New England HERC

JOB SUMMARY

The Institute of Materials Science (IMS) at the University of Connecticut (UConn) is seeking to hire a Postdoctoral Research Associate to develop wearable nutrient sensors. The project will be carried out under the supervision of Dr. Yi Zhang (https://zhangyigroup.com/).

Dr. Yi Zhang is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Institute of Materials Science at the University of Connecticut. He obtained his Ph.D. degree in Chemical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology and completed his postdoctoral research with Dr. John A. Rogers in the Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics and Materials Science and Engineering at Northwestern University. His current research group focuses on bioelectronics and biosensors for disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. The recent work from his group has been published in Science Advances, Nature Chemical Biology, Angew Chemie (2), Nano Letters, Analytical Chemistry, and ACS Sensors (2). He receives the 2015 Waldemar T.  Ziegler Award for Best Research Paper in Chemical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, the 2019 BMES Career Development Award, the 2023 NSF CAREER Award, and the 2023 UConn-AAUP Research Excellence Award-Early Career. 

The University of Connecticut is a public research institution located in Storrs, Connecticut established in 1881. The primary campus is located approximately a thirty-minute drive to Hartford, Connecticut, and a ninety-minute drive to Boston, Massachusetts. It is a flagship university ranked by the 2022 edition of U.S. News Best Colleges as 23rd (tie) for top public schools and 63rd (tie) for best national universities.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design, fabrication, and testing of microfluidic devices using soft lithography, micromachining, and other microfabrication techniques.
• Perform computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations to optimize device performance and predict flow behavior in microscale environments.
• Analyze experimental data and communicate results through presentations, reports, and peer-reviewed publications.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary team members to advance the understanding and application of microfluidic technologies.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Ph.D. in a relevant field (e.g., mechanical engineering, biomedical engineering, materials science, or a related discipline).
• Demonstrated experience with microfluidic device fabrication, including soft lithography and other microfabrication techniques.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Demonstrated experience working on biological experiments.
• Proficiency in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software and simulation tools (e.g., COMSOL, ANSYS Fluent, or similar).

APPOINTMENT TERMS

The start date for this position is fall 2023 and the initial appointment will be for one year. This appointment is potentially renewable contingent upon external funding applications and performance. The position is full-time with an annual salary commensurate with experience based on NIH guidelines.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Employment of the successful candidate is contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment criminal background check.

TO APPLY

Please apply online at https://hr.uconn.edu/jobs, Staff Positions, Search #497398 to upload a resume, cover letter, and contact information for three (3) professional references. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

All employees are subject to adherence to the State Code of Ethics which may be found at http://www.ct.gov/ethics/site/default.asp.

The University of Connecticut is committed to building and supporting a multicultural and diverse community of students, faculty and staff. The diversity of students, faculty and staff continues to increase, as does the number of honors students, valedictorians and salutatorians who consistently make UConn their top choice. More than 100 research centers and institutes serve the University's teaching, research, diversity, and outreach missions, leading to UConn's ranking as one of the nation's top research universities. UConn's faculty and staff are the critical link to fostering and expanding our vibrant, multicultural and diverse University community. As an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity employer, UConn encourages applications from women, veterans, people with disabilities and members of traditionally underrepresented populations.

About University of Connecticut

The University of Connecticut is a national leader among public research universities, with more than 30,000 students seeking answers to critical questions in classrooms, labs, and the community. A culture of innovation drives this pursuit of knowledge throughout the University’s network of campuses. Connecticut’s commitment to higher education helps UConn attract students who thrive in the most competitive environments, as well as globally renowned faculty members. Our school pride is fueled by a history of success that has made us a standout in Division I athletics. UConn fosters a diverse and vibrant culture that meets the needs and seizes the opportunities of a dynamic global society.

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