Computational Scientist, Metal Additive Manufacturing

HRL Laboratories, an IBM company, pioneers the next frontiers of physical and information science. Delivering transformative technologies in automotive, aerospace and defense, HRL advances the critical missions of its customers to help them remove limitations and create competitive advantage. HRL then transitions the work back to customers – ready for real-world application. For more than 70 years, HRL’s rich portfolio of scientific discoveries and engineering innovations continues to build on each other — often in unexpected, profound and far-reaching ways. As a private company owned by IBM, HRL prioritizes purpose over profit, significantly advancing the state of the art.

HRL Laboratories advances critical structural and functional materials and semiconductor devices that enable precision navigation, quantum technologies and extreme-environment performance. With expertise from design through deployment, we deliver scalable, high-performance solutions that transform our customers’ missions. Our work leverages digital manufacturing and scalable microfabrication techniques to meet tomorrow’s toughest challenges.

Position Summary

In this role, you will have the opportunity to make an immediate impact on a high-profile, America Makes funded project shaping the future of metal additive manufacturing. The ideal candidate will have an interest in growing into a Principal Investigator (PI) that will conceive, propose and lead new research initiatives.

Essential Duties

• Support advanced R&D programs [TS1.1]in metal additive manufacturing, working closely with interdisciplinary teams to drive scientific and technological breakthroughs
• Plan and execute analytical and computational analysis and modeling with a focus on continuum methods and digital twin development
• Communicate complex modeling results clearly through presentations, technical reports, and collaborative discussions with team members, management and project sponsors
• Translate fundamental materials and process understanding into practical, scalable solutions for real-world additive manufacturing applications
• Plan and manage key project components—including timelines, deliverables, and resources—to ensure successful execution and meaningful impact
• Collaborate with experimental teams to validate models, compare simulation outputs with measurement data, and refine predictive capabilities.
• Interact with the broader community by presenting at conferences and publishing in journals

Required Qualifications

• PhD or Postdoctoral experience in Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field
• Strong foundation in computational modeling and familiarity with current and emerging AI/ ML methods relevant to materials and process optimization
• Experience with Finite Element Analysis FEA (e.g., ABAQUS, COMSOL, MOOSE)
• Experience with mesoscale microstructure modeling techniques such as phase field, cellular automata, and kinetic Monte Carlo methods
• Proficiency in programming languages like Python or C++ for data analysis and integration with simulation workflows
• Experience using machine learning libraries such as Scikit-Learn, PyTorch, Keras, or TensorFlow to solve engineering and materials science problems
• Experience with Scientific Machine Learning (SciML) for surrogate model development
• Experience in scientific communication through technical presentations and journal publications

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience planning, conducting, and analyzing experiments
• Experience with Laser Powder Bed Fusion metal additive manufacturing

Physical Requirements

• Ability to perform extended computational modeling and analysis at a workstation

Special Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship with the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance

Compensation and Benefits:

• Pay Range: $140,700 - $175,900
• Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location (California). The range displayed on each job posting reflects the target range for new hire salaries for the position. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range during the hiring process.
• Benefits: HRL offers a generous and very competitive total compensation and benefits package. Our Regular/Full Time benefits include medical, dental, vision, life insurance, 401K match, gym facilities, PTO, Sick time, upward mobility, and an exciting and challenging work environment.
• For more information about our company benefit offerings please visit: https://www.hrl.com/careers/benefits

Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunities (U.S.)

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single desired qualification. At HRL, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing.

If you would like more information about Equal Employment Opportunity as an applicant under the law, please go to Employees & Job Applicants | U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

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