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Kewei Xu
5 days ago
PhD/Master’s Position in CFD for PFAS Transport and Environmental Applications University of Maine in United States
Degree Level
Master's, PhD
Field of study
Environmental Science
Funding
A graduate research assistantship provides an annual stipend of $31,333.33 for Ph.D. students or $28,000 for Master’s students, paid in 12 monthly installments, plus full annual health insurance and a full tuition waiver for up to 6 credits per semester and 3 summer credits. The expected appointment is 20 hours per week. Research operating funds and conference travel support are available. Eligible U.S. citizens or permanent residents may also be considered for a USDA National Needs Graduate Fel
Deadline
Jan 31, 2027
Country
United States
University
University of Maine
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About this position
The University of Maine is seeking a graduate research assistant for a Master’s or PhD project in computational fluid dynamics and environmental contaminant transport. The position is based in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and co-funded by the School of Forest Resources in Orono, Maine.
The research focuses on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a persistent environmental contaminant affecting soils, water systems, and agricultural environments. The project will develop a computational framework to predict PFAS transport, retention, and leaching in natural and biochar-amended soils under different water-flow and infiltration conditions.
The successful researcher will extend an existing pore-scale soil-flow model by incorporating PFAS transport, adsorption, and desorption processes. Work will include numerical model development and validation, analysis of experimental data for calibration, and investigation of PFAS mobility, retention, leaching, and biochar remediation performance. PhD researchers will additionally translate pore-scale results into insights or parameters relevant to larger-scale PFAS transport predictions.
The project combines computational fluid dynamics, porous-media and multiphase flow, contaminant reactive transport, and environmental modeling. Alongside computational research, the student will gain hands-on experience with soil-flow and contaminant-transport experiments conducted in collaboration with the School of Forest Resources.
The research environment spans the University of Maine’s Mechanical Engineering department and its interdisciplinary forestry and environmental research community. Mechanical Engineering is housed in the Ferland Engineering Education and Design Center, a modern teaching and laboratory facility, while the School of Forest Resources supports graduate research connected to Maine’s extensive forest landscape and environmental challenges.
The opening offers an opportunity to work on CFD model development, species transport, PFAS remediation, soil hydrology, and experimentally informed environmental prediction.
Funding details
A graduate research assistantship provides an annual stipend of $31,333.33 for Ph.D. students or $28,000 for Master’s students, paid in 12 monthly installments, plus full annual health insurance and a full tuition waiver for up to 6 credits per semester and 3 summer credits. The expected appointment is 20 hours per week. Research operating funds and conference travel support are available. Eligible U.S. citizens or permanent residents may also be considered for a USDA National Needs Graduate Fel
What's required
Applicants should hold a BS or MS degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field. Strong computational fluid dynamics experience is expected, preferably in porous-media or multiphase flow. Experience implementing scalar or species transport equations in CFD models is highly desirable. A background in environmental sciences or experience with environmental flow and transport models such as ATS or HYDRUS is advantageous but not required; machine-learning experience is a plus. International applicants must meet one of the stated English-language thresholds: TOEFL above 82, IELTS above 6.5, or PTE above 65.
How to apply
Email Dr. Kewei Xu at [email protected] with a CV and a cover letter discussing your research ideas and qualifications. Mention CFD Jobs Database record #20217. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to a Zoom interview; applications are reviewed until the position is filled.
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Professors
Assistant Professor
United States
Research Interests
Aerodynamics
Fluid Mechanics
Supersonic Flow
Computational Fluid Dynamics
Jet Physics
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