Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Operations Research and Data Science (AFIT)

A post-doctoral research opportunity is available through the Department of Operational Sciences at the Air Force Institute of Technology.

What will I be doing?

As an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) participant, you will join a community of scientists and researchers studying adversarial interactions, multi-agent systems, and decision-making under uncertainty relevant to security and defense settings. Research activities will focus on methodological innovation, theoretical development, and applied mathematical/statistical modeling.

Why should I apply?

Under the guidance of a mentor, you will gain hands-on experience to complement your education and support your academic and professional goals. Along the way, you may engage in activities and research in several areas. These include, but are not limited to:

• Adversarial location and network interdiction models
• Adversarial machine learning attacks and defense (e.g., against Bayesian inference)
• Algorithmic development for bilevel (or multilevel) optimization
• Methodological developments in Bayesian statistics and/or decision analysis
• Application of adversarial risk analysis within security settings

Where will I be located? Dayton, Ohio

What is the anticipated start date?

Exact start dates will be determined at the time of selection and in coordination with the selected candidate. Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis and fellowships will be filled as qualified candidates are identified.

What is the appointment length?

This appointment is a twelve-month research appointment, with the possibility to be renewed for additional research periods. Appointments may be extended depending on funding availability, project assignment, program rules, and availability of the participant.

What are the provisions?

You will receive a stipend to be determined by AFIT. Stipends are typically based on a participant’s academic standing, discipline, experience, and research facility location. Other provisions may include the following:

• Health Insurance Supplement (Participants are eligible to purchase health insurance through ORISE)
• Relocation Allowance
• Training and Travel Allowance

About AFIT

The Air Force Institute of Technology, or AFIT, located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the Air Force’s graduate school of engineering and management as well as its institution for technical professional continuing education. A component of Air University and Air Education and Training Command, AFIT is committed to providing defense-focused graduate and professional continuing education and research to sustain the technological supremacy of America’s air, space and cyber forces.

About ORISE

This program, administered by Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) through its contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to manage the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), was established through an interagency agreement between DOE and DoD. Participants do not enter an employee/employer relationship with ORISE, ORAU, DoD or any other office or agency. Instead, you will be affiliated with ORISE for the administration of the appointment through the ORISE appointment letter and Terms of Appointment. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. Health insurance can be obtained through ORISE. For more information, visit the ORISE Research Participation Program at the U.S. Department of Defense.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should hold or be currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Operations Research, Industrial Engineering, Statistics, Data Science, Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, Systems Engineering, or a closely related field. A postgraduate is required to have earned their degree within 5 years of the appointment start date.

A PhD is not required at the time of selection. Ideally, a participant will complete their PhD prior to the opportunity's start date; however, an "all but dissertation" status may be acceptable as well, provided the requisite research qualifications.

Preferred Skills:

• Background in quantitative research, evidenced by peer-reviewed publications, academic presentations, or preprint manuscripts
• Knowledge of Bayesian statistics, mathematical optimization, game-theoretic analysis, network problems, decision analysis, or behavioral economics
• Proficiency in a scientific computing or statistical programming languages (e.g., Python, R, Julia, C , or MATLAB)
• Familiarity with mathematical programming solvers (e.g., Gurobi, CPLEX) or probabilistic/Bayesian computing frameworks (e.g., Stan, PyMC)
• Ability to formulate high-impact, novel and well-defined research questions from unstructured requirements

Application Requirements

A complete application consists of:

• Zintellect Profile
• Educational and Employment History
• Essay Questions (goals, experiences, and skills relevant to the opportunity)
• Resume (PDF)
• Transcripts/Academic Records - Please upload a copy of a transcript for your current or most recent degree program that meets the disciplinary qualifications of the opportunity. Click here for detailed information about acceptable transcripts.
• One Recommendation. We encourage you to contact your recommender(s) as soon as you start your application to ensure they are able to complete the recommendation form and to let them know to expect a message from Zintellect. Recommenders will be asked to rate your scientific capabilities, personal characteristics, and describe how they know you. You can always log back in to your Zintellect account and check the status of your application.

If you have questions, send an email to AIRFORCE@orise.orau.gov. Please list the reference code of this opportunity [AFIT-2026-0022] in the subject line of the email. Please understand that ORISE does not review applications or select applicants; selections are made by the sponsoring agency identified on this opportunity. All application materials should be submitted via the “Apply” button at the bottom of this opportunity listing. Please do not send application materials to the email address above.

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Stipend

$6,500.00 – $8,250.00 Monthly

Point of Contact

Leslie

Eligibility Requirements

• Citizenship: LPR or U.S. Citizen
• Degree: Doctoral Degree received within the last 60 months or currently pursuing.