Research Scientist

Department: College of Science

Classification: Research Staff 12-month

Job Category: Research Staff

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Fairfax, VA

Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible

Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience

Restricted: Yes

Criminal Background Check: Yes

About the Department:

The Center for Collision Safety and Analysis (CCSA) at George Mason University brings together a strong and richly experienced team of scientists and engineers focused on using advanced technology to understand collisions involving transport vehicles and to develop means to avoid or mitigate them to enhance safety and security. CCSA is associated with the College of Science at George Mason University.

The mission of the Center for Collision Safety and Analysis is to advance collision safety though scientific research using sophisticated computational methods that provide a means to establish a sounder understanding of collision dynamics, likely effects on the users, vehicles, and infrastructure system elements, and potential effectiveness of mitigation options.

In addition to the scientific and engineering activities, the operation of CCSA includes interactions with federal government agencies, the National Academy of Science, industrial research sponsors, and other educational and research institutes/universities, as well as other units (colleges and research centers) within Mason. CCSA also operates an experimental facility, the Federal Outdoor Impact Laboratory (FOIL), at the US Department of Transportation.

George Mason University College of Science (Mason Science) is committed to advancing access, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (AJEDI) throughout our STEM community, including within our hiring and retention practices. At Mason Science, our values include fostering an organizational culture that promotes Anti-Racism, belonging, respect, and civility. We believe that a diversity of opinions, cultures, and perspectives is what provides vibrancy, innovation and growth to an academic community. By prioritizing inclusive excellence in academics, teaching, research, and global engagement, we strive to attract a diverse pool of faculty and staff who exemplify the Mason Science mission and vision.

About the Position:

The Research Scientist provides the additional needed support to the department to conduct sponsored research projects. The position is responsible for conducting sponsored research in transportation safety, developing material and computer simulation models, developing vehicle and roadside hardware models, and carrying out simulation analysis for vehicle and highway safety for vehicle applications.

Responsibilities:

• Manages the development process of finite element models in the Vehicle Digitizing Lab; 
• Supervises and conducts overall processes including scheduling, vehicle disassembling, scanning and geometry cleaning, meshing and model assembling, material testing and characterizing, etc;
• Performs the validation and verification of FE vehicle models;
• Conducts simulations of various regulatory crash modes to improve the validity of FE models by comparing them with crash tests;
• Carries out sponsored research related to simulations, design optimization, material model development, new design concept and improvement, etc;
• Builds the databases of simulation and test outputs, FE models of vehicles, roadside hardware, material models, etc;
• Manages FE models and material models; and
• Develops databases to manage FE models and Material models. 

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in related field;
• At least 10 years of experience in transportation safety, developing material and computer simulation models, developing vehicle and roadside hardware models, and carrying out simulation analysis for vehicle and highway safety for vehicle applications;
• Good knowledge of transportation safety and testing standards;
• Good skills with finite element pre- and post-processors (e.g., HyperMesh, LS-PrePost, etc); and
• Excellent abilities in using Finite Element analysis and modeling, specifically using LS-DYNA.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in related field;
• Over 10 years of experience in vehicle safety engineering for vehicle structure design and occupant safety and a background in Solid Mechanics;
• Experience generating 2D and 3D drawings using CAD software (e.g., AutoCAD, SOLIDWORKS, etc.);
• Experience working in a collaborative team environment to develop creative solutions to complex challenges as well as the ability to work independently;
• Familiarity with the latest transportation safety research areas, concepts, practices, procedures, and problem-solving techniques;
• Knowledge in the behavior, failure, and numerical models of solids such as metals, soils and concrete; and
• Good verbal and written communication skills, especially with technical reports.

Instructions to Applicants: 

For full consideration, applicants must apply for Research Scientist at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a CV for review.

Posting Open Date: September 26, 2024

For Full Consideration, Apply by:  October 10, 2024

Open Until Filled:  Yes