have earned a Ph.D., Sc.D., M.D., D.V.M., or equivalent research doctorate before beginning tenure.
- Career Stage: Open to postdoctoral researchers (within 5 years of doctorate) and senior researchers (5+ years post doctorate or established investigators with permanent appointments).
- Prior or current employment or postdoctoral fellowship at the sponsoring agency may disqualify applicants.
- Applicants must contact the proposed Research Adviser before applying.
- Applicants must not have current or recent prior affiliation with the sponsoring agency that would disqualify eligibility.
Application Process
- Identify the Research Opportunity and contact the Research Adviser (Christopher Ryan Schrock; christopher.schrock@us.af.mil; 937-713-7085) to discuss research plans and funding availability.
- Prepare application materials including:
- Profile information (contact, education, transcripts for postdocs)
- Research proposal (up to 10 pages) detailing problem statement, background, methodology, expected results, and significance.
- Previous and current research description (up to 4 pages)
- List of publications and presentations (up to 2 pages)
- Letters of recommendation (minimum 3, including dissertation adviser for postdocs)
- Submit application via the NRC RAP online system before the deadline.
- Letters of recommendation must be uploaded by letter writers through the online system by the deadline.
- Applications are reviewed by expert panels; scoring above 70/100 is typically required for award recommendation.
- Applicants will receive reviewer feedback approximately one week after review finalization.
Additional Information
- Relocation assistance is provided for awardees moving more than 50 miles to the host lab.
- Health insurance coverage is available for awardees and qualifying dependents.
- The fellowship offers access to state-of-the-art facilities and mentorship at a federal laboratory.
- The program encourages research that advances knowledge and practical applications in aerospace CFD and multi-physics simulations.
- Applicants should ensure no conflicts of interest with letter writers and confirm eligibility regarding prior affiliations.
- The program supports professional growth and career development in academia, industry, or government research.
External Links
Contact Information