About the Department:

The C5I Center at Mason is the nation’s first and only civilian university-based entity offering a comprehensive academic and research program in military/national security applications of information technology and cyber security. The Center’s mission is to perform advanced research in defense, intelligence, and security-related applications in IT and Cyber; bridging cultural gaps and aligning requirements between government, industry, and academia. It serves as a multi-disciplinary hub connecting faculty and researchers wanting to work on areas related to the Center’s mission and be widely recognized as a premier source of knowledge and innovation to military and civilian authorities.

About the Position:

The George Mason University Center of Excellence in C5I invites applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher to conduct research that investigates Digital Engineering and Digital Transformation of System Life-cycle models and System of Systems. Particular emphases on Human-Machine Interaction with Trusted Autonomy, Model-based System Engineering principles for multi-vehicle systems and formations (crewed/uncrewed aerial and ground vehicles) along with simulation technologies and dynamic command-and-control (C2), sensor design and multi-sensor fusion. As a R1 university, Mason has a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of excellence and diversity among its faculty and staff, and strongly encourages candidates to apply who will enrich Mason’s academic and culturally inclusive environment.

Responsibilities:

The candidate will be part of a multidisciplinary team developing novel system design, simulation, and analysis techniques for large scale human machine integrated formations and distributed dynamic C2 system of systems. Specific responsibilities of this role include, but are not limited to:

• Building digital engineering models of system of systems for C2 operations;
• Research and develop algorithms for dynamic, agile, and adaptive system of systems architectures;
• Integrating digital models for design, analysis, and testing of multi-vehicles and human formations;
• Implement multi-modal sensors (RADAR, LIDAR, EO/IR etc.) on distributed sensors and develop multi-sensor fusion techniques;
• Conduct system level trade-off analysis with modeling and simulation tools (e.g., STK, SysML, MATLAB, etc.); 
• Mentor Ph.D., Masters, and Undergraduate student researchers; and
• Prepare and/or review manuscripts for publication in leading journals and peer-reviewed academic conferences.

Required Qualifications:

• Candidates must have earned a doctorate in systems engineering, aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or a closely related engineering field to apply for this position;
• Candidates must possess, have experience on, and be able to demonstrate strong skills in systems level design and integration, digital modeling, multi-sensor fusion, and/or C2 systems; 
• Candidates must possess the ability to work collaboratively as part of a multi-disciplinary team; and
• Must be a (1) U.S. citizens, or (2) lawful permanent resident as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(20).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Have publications in academic, peer-reviewed venues in the areas of System Engineering, System of Systems, Digital Engineering, System Design, Test, and Evaluation and/or closely related fields.
• Have experience in conducting system design and trade-off analysis using modeling and simulation tools such as STK, Model-based System Engineering, Systems Modeling Language, and MATLAB;
• Have experience in system of systems research and development;
• Familiarity with Autonomous Systems, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) implementation, and Explainable AI;
• Familiarity with sensor systems and models, including sensor fusion and high-level situational awareness; and
• Ability to code in Python and software development experience for modeling and simulation of complex systems.

Instructions to Applicants: 

For full consideration, applicants must apply for Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Systems Engineering Digital Transformation) at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a cover letter and resume. The review of applications will begin July 2, 2024 and continue until the position is filled.

Posting Open Date: May 24, 2024

For Full Consideration, Apply by: July 1, 2024

Open Until Filled?: Yes