Ultrasound Simulation/Modeling Subject Matter Expert Work Location: Fully remote within the United States.
Organization Supported: FDA CDRH, Office of Science and Engineering Laboratories (OSEL), Medical Acoustics Program.
The contractor will support the FDA's Office of Science and Engineering Laboratories (OSEL) within the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH), advancing regulatory science research in therapeutic ultrasound and medical acoustics. Working collaboratively with FDA scientists and engineers, the individual will develop, implement, and validate computational models of linear and nonlinear ultrasound wave propagation to support the evaluation of emerging medical device technologies.
Primary responsibilities include designing and maintaining a library of high-fidelity computational models for applications such as high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), transcranial ultrasound, histotripsy, thermal ablation, and other therapeutic ultrasound modalities. The contractor will develop simulation tools and workflows using k-Wave, MATLAB, Python, and other scientific computing platforms to model acoustic propagation, tissue interactions, thermal effects, and treatment outcomes. Additional duties include conducting numerical analyses, validating model performance against experimental and published data, documenting methodologies, and contributing to technical reports, publications, and regulatory science initiatives.
The successful candidate will possess strong expertise in computational acoustics, ultrasound physics, numerical methods, and scientific software development. Experience with finite-difference, finite-element, or pseudospectral modeling techniques; high-performance computing; and simulation of nonlinear acoustic propagation is highly desirable. The contractor should be capable of working independently while collaborating effectively with multidisciplinary teams of engineers, physicists, and clinicians.
Minimum Qualifications- Master's or Ph.D. in Acoustics, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, Applied Mathematics, or a related discipline
- At least seven (7) years of demonstrated experience in computational acoustics and ultrasound simulation
- Proficiency with MATLAB, Python, and/or k-Wave
- Experience developing, validating, and documenting scientific or engineering software
- Strong analytical, technical writing, and problem solving skills
Preferred Qualifications- Experience with HIFU, therapeutic ultrasound, histotripsy, transcranial ultrasound, or thermal ablation technologies
- Knowledge of nonlinear acoustics, bioheat transfer, and ultrasound-tissue interaction modeling
- Experience with high-performance computing, parallel processing, and large-scale numerical simulations
- Prior experience supporting medical device research, regulatory science, or government-sponsored R&D programs
Must be a US Citizen or Full Green Card holder.
Please be advised that certain client contracts may outline specific requirements for onsite work. Tunnell employees and/or contractors are expected to comply with all client requirements, including any safety and health protocols.
