Join our research group: PhD and postdoctoral opportunities
PhD and postdoctoral paths in earthquake engineering, AI-powered structural simulation and early-age concrete behavior.
I'm looking for researchers who want to build, test and use better models for problems that matter in civil engineering. Our group at Universidad de los Andes in Santiago, Chile combines finite-element modeling, experimental data, open-source software and high-performance computing.
Two funded research projects offer a starting point. Your work would help shape the questions and methods within either one:
Earthquake engineering, AI and HPC
FONDECYT Regular 1261870 develops fast, high-fidelity tools for performance-based seismic design. We're exploring neural structural elements, soil–foundation macro-elements and large simulation campaigns, with OpenSees and our HPC cluster as part of the workflow.
Early-age cracking in mass concrete
FONDEF IDeA I+D ID26I10834 brings together thermo-mechanical simulation, laboratory work and field monitoring to predict and mitigate thermal cracking as large concrete elements cure. The goal is a practical, validated system for real construction projects.
Who can join?
PhD candidates — Chilean and international applicants. You would enroll in the Doctorado en Ciencias de la Ingeniería at Universidad de los Andes. This PhD opportunity requires being awarded an ANID doctoral scholarship. I can help develop a research plan and support your application; the award itself is competitive and decided by ANID. Check the doctoral program and ANID for current requirements and deadlines.
Postdoctoral researchers — Chilean nationals only. This nationality restriction follows ANID's provisions for the postdoctoral route available to these projects. Please contact me to discuss project fit and the relevant funding arrangements before preparing an application.
You don't need to have done all of this already. Depending on the project, useful experience includes structural or geotechnical earthquake engineering, nonlinear finite elements, scientific machine learning, concrete thermo-mechanics, experimental instrumentation, Python/C++ and parallel computing. Curiosity and a willingness to learn across disciplines matter too.
What you'd work with
Our research uses OpenSees, ShakerMaker, high-fidelity simulations, experimental results and an in-house multi-node HPC cluster. You'll work alongside graduate students and collaborators across structural engineering, geotechnics and computation. See the research projects, publications and people for a better sense of the group.
Interested? Email me at jaabell@uandes.cl with a short CV, whether you're interested in the PhD or postdoctoral route, which project catches your attention, and a few lines about the questions you'd like to tackle. For the PhD route, let me know where you are in the ANID scholarship process.