"Research Fellow - CFD for Ocean Carbon"

Work at the cutting edge of carbon capture innovation with Vycarb and Swinburne

Full-time, fixed-term (12 months) position at our Hawthorn campus

Academic Level B salary + 17% super and staff benefits

About the Role

The Department of Mechanical and Product Design Engineering (MPDE) at Swinburne University of Technology is seeking a motivated Research Fellow in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to join the Fluid and Process Dynamics group.

In partnership with Vycarb, a Brooklyn-based start-up developing novel technology for carbon dioxide capture and ocean storage, this role will focus on developing and running CFD models of Vycarb’s reactor system using open-source platforms or the ANSYS multiphysics environment. Simulations will be performed on OzSTAR high-performance computing systems, modelling complex flow physics such as multiphase and reacting flows to optimise reactor performance and scalability.

You will also work closely with Vycarb’s engineering team, contributing to meetings, preparing reports, and tracking project milestones to ensure timely delivery of outcomes. This role combines advanced technical research with active engagement across both academic and industry partners.

Offering the chance to make a real contribution to climate solutions, the position provides a unique opportunity to collaborate with internationally recognised researchers and gain industry experience through a direct partnership with an innovative US-based start-up.

Supervised by Profs. Justin Leontini and Richard Manasseh, you will join a dynamic team with expertise spanning fluid mechanics, fluid–structure interaction, high-temperature processing, resource recovery, renewable energy, low-carbon metal production, biomedical flows and computational modelling.

Be part of a project at the forefront of climate innovation, where advanced fluid dynamics research delivers real-world impact.

About You

To thrive in this role, you will bring:

• A PhD (or near completion) in mechanical engineering, fluid dynamics, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience in the simulation of flow systems using high-performance computing.
• Expertise in modelling multiphase and/or reacting flows.
• Strong computational skills and familiarity with high-performance computing environments.
• The ability to contribute to research projects, including tracking milestones, reporting on progress, identifying barriers, and completing tasks to deadline.
• Strong written and oral communication skills for scholarly publications, technical reports and project documentation.
• Good interpersonal skills with the ability to prioritise workloads, build relationships, and work collaboratively.
• Experience in working with industry partners and industrially driven projects, including both oral and written reporting.
• A demonstrated capacity to work proactively within multi-disciplinary and multi-institution teams.

Qualifications

Completion of a doctoral degree with a specialty in fluid mechanics in the field of Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Mathematics or an associated discipline.

About Swinburne University of Technology

Swinburne’s strategy draws upon our understanding of future challenges. We choose to build Swinburne as the prototype of a new and different university – one that is truly of Technology, of Innovation and of Entrepreneurship. We are committed to a differentiated university proposition in education and research.

To Apply

Please submit your CV and cover letter addressing the Key Selection Criteria and your suitability for this position.

To review the Position Description and to apply, please scroll down to the bottom of the page.

If you are viewing this advert from an external site, please click ‘apply’ and you will be redirected to Swinburne’s Jobs website to access the Position Description at the bottom of the page.

Please Note: Appointment to this position is subject to passing a Working with Children Check.

If you are experiencing technical difficulties with your application, please contact the Swinburne Talent Acquisition Team on talentacquisition@swin.edu.au

Applications Close: Sunday 21 September 2025, at 11.00pm

Swinburne offers flexible working options contained in our leave and parenting/carer policies to support work-life balance.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Swinburne has become a world-class university, driving social and economic impacts through science, technology, and innovation. As a dual-sector university, our vision is for people and technology working together to build a better world.

Central to our vision is our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We pride ourselves on being an equal opportunity employer focused on attracting, retaining, and developing great talent. We work to remove barriers related to gender identity, culture, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, and age.

We strongly encourage applicants from diverse Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Our Moondani Toombadool Centre leads our Indigenous education and culture at Swinburne, guided by community wisdom and leadership.

We support applicants with disabilities. Adjustments can be requested at any time during the recruitment process. For Reasonable Adjustment requests, including accessible formats for the PD, application form or any other document, please contact DCR@swin.edu.au or call +61 3 9214 3550.

Please note the above number and DCR email address are for disability or reasonable adjustments queries only. General enquiries about the role can be sent to talentacquisition@swin.edu.au (general enquiries will not be answered by phone).

Victoria’s Commitment to Action: Improving international student employment outcomes.

As a signatory to Victoria’s Commitment to Action, Swinburne seeks to remove barriers to international graduate employment. We welcome and encourage applications from international graduates.

As a Circle Back Initiative Employer, we commit to responding to every applicant.