Research Assistant/Associate - Postdoc (f/m/d) Cross-Sectional Group "Sustainable Computational Engineering" (NHR4CES)

Weitere Informationen

The successful candidate will be employed under a regular employment contract.
The position is to be filled by 1/1/2027 and offered for a fixed term of four years.
The fixed-term employment is possible as it constitutes one of the fixed-term options of the Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz (German Act on Fixed-term Scientific Contracts).
This is a full-time position.
The salary is based on the German public service salary scale (TV-L).
The position corresponds to a pay grade of EG 13 TV-L.

Unser Profil

The Chair of Methods for Model-based Development in Computational Engineering (MBD) develops innovative computational methods to make advanced mathematical models, numerical methods, and artificial intelligence applicable to complex engineering problems. Our chair is a member of the National High-Performance Computing Center for Computational Engineering Sciences (NHR4CES), a joint initiative of RWTH Aachen University and TU Darmstadt that supports researchers through state-of-the-art high-performance computing infrastructure and methodological expertise in the Computational Engineering Sciences. An integral part of NHR4CES are its Cross-Sectional Groups, which address emerging cross-cutting topics and bring their expertise to the user community.

Starting in January 2027, we will establish a new Cross-Sectional Group in Aachen and are looking for motivated, software-oriented team players to support us in this effort.

Ihr Profil

You have:

• an outstanding PhD in Computational Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or a related discipline, combined with a strong affinity for scientific software and experience in the development and application of complex simulation software
• demonstrated methodological expertise in at least one of the following areas: numerical simulation methods, high-performance computing, or scientific machine learning, together with an interest in developing sustainable computational methods for complex multiphysics and multiscale models
• enthusiasm for independently developing new scientific topics and innovative strategies that enable scientific insight while using computational resources efficiently, for example through adaptive simulation methods, sustainable research software, agentic systems, or AI-enabled simulation workflows
• motivation and willingness to develop and deliver training courses and workshops on topics related to the CSG
• experience in, or a strong interest in, interdisciplinary collaboration and the development of national and international research networks
• excellent written and spoken English; knowledge of German is an advantage

Ideally, you also have:

• initial experience in acquiring competitive third-party research funding
• experience in supervising student research projects or theses, and
• an interest in organizing scientific events or training activities and in fostering an active research community.

Ihre Aufgaben

Your Role

You will support us in establishing the new NHR4CES Cross-Sectional Group

Sustainable Computational Engineering

and work with us to develop it into a visible platform for sustainability in computational engineering.

We take a broad view of sustainability. The mission of the Cross-Sectional Group (CSG) is to develop simulation methods that enable scientific insight while minimizing the use of computational resources. This includes energy-efficient algorithms, adaptive simulation methods, sustainably developed research software, reproducible scientific workflows, and strategies for the intelligent use of modular and hybrid high-performance computing infrastructures. A further focus lies on the development and integration of AI- and agent-based systems that intelligently orchestrate models, data, software, and computational resources, support researchers in selecting appropriate modeling and simulation strategies, and increasingly automate scientific workflows. In this way, the CSG contributes to the development of a new generation of sustainable and adaptive computational engineering ecosystems. Close collaboration is planned with the existing NHR4CES Cross-Sectional Groups, such as the CSG Parallelism & Performance, as well as with the methodological support units at the RWTH Aachen University IT Center.

The position offers the opportunity to pursue independent research while also developing and delivering training and professional development activities for researchers in computational engineering. Through these activities, the CSG contributes to scientific community building within the NHR community.

Your responsibilities include:

• supporting the establishment of the new Cross-Sectional Group within NHR4CES and contributing to its development and scientific direction through your own research agenda in Sustainable Computational Engineering
• advising researchers in the Computational Engineering Sciences on methodological questions related to sustainability and computational resource use
• developing concepts and best practices for resource-efficient simulation, sustainably developed research software, and reproducible scientific workflows. This work will be carried out in close collaboration with the emerging software initiative of the RWTH Profile Area Modeling and Simulation Sciences
• developing and organizing workshops, tutorials, and training activities for the NHR4CES community
• initiating new scientific collaborations within the NHR network and with national and international partners, and contributing to the further development of NHR4CES
• publishing your research results in international scientific journals and presenting them at scientific conferences, and
• supporting the review and scientific assessment of computing-time proposals within the National High-Performance Computing (NHR) infrastructure

Über uns

RWTH is proud to be certified as a family-friendly university. As part of our Campus Health initiative, RWTH offers a wide range of health, counseling, and prevention services, including university sports. Employees under collective bargaining agreements and civil servants also benefit from a comprehensive continuing education program and the option to purchase a job ticket for convenient commuting.
RWTH is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome and encourage applications from all qualified candidates and make employment decisions without regard to national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability or age. RWTH is especially committed to supporting the advancement of women in academia. When women are underrepresented in a university unit, preferential consideration will be given to female applicants among candidates of equal merit and professional standing, unless compelling reasons favor another individual.
In keeping with RWTH’s commitment to equality of opportunity, we ask that you do not include a photo with your application.
Please refer to https://www.rwth-aachen.de/applicant-privacy-policy for information about how we collect and process applicant data in accordance with Articles 13 and 14 of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Besoldung / Entgelt

EG 13 TV-L