Postdoctoral Research Scholar 0-5 yrs Experience at San Diego State University Research Foundation – San Diego, California

San Diego State University Research Foundation
Postdoctoral Research Scholar 0-5 yrs Experience

US-CA-San Diego

Job ID: 2026-20100
Type: Post Doc
# of Openings: 1
Category: Research/Project
Engineering Bldg

Overview

The salary range for this position is $5,858.67 - $5,916.00 depending on qualifications and is non-negotiable.

Established in 1943, the mission of the SDSU Research Foundation (SDSURF) is to support the research objectives of San Diego State University by helping faculty and staff find, obtain, and administer funding for their research and sponsored programs. SDSU achieved its strategic plan goal of becoming an R1, premier public research university in early 2025 furthering discoveries, interventions, and solutions that improve communities and change the world. SDSURF provides the full life cycle of grants services to faculty and staff to further their important work.

Our vision is to foster a culture of creativity and collaboration with integrity and respect for individuals that results in the delivery of superior service to support the university’s strategic aspirations.

Our core values:

Service: We are a service organization that strives to provide superior support to the university community to achieve SDSU’s goals; we are committed to being professionally competent by setting high standards and working hard to achieve results; and we continually seeking to improve our skills and capabilities by valuing education and professional development.

Collaboration: We seek to actively engage with our stakeholders and employees to identify issues and design solutions, build strong relationships grounded in trust, openness, and inclusion and achieve the best results by taking pride in the accomplishments of our colleagues.

Innovation: We work towards inspired solutions to improve and adapt to emerging opportunities and challenges, creative ways to streamline and enhance our delivery of services through resourceful and proactive problem solving and strategic use of technology and reduction of obstacles.

Respect: We promote a culture where every individual is valued and treated with dignity, we honor open-mindedness toward different viewpoints and ideas and have a genuine appreciation for varied backgrounds, experiences, and ways of thinking.

Integrity: We are committed to act with the highest ethical standards, with honesty, integrity, and transparency, provide consistent and accurate information and value and respect all individuals.

The Department of Aerospace Engineering at SDSU conducts research and education in areas including aerodynamics, computational and experimental fluid mechanics, propulsion, aerospace structures, aeroelasticity, guidance and control, and astrodynamics. The department supports nationally, and internationally recognized research programs, engages in collaboration with the aerospace industry, and contributes to innovation and workforce development in aerospace engineering.

The purpose of this postdoctoral position is to support a funded research project in data-driven, interactive particle systems. The position will contribute to high-performance computing, inverse modeling, and optimization with applications in fluid dynamics and aerospace engineering. The postdoc will work under the supervision of Professors Gustaaf Jacobs and Qi Wang.

Responsibilities

Weekly Meetings 5%

• Regularly attend team meetings to discuss project progress, challenges, and next steps.
• Collaborate with team members to align on project goals, methodologies, and timelines.
• Provide updates on individual tasks and contribute to problem-solving discussions.
• Participate in brainstorming sessions to explore new ideas or approaches.

Write Reports and Papers 25%

• Prepare detailed project reports outlining methodologies, results, and conclusions.
• Write technical papers for publication in scientific journals or conferences.
• Ensure reports and papers are clear, concise, and follow the appropriate formatting and citation standards.
• Summarize complex data and analysis in an understandable manner for both technical and non-technical audiences.

Give Presentations in Seminars and Conferences 5%

• Prepare and deliver presentations on project findings to internal teams, stakeholders, and at external conferences.
• Tailor presentations to the audience, ensuring clarity and engagement.
• Respond to questions and feedback from seminar and conference participants.
• Stay current on the latest trends and findings in the field to incorporate into presentations.

Mathematical Modeling 40%

• Develop mathematical models to describe complex systems or phenomena.
• Apply mathematical techniques (e.g., differential equations, optimization) to model real-world problems.
• Validate models through comparison with experimental or observed data.
• Modify and refine models based on feedback and new data.

Writing Simulation Codes 20%

• Design and implement simulation codes to test and solve mathematical models.
• Use programming languages such as Python, MATLAB, or C++ for simulation tasks.
• Ensure the accuracy and efficiency of the simulation code.
• Debug, optimize, and improve existing code to handle larger datasets or more complex simulations.

Other Duties as Assigned 5%

Qualifications

Knowledge & Abilities

• Strong knowledge in applied mathematics, PDE systems such as fluid dynamics and particle systems, and convergence analysis.
• Proficiency in HPC coding and optimization methods.
• Ability to work independently and in a collaborative research environment.

Education & Experience

• PhD. in Aerospace Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.

Preferred Qualifications & Special Skills

• Demonstrated experience in scientific computing and numerical simulations.
• Experience with large-scale HPC systems and parallel programming.
• Familiarity with machine learning methods for physics-based systems.
• Prior publications in applied math or related areas.

Additional Applicant Information

Candidate must reside in California and live within a commutable distance from SDSU at time of hire.Job offer is contingent upon satisfactory clearance based on background check results (including a criminal record check).San Diego State University Research Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, SDSU Research Foundation provides equal opportunity in employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin or any other categories protected by federal or state law. Employment decisions are based on an individual’s qualifications as they relate to the job under consideration. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every employee has equal access to resources and support. SDSU Research Foundation complies with Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), and other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws including grant or contract terms and conditions related to funded program activities. Further the SDSU Research Foundation maintains a Nondiscrimination Policy that prohibits discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of unlawful discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all programs, policies, and practices. SDSU Research Foundation makes all employment decisions including, but not limited to, applicant screening, hiring, promotion, demotion, compensation, benefits, disciplinary actions, and terminations on the basis of merit.