Job Details

NWPCA Research Fellow

Blacksburg, Virginia, United States

Sustainable Biomaterials

Engineering

Natural Resources

Faculty (Salaried)

Virginia Tech

The Department of Sustainable Biomaterials has over a decade of history in the testing and design of pallets and packaging systems. A new venture is the design methods and testing of wood used in transportation, including principles for design of crates, containers and other elements. This position blends knowledge of transportation with the engineering design of wood, wood composites and connections.

The successful candidate with work closely with Dr. Daniel Hindman, and industry collaborators to conduct research supporting the understanding and development of crate and wood container design procedures including loading conditions, material variability studies, and connections.

The Department of Sustainable Biomaterials is looking for a person with strong research and publication skills to support engineering design for the use of wood in transportation. The individual will be responsible for:

• Conducting research related to the mechanical strength of wood, wood composites and connections used in wood transportation packaging (nails, screws, brackets, etc.).
• Knowledge of supply chain for wooden containers including transportation, logistics, storage conditions, and support conditions.
• Collecting and analyzing test data, analysis and presentation of results.
• Publishing results in reports, refereed journals and professional conferences as appropriate.

Required Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in sustainable biomaterials, packaging or related engineering or material science field. PhD must be awarded no more than four years prior to the effective date of appointment with a minimum of one year eligibility remaining.
• Experience conducting standardized testing related to wood properties and connections, wood in transportation packaging research or similar engineering materials.
• Demonstrated record of publishing refereed journal articles and presenting at professional conferences.
• Knowledge of the current design methods for wood materials in the United States including the National Design Specification for Wood Construction (NDS).
• Experience with design of experiments and sampling size of materials
• Experience supporting research projects
• Ability to work in a team or independently
• Good interpersonal skills

Preferred Qualifications:

• Have an EIT (Engineer-In-Training) Designation
• Experience with finite element analysis (FEA) methods and tools
• Experience programming with C++
• Experience using numerical methods, including linear algebra, for structural modeling

Overtime Status: Exempt: Not eligible for overtime

Appointment Type: Restricted

Salary Information: Starting at $55,000, commensurate with experience

Hours per week: 40

Review Date: February 10, 2026

Additional Information: Candidates will be expected to provide a resume/Curriculum Vita and cover letter detailing reasons for interest in this position. The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.