Air Force Propulsion Systems push engine hot section components close to their thermomechanical limits in order to increase power and efficiency.  Advanced measurement technology is desired to resolve high frequency temperature and/or surface heat flux in high temperature, turbulent, and potentially rotating flows.  A specific area of interest is High Speed Thermal Imaging Systems with optical probes that can penetrate and survive the conditions inside various power and propulsion systems.  Opportunities exist for research in high temperature optical probe design, materials, and fabrication, multispectral thermography, high speed IR camera image acquisition, digital image processing, and large dataset analysis and interpretation.  Expertise is sought in high temperature optics design and modelling, thermal radiometry, infrared or multispectral pyrometry, or novel techniques addressing varying material and viewpath absorption, emissivity and reflectivity, with addition interest in methods of processing, reduction, and analysis of the large datasets these instruments produce.  Knowledge of propulsion systems or turbomachinery is useful but not a pre-requisite.  This opportunity provides an optical or thermal imaging researcher with aerospace propulsion knowledge that will broaden their application experience.

Additional opportunities exist in developing high frequency flexible thin film instrumentation and sensors for measuring surface heat flux, unsteady boundary layer characteristics.  RF Sputtering and Photolithography capabilities are available locally, along with collaboration opportunities with the nearby AFRL Materials and Manufacturing Directorate.

 

References

Anthony, R. J., Vanasse, N., and McLaren, S., 2025, "High-Speed Rotating High-Pressure Turbine Blade Thermal Imaging of a Full-Scale Cooled 1 + 1/2 Stage Turbine in a Short Duration Transient Test Facility." ASME. J. Turbomachinery. October 2025; 147(10): 101011.

Anthony, R. J., Finnegan, J., and Clark, J. P., 2021, "Phantom Cooling Effects on Rotor Blade Surface Heat Flux in a Transonic Full Scale 1 + 1/2 Stage Rotating Turbine." ASME. J. Turbomachinery. March 2025; 147(3): 031016. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4051245.

Thermal Imaging; Optics Design and Modelling; High Speed Radiometry; High Speed Image Acquisition; Digital Image Processing; Multispectral Thermography; Thin Film Deposition; Photolithography

citizenship

Open to U.S. citizens

level

Open to Postdoctoral and Senior applicants

Additional Benefits

relocation

Awardees who reside more than 50 miles from their host laboratory and remain on tenure for at least six months are eligible for paid relocation to within the vicinity of their host laboratory.

health insurance

A group health insurance program is available to awardees and their qualifying dependents in the United States.