Description

Serve as a Research AST, Computational Scientist in the Computational 
Aerosciences Branch of the Research Directorate, performing research and 
development in 
computational science for aerospace vehicles with applications in all speed 
regimes, from subsonic to hypersonic flight. The focus of the research is to 
develop new 
physics-based prediction methods and extensions of existing methods for the 
analysis and design of complex three-dimensional configurations, including 
verification, validation and the use of massively parallel high-performance 
computing architectures.

Duties

• Develop, apply and validate new computational fluid dynamics 
techniques/algorithms tailored to advanced and/or emerging computer hardware 
technology for 
computational aerosciences applications (CFD, error estimation, grid adaptation, 
multi-physics applications, etc.)

• Develop advanced techniques and models for the prediction and control of 
turbulent flows, with an emphasis on the high Reynolds number flows encountered 
on full-
scale aircraft configurations.

• Report findings at technical conferences and in the scientific literature.

• Serves as a technical expert and interfaces with other researchers in 
industry, universities, NASA, and other government agencies

• Conducts research in problem areas that are highly complex and of considerable 
scope. Problems are often difficult to define, require novel approaches and 
sophisticated research techniques

• Duties may include monitoring and evaluating research contracts and grants to 
accomplish collaborative research with external organizations.


Requirements: 

• MS in engineering, applied mathematics, computer science, physics, or 
equivalent, with strong background in (1) developing, applying and validating 
computational 
fluid dynamics algorithms on high-performance computer architectures for 
aeroscience applications, (2) planning, conducting and reporting on professional 
research 
topics related to physics-based prediction methods, and (3) writing, reporting, 
and presenting results to include publications.

• A desire to quickly learn and apply new paradigms relevant to current and 
emerging computational methods, and an eagerness to work in a team environment.

• Ability to successfully complete a background investigation required to obtain 
a NASA badge.

• US citizenship or permanent resident status is a bona fide requirement.


Desired Skills:

• PhD preferred

• Knowledge of fluid mechanics, numerical methods, and/or physical modeling 
techniques.


Company Description

About NASA and the Computational AeroSciences Branch – The advertised position 
will reside in the Computational AeroSciences Branch (CASB) in the Research and 
Technology Directorate at NASA Langley Research Center (Langley Research Center 
| NASA) in Hampton, Virginia. The branch mission is to develop and apply 
aerodynamic 
and acoustic simulations methods for aerospace vehicles with applications in all 
speed regimes, from subsonic to hypersonic flight. The branch works to improve 
the 
fundamental understanding of physics associated with the fluid mechanics (e.g., 
transition and turbulence) and noise generation for complex aerospace systems. 
Research is carried out to develop new physics-based prediction methods and 
extensions of existing methods for the analysis and design of complex three-
dimensional 
configurations, including verification, validation and the use of massively 
parallel high-performance computing architectures. Of particular interest is 
research for 
development of advanced techniques and models for the prediction and control of 
turbulent flows, with an emphasis on the high Reynolds number flows encountered 
on 
full-scale aircraft configurations. Objectives of the research conducted in the 
branch include: to advance the state-of-the art of CFD for efficiency, accuracy 
and 
robustness; flow control; efficient design of aerospace vehicles; methods for 
airframe noise prediction and control of noise sources. Research is accomplished 
through the formulation, conduct, analysis, correlation, documentation, and 
dissemination of results from various research studies.