Chemical Kinetics Modeling Engineer

Job No: 503766
Work Type: Staff Full Time (1500 hours or greater)
Location: Dayton, OH
Category: Research Institute Staff
Department: Thermal Management - 250513
Pay Grade: R2 - Exempt
Advertised: July 31, 2026
Applications close:

The primary purpose of this position is to lead the development, numerical optimization, and validation of chemical kinetic mechanisms for complex aviation fuels and surrogate models. The researcher will utilize advanced computational tools and mathematical optimization techniques to align theoretical chemical models with experimental reactor data. This role bridges the gap between fundamental physical chemistry, reaction engineering, and applied computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to support advanced propulsion, thermal management, and energy system modeling.

Minimum Qualifications:
Master's degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry, or a closely related STEM field, plus a minimum of 3 years of relevant research experience (or a Bachelor's degree with 5+ years of highly specialized experience).
Proficiency with chemical kinetics modeling software (e.g., Cantera, Chemkin).
Experience with fluid dynamics software in current position (coursework alone may be acceptable if all other criteria met).
Strong programming skills in Python or equivalent, with specific expertise in scientific computing and numerical optimization libraries.
Experience processing and interpreting experimental datasets to validate computational models.
Comfortable working in groups, communicating/collaborating, and presenting technical findings to management.
Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Department of Defense security clearance.
Due to the requirements of our research contracts with the U.S. federal government, candidates for this position must be a U.S. citizen.

Preferred Qualifications:
While not everyone may possess all of the preferred qualifications, the ideal candidate will bring many of the following:

Ph.D. in Engineering (Chemical, Mechanical, or Aerospace) plus 5 years of relevant research experience.
At least one degree (B.S., M.S., or Ph.D.) specifically in Chemical Engineering or Chemistry.
Experience coupling chemical kinetics with fluid dynamics software (e.g., ANSYS Fluent) for reacting flow simulations.
Expertise in surrogate fuel formulation, structural constraint modeling, and hierarchical mechanism tuning.
Familiarity with interpreting high-resolution analytical chemistry data (e.g., GCxGC).

Special Instructions to Applicants:
To apply please submit a cover letter addressing each minimum qualification and any applicable preferred qualifications that you meet.

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