ISMSM/NIST Research Fellow

The Institute for Soft Matter Synthesis and Metrology at Georgetown University (GU), in collaboration with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), invite applications for an independent Research Fellow to work closely with scientists at Georgetown and NIST on soft matter, broadly defined. 

1. Fellowship Details

• This position is suitable for excellent scientists with a PhD in physics, chemistry, materials science, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, biophysics, applied mathematics, or related disciplines, and a strong record of accomplishments in experiment, synthesis, metrology, theory, or simulation.
   
• The Fellowship is for two years, with an option for a third year depending on mutual interest. Each Fellow will have competitive salary and access to $5,000/year travel expenses, and up to $10,000/year research expenses; as well as access to a wide range of synthesis and characterization equipment at Georgetown and NIST.
   
• Fellows are expected to work with ISMSM PIs and promote, or contribute to, collaborations with NIST groups. In the relevant ISMSM groups, the Fellows will have direct access to lab space and instrumentation, as well as dedicated computational resources. ISMSM has also extensive shared laboratory facilities, and access to cloud computing networks. NIST can be easily reached by public transport or driving from GU.

See http://softmatter.georgetown.edu for information about the ISMSM. Information about soft matter scientists at NIST can be found at https://www.nist.gov. Much of our interaction is with the Materials Measurement Laboratory https://www.nist.gov/mml or the NIST Center for Neutron Research https://www.nist.gov/ncnr.

2. Application Process

The following documents are required:

1. CV
2. One page statement of research interests
3. One page of scientific achievements
4. Three recommendation letters

All documents should be uploaded as PDF files. Applications can be submitted through Academic Jobs Online before November 7, 2024: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/28886

Additional Information:

Research topics of interest include:

1. Synthetic chemistry and characterization of carbon capture and utilization, multi-component nanomaterials, mechano-responsive polymers; scalable and sustainable polymer reactions; polymers for additive manufacturing, flexible electronic, and electrochemical transistors; upcycling of polymers.
    
2. Liquid-liquid phase separation and macromolecular condensates: imaging, rheology, surface tension and characterization of chemical composition, and substructures; disentangling the role of RNA in protein condensates.
    
3. RNA-based biosensors and RNA folding: single molecule optical tweezers on RNA-ligand interactions; ensemble and single molecule FRET; RNA- folding landscape; interplay of fluorescence signals and RNA sequence structure.
    
4. Structure and rheology of biomimetic scaffolds: design of multi-component networks; dynamics and resilience of interpenetrating biopolymer gels; formulations and rheology of bioinks; cell viability during and after printing with multicomponent bioinks.
    
5. Active fluids and gels: imaging, design, and rheology. Stress and flow visualization and modeling.
    
6. Nucleation, growth and phase change in molecular crystals: crystal deposition diseases/biomineralization; template-directed nucleation; structure-property relationships of hydrates, polymorphs and cocrystals.

Other soft matter related themes and ideas proposed by the candidates are also of interest.

In our soft matter community, scientific excellence goes together with the quality of the human experience. We seek a diverse pool of applicants sharing our excitement of scientific discoveries, enthusiasm to learn from each other and desire to grow by exchanging perspectives.

For further questions and information to prepare your application please contact any ISMSM scientists, or   

Professor Emanuela Del Gado, Director, ISMSM
emanuela.del.gado@georgetown.edu, +1-202-687-1489  

Mrs. Amy Gould (Administrator)
amy.gould@georgetown.edu, +1 202-687-5592  

Georgetown University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer fully dedicated to achieving a diverse team of employees. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity and expression, and sexual orientation), disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.