Postdoctoral Researcher in AI for Fluid Mechanics

Are you interested in developing AI methods that can make physics simulations orders of magnitude faster If the answer is yes please continue reading!

Join our team!

The University of Amsterdam (UvA) is recruiting a postdoctoral researcher in AI for fluid mechanics. This postdoc is part of an NWO-funded project on accelerating computational modelling of rarefied (i.e. highly dilute gases) which brings together experts from TU Eindhoven and University of Amsterdam along with industrial partners ASML Flow Matters and Carbyon.

Your work in this project will be to develop state-of-the-art generative AI methods based on diffusion models and flow matching that can function as data-efficient surrogate models for rarefied gas dynamics with applications as diverse as photolithography (ASML) and carbon capture (Carbyon).

What you will do

• Develop foundation models for fluid mechanics such as those based on scalable implementations of transformers.
• Develop data-efficient methods for (inverse) design based on diffusion and/or flow matching that can rapidly adapt pre-trained models to new tasks and select optimally informative simulations at each stage in a design process.
• Collaborate closely with PhD students working AI-accelerated techniques based on a range of computational methods including direct simulation Monte Carlo lattice Boltzmann particle-in-cell and method-of-moments approaches.

What we ask of you

• PhD in machine learning physics or a related field.
• Established expertise in deep learning (familiarity with graph neural networks transformers diffusion and flow based generative models).
• Excellent programming skills (including experience with deep learning libraries like PyTorch and JAX).
• Strong publication record in artificial intelligence and/or (computational) physics.

Desirable

• Expertise in computational fluid mechanics broadly construed.
• Expertise in Bayesian methodology for optimization and experiment design.
• Experience with equivariant neural networks.
• Track record of interdisciplinary collaboration.

This is what we offer

We offer a temporary employment contract for 38 hours per week for a period of 24 months. The preferred starting date is as soon as possible.

The gross monthly salary based on 38 hours per week and dependent on relevant experience ranges between 3546 to 5538 (scale 10). UvA additionally offers an extensive package of secondary benefits including 8% holiday allowance and a year-end bonus of 8.3%. The UFO profile Researcher 4 is applicable. A favourable tax agreement the 30% ruling may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The Collective Labour Agreement of Universities of the Netherlands is applicable.

Besides the salary and a vibrant and challenging environment at Science Park we offer you multiple fringe benefits:

• 232 holiday hours per year (based on fulltime) and extra holidays between Christmas and 1 January;
• Multiple courses to follow from our Teaching and Learning Centre;
• Multiple courses on topics such as leadership for academic staff;
• Multiple courses on topics such as time management handling stress and an online learning platform with 100 different courses;
• 7 weeks birth leave (partner leave) with 100% salary;
• Partly paid parental leave;
• The possibility to set up a workplace at home;
• A pension at ABP for which UvA pays two third part of the contribution;
• The possibility to follow courses to learn Dutch;
• Help with housing for a studio or small apartment when youre moving from abroad.

Are you curious to read more about our extensive package of secondary employment benefits take a look here.

Where you will work

The Faculty of Science (FNWI) has a student body of around 8000 as well as 1800 members of staff working in education research or support services. Researchers and students at the Faculty of Science are fascinated by every aspect of how the world works be it elementary particles the birth of the universe or the functioning of the brain.

The mission of the Informatics Institute (IvI) is to perform curiosity-driven and use-inspired fundamental research in Computer Science. The main research themes are Artificial Intelligence Computational Science and Systems and Network Engineering. Our research involves complex information systems at large with a focus on collaborative data driven computational and intelligent systems all with a strong interactive component.

The Amsterdam Machine Learning Lab (AMLab) conducts research in machine learning artificial intelligence and its applications to large scale data domains in science and industry. This includes the development of deep generative models methods for approximate inference probabilistic programming Bayesian deep learning causal inference reinforcement learning graph neural networks and geometric deep learning. It comprises Jan-Willem van de Meent who serves as director Max Welling Herke van Hoof Erik Bekkers Christian Naesseth and Sara Magliacane. The lab participates in public-private partnerships with industry through the QUvA Lab (with Qualcomm) the Delta Lab (with Bosch) has an ongoing partnership with Adyen and engages in cross-disciplinary collaborations through the AIScience Lab and Molecular and Material Design Technology Hub.

If you feel the profile fits you and you are interested in the job we look forward to receiving your application. You can apply online via the button below. We accept applications until and including 28 November 2025 or until the position is filled.

Applications should include the following information (all files apart from your CV should be submitted in one single pdf file):

• A curriculum vitae including a list of publications (with hyperlinks).
• A research statement describing your interests and research trajectory.
• The names and contact information of at least two academic references (please do not include letters).References do not need to have letters ready at the time of application.
• Optional: A letter providing any additional information not sufficiently highlighted by the other materials. For instance the letter could describe how Covid-19 has affected productivity.

Please make sure to provide ALL requested documents mentioned above.

You can use the CV field to upload your resume as a separate pdf document. Use the Cover Letter field to upload the other requested documents including the motivation letter as one single pdf file.

A knowledge security check can be part of the selection procedure.

(for details: National knowledge security guidelines).

Applicants will be reviewed as they come in and the position may be closed ahead of the deadline if the position is filled.

Do you have any questions or do you require additional information Please contact:

• Jan-Willem van de Meent Associate Professor (UHD)