Postdoctoral Research Associate - Imaging and Artificial Intelligence

Requisition Id 14850 

 

Overview:

As a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national laboratory, ORNL has an impressive 80-year legacy of addressing the nation’s most pressing challenges. Our team is made up of over 7,000 dedicated and innovative individuals! Our goal is to create an environment where a variety of perspectives and backgrounds are valued, ensuring ORNL is known as a top choice for employment. These principles are essential for supporting our broader mission to drive scientific breakthroughs and translate them into solutions for energy, environmental, and security challenges facing the nation. We are seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate who will reside in the Materials Engineering Group in the Neutron Scattering Division (NSD), Neutron Sciences Directorate (NScD) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

 

This project will be focusing on the development of advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning (ML) tools for the measurements of 3D tensorial strain in crystalline materials using neutrons at the Spallation Neutron Source VENUS beamline (https://neutrons.ornl.gov/venus). VENUS is nearing completion of its construction and will start commissioning in July 2024. One of the unique time-of-flight imaging capabilities enabled at VENUS is Bragg edge radiography. The measurement of the Bragg edge shift provides information of a lattice plane shift through a sample. This project aims at enabling the 3D reconstruction of the tensorial strain values in 3D using Bragg edge tomography.

 

Utilizing an advanced neutron imaging technique, neutron grating interferometry (nGI), to study nano-sized features in bulk materials at MARS (https://neutrons.ornl.gov/mars). By participating and contributing to this project, you will gain experience and knowledge in neutron imaging instrumentation and apply these in advancing nGI for material science research through novel instrumentation and computational methods. Then you will be applying nGI in addressing critical scientific questions in material science research. In this project, you will also have the opportunity to access other world class neutron scattering capabilities that would benefit this project and your own growth.

 

Major Duties/Responsibilities: 

• Contribute to the advancement of 3D tensorial strain reconstruction and pursue high-quality research using neutron scattering.

• Publish scientific papers and present results from this research at national and international meetings as appropriate.

• Champion neutron sciences within the ORNL community and among national and international peers.

• Participate in an inclusive work environment for a diverse community of users, staff, postdocs, and students.

• Deliver ORNL’s mission by aligning behaviors, priorities, and interactions with our core values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service. Promote equal opportunity by fostering a respectful workplace – in how we treat one another, work together, and measure success.

 

Basic Qualifications:

• A PhD in computational sciences, materials science/engineering, physics, applied physics, engineering, or a related field completed within the last 5 years.

• Experience in AI/ML software development for imaging techniques.

• Proficiency in Python programming language.

 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in imaging science including instrumentation and computational methods.

• Experience in neutron/X-ray radiography and tomography.

• Experience in strain measurements and data analysis.

• Experience in hyperspectral imaging.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

• Motivated self-starter with the ability