Full-time, 40 hours per week – Duty station: Astana, KazakhstanApplication Deadline: We encourage potential candidates to submit their applications at their earliest convenience, as limited budget funds may not carry over to the following year. Early submissions are likely to receive greater attention.Project Title: Buckling-resistant double- & multi-layered shells with complex topologies for aerospace and land vehicles (BRAVE)Project Overview:The BRAVE research initiative focuses on computational mechanics, mechanics-based design, and composite materials. Our team aims to utilize a novel multifunctional egg-crate sandwich structural architecture to design intricate and curved shell structures applicable to aerospace and high-speed rail engineering. The analytical findings will be validated through high-speed dynamics experiments conducted on a multi-DOF dynamic testing apparatus designed within the same program. The primary computational platform for analyzing composite structures will be Abaqus, complemented by ANSYS or OpenFoam CFD for conducting aeroelastic simulations. The research targets the development of high-performance lightweight thin shell structures, including aircraft load-bearing components (wings, fuselage, winglets, floors, and panels), rail carriage structures, and rocket and satellite frameworks (frame, floors, and panels). The project encompasses four main objectives:Parametric CAD and CAE definition of the egg-crate composite structure geometry using SolidWorks, Rhino, or CATIA, along with the creation of automated geometry generator algorithms and scripts.Simulation of structural deflections and stresses under static and dynamic conditions using Abaqus, as well as full aeroelastic challenges through ANSYS/OpenFoam.Designing and developing a multi-DOF test bed to replicate complex and transient load conditions (system in the loop).Fabricating composite specimens for experimental verification of analysis results and for technology demonstrations involving fibre-optic embedded sensing, laser vibrometry, and high-speed photoelasticity.Position Overview:As a successful candidate, you will join Nazarbayev University as a full-time Research Assistant. You may also be required to spend specific periods at the School of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Nottingham in Ningbo, China, to fabricate composite specimens and conduct tests. You will collaborate closely with the research team on geometrical and mechanical modeling of complex shell and sandwich geometries, accounting for intricate external and aeroelastic loads. Strong foundational knowledge in computational mechanics, analytical skills, and programming proficiency is essential.
Nov 24, 2025