POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW

Postdoctoral Fellow Duties

Performs the following postdoctoral fellow duties in the Department of Engineering Physics, Graduate School of Engineering and Management, Air Force Institute of Technology:

Technical problem solving. The incumbent solves research problems to gain additional skills and experience within their area of academic discipline. Technical problem-solving activities include but are not limited to: identifying potential solutions to novel research problems; designing and executing studies to answer research questions; analyzing and interpreting research findings; configuring and designing relevant hardware and/or software; building relevant and useful research models; evaluating existing research techniques, analyzing systems, and recommending improvements to ensure quality and productivity.

Mentorship and Collaboration. The incumbent develops mentorship and collaboration skills by partnering with their research mentor to organize, plan, and execute group research projects. Postdoctoral fellows expand their mentorship skills by partnering with AFIT students in informal settings to guide student investigations, offer research support, and share technical knowledge. The incumbent will collaborate with faculty inside and outside their discipline to identify relevant research questions, develop methods to answer research questions, and to work cooperatively to solve research problems of mutual interest.

Communication. A Postdoctoral researcher prepares manuscripts for publication; documents research activities to ensure reproducibility; and assists in the preparation of proposals and funding reports. The incumbent is responsible for presenting research outputs at relevant conferences, program reviews, sponsor meetings and similar events. Postdoctoral researchers are responsible for reading, understanding, applying technical articles and maintaining a working knowledge of the state of the art in research. The Postdoctoral researcher effectively engages with the broader academic and defense communities by communicating as an active participant in internal and external scientific committees, conferences, including reviewing and critiquing student thesis papers, dissertations, and student thesis/doctoral committee activities.