Postdoctoral Research Associate in Applied and Computational Mathematics

Job title:

Postdoctoral Research Associate in Applied and Computational Mathematics

Company

University of Edinburgh

Job description

Job Description:Grade UE07: £40,247 to £47,874 per annumSchool of Mathematics / College of Science & EngineeringFull time: 35 hours per weekFixed term: for 14 monthsWe are looking for a talented early career researcher in non-Newtonian fluid dynamics, with expertise in computational methods and machine learning, to work on the project “A new understanding of turbulence via a machine-learnt dynamical systems theory” (UKRI Frontier Research Guarantee for an ERC Starting Grant).The Opportunity:The dynamical systems view of turbulence, in which the flow “pinballs” between exact coherent states (ECS), is a promising way to unify our statistical understanding of turbulence with a mechanistic understanding of the complex self-sustaining processes that underpin it. Historically, this approach has been restricted to weakly turbulent flows due to the difficulty of identifying and converging ECS, and this project will seek to use advances in machine learning and automatic differentiation to overcome these barriers.A core part of this project is the development and interpretation of state-of-the-art machine learning (ML) models to model and predict high Reynolds number fluid flows of Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids. The post-holder will work on a combination of: (1) low order models for high-dimensional flows, e.g. generated via self-supervised learning, to parameterise the inertial manifold; (2) super-resolution/data-assimilation strategies incorporating flow solvers in the loss; (3) development of differentiable code for turbulent simulation of wall-bounded flow.There are significant computational resources set aside specifically for the post-holder, along with PI, to train large models (access to a dedicated GPU cluster with
200 A100/H100 cards). There is scope for a strong candidate to shape the research direction.Relevant reading:

• Page, Norgaard, Brenner & Kerswell, “Recurrent flow patterns as a basis for turbulence: predicting statistics from structures”, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 121 (2024)
• Page, “Super-resolution of turbulence with dynamics in the loss”, Journal of Fluid Mechanics 1002 (2025)
• Kochkov et al, “Machine learning-accelerated computational fluid dynamics”, Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 118 (2021)

Your skills and attributes for success:

• Excellent knowledge of fluid mechanics fundamentals
• Experience with non-Newtonian fluid dynamics
• Experience implementing machine learning approaches and/or high performance computing for flow simulations
• Strong coding skills in an object-oriented language
• Experience with machine learning libraries (e.g. one or more of JAX, TensorFlow, PyTorch) would be highly beneficial

Click to view a copy of the full (opens new browser tab)Applicants should upload a CV and a brief research statement (max two pages) when applying for the post online. In addition, they should arrange for at least two letters of reference to be sent direct to quoting the reference number 12160. For informal enquiries please contact Jacob Page –As a valued member of our team you can expect:

• A competitive salary.
• An exciting, positive, creative, challenging and rewarding place to work.
• To be part of a diverse and vibrant international community.
• Comprehensive Staff Benefits, such as a generous holiday entitlement, a defined benefits pension scheme, staff discounts, family-friendly initiatives, and flexible work options. Check out the full list on our

(opens in a new tab) and use our reward calculator to discover the total value of your pay and benefits. * Significant budget for international travel and computing resources, with opportunities to visit and collaborate with researchers and engineers from leading universities and technology companies.Championing equality, diversity and inclusionThe University of Edinburgh holds a Silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advance gender equality in higher education. We are members of the Race Equality Charter and we are also Stonewall Scotland Diversity Champions, actively promoting LGBT equality.Prior to any employment commencing with the University you will be required to evidence your right to work in the UK. Further information is available on our (opens new browser tab).The University is able to sponsor the employment of international workers in this role. If successful, an international applicant requiring sponsorship to work in the UK will need to satisfy the UK Home Office’s English Language requirements and apply for and secure a Skilled Worker Visa.Key dates to noteThe closing date for applications is 10 March 2025.Unless stated otherwise the closing time for applications is 11:59pm GMT. If you are applying outside the UK the closing time on our adverts automatically adjusts to your browsers local time zone.About Us: As a world-leading research-intensive University, we are here to address tomorrow’s greatest challenges. Between now and 2030 we will do that with a values-led approach to teaching, research and innovation, and through the strength of our relationships, both locally and globally.About the Team:The School of MathematicsThe University of Edinburgh’s School of Mathematics is one of the world’s leading mathematical sciences departments, home to world-class researchers and to an innovative educational environment for both undergraduates and postgraduates. We are proud to have a highly international faculty and students from around the world. As a School we value both the breadth and depth of our research and teaching.We have around 110 permanent faculty and around 45 research fellows and research associates, who cover a broad range of research topics in pure and applied mathematics, operational research and statistics. The School has an enviable record of attracting prestigious fellowships and currently hosts, for instance, 6 ERC grant holders and 7 Royal Society University Research and Dorothy Hodgkin Fellows. In the 2023 Shanghai Global Ranking of Academic Subjects we are ranked 18th among the world’s best Mathematics departments. Together with the Departments of Mathematics and Actuarial Mathematics & Statistics at Heriot-Watt University, we form the Maxwell Institute; our joint submission to REF2021was ranked 3rd in the UK for Mathematical Sciences by research power, based on the quality and breadth of our combined research.The School delivers a world-leading educational experience for its students and is constantly exploring new evidence-based ideas in mathematical education in order to provide a stimulating learning environment. There are excellent possibilities for imaginative curriculum development, including online activities, and course design and delivery. The School teaches pure and applied Mathematics, operational research and statistics. We have approximately 1000 undergraduate students, around 210 MSc students, and our Graduate School has close to 160 PhD students.Edinburgh is home to the International Centre for Mathematical Sciences, one of the UK’s two major conference centres in the mathematical sciences and operated jointly by the University with Heriot-Watt University. Over the past 30 years the centre has established a superb reputation for hosting workshops at the highest scientific level on all mathematical topics, attracting many of the best mathematicians in the world to the UK.The School is located in the James Clerk Maxwell Building which is situated on the King’s Buildings campus, approximately 3 kilometres south of the city centre.Further information about the School, our research and our teaching is available on the ( ) (Opens in new browser tab)

Expected salary

£40247 – 47874 per year

Location

United Kingdom

Job date

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 06:18:52 GMT

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