Postdoctoral Research Associate in Multi-Physical Self-Sensing Carbon Fiber Composites Purdue University in United States

Purdue University’s School of Aeronautics and Astronautics is advertising a Post-Doctoral Research Associate position in multi-physical self-sensing properties in carbon fiber composites.

The project is led by Tyler N. Tallman (Associate Professor, Purdue University) and sits at the intersection of materials science, aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering. The research focuses on experimentally characterizing and modeling self-sensing materials, especially carbon-fiber reinforced polymers (CFRPs), under realistic multi-physical loading conditions such as mechanical, thermal, and moisture effects.

The postdoc will combine experimental work, computational microscale modeling, and macroscale analytical modeling. The goal is to understand how self-sensing CFRPs respond to combined loading and to develop techniques that can generalize to other material systems. The work is intended to support future autonomous sensing in aerospace systems and reduce inspection and labor costs.

Funding: This is a funded three-year postdoctoral position supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), with collaboration opportunities involving the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL). A start date in Fall 2026 is desired.

Eligibility highlights: Applicants should have documented expertise in fiber-reinforced composite characterization, the ability to independently lead and troubleshoot research, and strong written and verbal communication skills. Preferred experience includes self-sensing materials, electrical properties, materials characterization, computational modeling, experimental design, measurement theory, basic circuit analysis, composite manufacturing, optimization, and tensor analysis.

How to apply: Send a CV, complete publication list, contact information, references, and up to three papers highlighting prior work to [email protected]. Use the subject line Post-doctoral application. Do not apply via LinkedIn message.