Employment in Materials Science and Engineering
The listings on this page are for full-time faculty and staff openings in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering; postdoctoral positions, and full-time positions for graduating students (undergraduate and graduate).
STUDENTS: Looking for more help or additional opportunities?
These listings—sent directly to us by friends of the Department—represent only a small selection of jobs and research opportunities available.
For dedicated help in finding internships and jobs, visit the Clark School's office of Engineering Co-op & Career Services, which gives students 24-hour access to engineering co-op, internship, summer, post-graduation, and part-time job listings via eLink. It also runs free resume clinics, career fairs, and other workshops for job seekers! Visit them online at www.coop.eng.umd.edu, e-mail co-op@eng.umd.edu, or call (301) 405-3863 for more information.
You can also visit the University of Maryland's Career Center at www.careercenter.umd.edu.
Prospective Faculty and Staff
Please visit University Human Resources at www.uhr.umd.edu/employment for the most up-to-date position listings throughout the University.
Special Opportunities
Video Podcast Host for the National Academies
(Unpaid Position)
Posted 6/17/08
Application deadline: 7/18/08
The National Academies seeks a host for a new video podcast series. These podcasts will be fast-paced, lively, and engaging 3-4 minute "trailer" videos marketed to a wide variety of science-interested audiences. The monthly podcasts will focus on a variety important, influential reports written by the National Academies and will frame subsequent discussion of the topics through on camera interviews with members of the study committee. The host of the series will be responsible for introducing and concluding each episode and providing voice-over narrative. Note that the host is not required to conduct the interviews. Candidates must be available for a half day of filming each month to produce a total of twelve episodes over the next twelve months.
Qualifications:
- Candidates for the host position should possess a Ph.D. in science.
- The candidate must NOT currently be a U.S. government employee.
- The candidate must be available for at least the next twelve months (film one episode each month).
- Strong public speaking skills and comfort with speaking in front of a video camera about a variety of science topics is required.
- Excellent writing skills and a willingness to contribute to the scripting process is a plus, but not required.
Please email a cover letter and CV to John Kotcher at jkotcher@nas.edu.
Open Positions in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at University of Maryland, College Park
There are no new listings at this time.
Career Opportunities In Industry and Government
Solar Technology: Senior Synthetic Polymer Chemist
Boston, MA
Posted 6/23/08
Application Deadline: 7/20/08
A recruiter is seeking applicants for a position with a pre-IPO startup founded in 2001 that builds light-activated power plastic, which is flexible, lightweight and cost-effective, hence suitable for devices, systems and structures with low-cost embedded sources for renewable power. The plastic offers truly wireless applications for everyday solar-powered devices and integrated energy generation capabilities. The company's scientists have created a new type of coatable solar material with unique attributes unlike any other existing technology, and the technology has been featured in magazines like Forbes and Wired. With about $100 million in VC funding so far, they do have an existing revenue stream.
The job entails developing a roll to roll packaging process involving
material selection and process development. The packaging materials are barriers and filters to protect the OPV modules, and require special handling. The process needs to be qualified through accelerated lifetime testing as well as mechanical cycling.
The most important qualification is prior experience in packaging oxygen sensitive flexible products. The position involves hands-on work in the lab and pilot production equipment to develop roll to roll packaging of OPV modules.
The client company is looking for a Ph.D. synthetic polymer chemist
(post-doctoral experience preferred) for a full time hands-on position in the synthesis of complex novel polymers for polymer photovoltaic research.
The preferred candidate should have:
- Broad knowledge and experience in executing multi-step synthetic organic and polymer chemistry including air sensitive processes.
- Familiarity and hands-on experience with modern characterization and separations techniques and literature searching.
- The individual will work primarily in the laboratory. The candidate should possess sufficient technical expertise to solve complex chemical problems independently with minimal supervision.
- Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
- Devise and execute synthetic routes to agreed target compounds.
- Understand structure-property relationships in conjugated polymers.
- Contribute to the company's IP portfolio.
- Experience in device physics, opto-electronic materials, and photovoltaics is a plus.
- Present progress at chemistry group and project team meetings.
- Have excellent written and oral communication skills.
- Carry out all work in safe and environmentally conscious manner.
- Ability to interact closely with other team members.
This position will report to the Director of Materials and Organic Chemistry. Applicants must already eligible to work in the United States.
To apply, contact:
Nicholas Meyler
GM/President, TechnologyWingate Dunross Associates, Inc.
(818) 597-3200 ext. 211
nickm@wdsearch.com
Solar Technology: Packaging Engineer
Boston, MA
Posted 6/23/08
Application Deadline: 7/20/08
A recruiter is seeking applicants for a position with a pre-IPO startup founded in 2001 that builds light-activated power plastic, which is flexible, lightweight and cost-effective, hence suitable for devices, systems and structures with low-cost embedded sources for renewable power. The plastic offers truly wireless applications for everyday solar-powered devices and integrated energy generation capabilities. The company's scientists have created a new type of coatable solar material with unique attributes unlike any other existing technology, and the technology has been featured in magazines like Forbes and Wired. With about $100 million in VC funding so far, they do have an existing revenue stream.
The client is seeking applicants with experience in packaging for emerging photovoltaic technology: The company is building 3rd generation thin film photovoltaics using commercial roll to roll, low cost, high volume processes. The position requires a broad knowledge and experience base in order to successfully contribute to the scale-up activities of a team of scientists and engineers to develop various packaging methods of the photovoltaic cells and modules.
The job entails developing a roll to roll packaging process involving material selection and process development. The packaging materials are barriers and filters to protect the OPV modules, and require special handling. The process needs to be qualified through accelerated lifetime testing as well as mechanical cycling. The most important qualification is prior experience in packaging oxygen sensitive flexible products. The position involves hands-on work in the lab and pilot production equipment to develop Roll to roll packaging of our OPV modules.
Responsibilities include:
- Lead the implementation, testing and scale-up of a photovoltaic packaging process from concept in lab to pilot and manufacturing.
- Drive correlation of process configurations to product performance
- Perform failure analysis on devices and process development
- Document and communicate results both internally and to our scale-up partners
- Recommend engineering and manufacturing changes to obtain design objectives in the most economical manner possible.
Key Requirements:
- MS/PHD Chemical, Electrical, or Materials Science (concentration on semiconductor materials/polymers desirable)
- Hands on experience in packaging electric and or electronic structures.
- Experience in packaging methodologies and reliability testing
- Knowledge of packaging materials, adhesives, and interconnect materials
- Excellent communication skills
- Fluent with MS Word, Excel, as well as higher power data analysis tools
Wants:
- Over 5 years of experience in the development of electrical interconnection and encapsulation technologies.
- Experience in processes such as soldering, ultrasonic welding, thermocompression bonding, conductive polymers, pressure contacts, potting materials, and structural adhesives.
- Successfully completed design, qualification, and introduction of electronics packaging, including design rules, drawings, prototyping, reliability screening, industry certification, and manufacturing volume ramp-up.
This position will report to the Director of Materials and Organic Chemistry. Applicants must already eligible to work in the United States.
To apply, contact:
Nicholas Meyler
GM/President, TechnologyWingate Dunross Associates, Inc.
(818) 597-3200 ext. 211
nickm@wdsearch.com
Device Scientist
San Jose, CA
Posted 5/15/08
Designs and performs experiments in R&D to increase cost-efficiency of thin film solar cells even further by getting intimately involved with the material science and device physics of thin film solar cells by reading literature, processing thin film solar cells, performing characterization on thin film solar cells (individual layers and full
devices), collecting and analyzing data, and communicating results by
both writing reports and giving presentations. Attention for detail is a must. Focus on material science of individual layers is required. No industrial experience required. No thin film experience required, though preferred. This job provides you with the opportunity to work on various process steps in a laboratory environment, where taking initiative is a must, and effective communication with other scientists, mechanical engineers, process engineers, and technicians is required.
Minimum Qualifications: Ph.D. in material science, applied physics, electrical engineering, chemical engineering, chemistry, or related disciplines.
Send resumes to:
Nicholas Meyler
GM/President, Technology
Wingate Dunross Associates, Inc.
28632 Roadside Dr. #203
Agoura Hills, CA 91301
Internships and REUs
There are no new listings at this time.
Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) Positions
There are no new listings at this time.
Postdoc Positions
Postdoctoral Position in Computational Materials Theory
Posted 5/20/08
Applications are solicited to study catalytic and decomposition processes under extreme conditions (high temperature, aggressive environment, radiation) using first-principles methods and molecular dynamics simulations to develop an atomic-scale understanding of the stability and chemical activity of materials under extreme conditions and work towards "materials by design". Applicants must be familiar with ab-initio density-functional methods and molecular dynamics, a previous experience with catalysis, defects, and shock physics is a plus but not required. Applicants should send (by e-mail) a resume/CV, and 3 names of academic references (including phone numbers and e-mail address) to Professor Maija M. Kukla (mkukla@umd.edu) and Professor Alexander Roytburd (roytburd@umd.edu), Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Md.
Immediate Postdoctoral Openings at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center
Posted 4/8/08
Open until 8/31/08 (positions may be filled before 8/31/08)
The NASA Dryden Postdoctoral Program in Edwards, Ca., has immediate one to three-year fellowship appointments available. Areas of research include application of non-linear system identification techniques (black-box modelling) to wind-tunnel;
data from the SuperSonic SemiSpan Transporter (S4T); control law design and application during wind-tunnel testing of the S4T; and structural health monitoring of airframes for advanced composite aircraft, including understanding the underlying
physics of fatigue, crack propagation and structural failure leading to the development of
innovative and state-of-the-art algorithms for detection and mitigation.
Requirements: Potential candidates must be awarded a Ph.D. (or have defended) before we can extend a letter of offer. Applicants to NASA Dryden Flight Research Center must be U.S. citizens.
If you are interested in these or other related research topics please contact:
Sunil L. Kukreja, Ph.D.
Structural Dynamics Group
E-mail: Sunil.Kukreja@nasa.gov
Download the complete job listing (PDF) »
