Research Postdoctoral Fellow - Jolley Lab

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A Brief Overview
Under the direction/guidance of a mentor (principal investigator), assumes responsibility for a specific, on-going research project. The experience will serve to extend, refine and enhance skills necessary for professional and career development, and will enable the individual to broaden his/her scientific background by acquiring new research capabilities. It is expected that this individual will conduct independent scholarly research, and will contribute directly to the overall research goals of the project and the research group.

This role will be expected to participate in project planning, recording and interpretation/evaluation of data, and communication of results. This position will also be expected to acquire technical, lab management, and manuscript/grant writing skills; and participate in seminars, lectures, poster sessions and presentations at national meetings. This role also may be required to supervise junior lab members, develop new methods and protocols for research, and assist with the development of other research projects in the lab.

About the Laboratory

The Jolley Lab at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) is recruiting a post-doctoral scholar or research associate with expertise in computational biomechanics and fluid structure interaction (FSI) to start summer 2026. The main goals of this position are the following:

-Under mentorship of senior lab members, develop and refine 3D fluid-structure-interaction (FSI) simulations of a novel cardiac assist device, validating computational predictions against benchtop experimental data. These computational models, powered by a newly developed MFEM-based FSI solver running on CHOP's high-performance GPU cluster, will be used to explore a complex design space and optimize device performance around nonlinear physical behavior.

-Systematically identify device design parameters that optimize flow, pressure generation, and power consumption.

-Evaluate optimized device performance in simulated clinical circulations.

A successful candidate will become part of an interdisciplinary team with expertise in image processing, experimental and computational biomechanics, and congenital heart disease. Strong communication and organizational skills, expertise in software development and numerical methods, and familiarity with major Open-Source software tools in the field such as FEBio are preferred.

Applicants must have a Ph.D. or an equivalent degree (or expect to defend in the near future) in bioengineering, mechanical engineering, and/or a related field; an excellent background in mathematics and computational sciences; and a strong track record of independent research in biomechanics.

The group is involved in many exciting image-based modeling projects, including development of novel analysis methodologies; application of the state-of-the-art techniques to clinical studies; and translational research. The Fellow will be supported by a lab consisting of research assistants, mechanical engineers, masters and PhD level research software developers, and clinical collaborators within the Center for Pediatric Heart Valve Disease at CHOP. This environment will allow the Fellow to focus on the application of biomechanics rather than acquiring data or maintaining image processing infrastructure. The Jolley Lab is a leader in development and dissemination of Open-Source pediatric cardiac image analysis applications (Slicer Heart, 3D Slicer).

CHOP is located in Philadelphia, a vibrant city that offers many professional and cultural opportunities. They foster a friendly, noncompetitive, collaborative environment where each individual member of the laboratory is able to thrive, while also effectively contributing to the collaboration's overall programmatic aims.

The Children's hospital of Philadelphia is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. Women and minority candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. Candidates available to start Summer 2026 preferred.

What you will do

• Conduct independent scholarly research and develop new methods and protocols
• Participate in project planning, recording and evaluation of data
• Acquire technical, lab management and grant writing skills
• Participate in seminars, lectures, poster sessions and presentation at national meetings
• Supervise junior lab members
• Assist with other research projects

Education Qualifications

• Doctorate Required

Skills and Abilities

• Ability to wear a respirator device

To carry out its mission, CHOP is committed to supporting the health of our patients, families, workforce, and global community. As a condition of employment, CHOP employees who work in patient care buildings or who have patient facing responsibilities must receive an annual influenza vaccine. Learn more.

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SALARY RANGE:

Salary ranges are shown for full-time jobs. If you're working part-time, your pay will be adjusted accordingly.

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At CHOP, we are committed to fair and transparent pay practices. Factors such as skills and experience could result in an offer above the salary range noted in this job posting. Click here for more information regarding CHOP's Compensation and Benefits.