Position Information

An opening for a postdoctoral scholar in the area of modeling of epoxy/epoxy adhesion boundaries and epoxy/carbon fiber interactions in carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) using molecular dynamics simulations with classical force fields as well as first-principles (QM/DFT) calculations of such materials is available from April of 2018. Applicants should be familiar with first-principle codes such as CASTEP, DMol3, VASP. The project seeks to understand bonding mechanisms as well as to characterize interfaces between different epoxies or epoxy and carbon fiber with the goal of improving structural strength and reliability. The researcher will work in concert with scientists specializing in state-of-the-art nano-characterization techniques including chemical, physical, mechanical, and vibrational characterization of CRFP samples for aircraft.

The position is initially for one year and may be extended further for four years or more upon mutual agreement. Salary and benefits are in line with international standards.

Requirements

A Ph.D. in Chemistry, Physics, or Materials Science or a related area as well as experience in polymer related atomistic simulation methods (MD, MC, or DFT) is required. A strong background in soft matter polymer science is also recommended. Strong programming and scripting skills in relation to electronic structure theory / ab initio molecular dynamics, are also an advantage.

How to apply

Please address applications consisting of a CV and a brief research statement including the applicant’s main accomplishments to [email protected] with the subject “PostDoc computational polymer position” in the subject.

Additional details on the location

The candidate will work at AIST (http://www.aist.go.jp/index_en.html), a large national laboratory in Tsukuba, Japan.  Tsukuba located about 50 kilometers northeast of Tokyo is a city designed from the ground up for research. It is home to a large number of over 110 top research institutions as well as a major national university, and to over 20,000 domestic and oversea researchers.

Salary: 2,200 - 2,500 JPY/hour depending on experience, skill, and other factors

Information for living in Japan:

  http://www.aist.go.jp/aist_e/humanres/hosting/index.html

Additional text on location:

The candidate will work at a large national laboratory in Tsukuba, Japan.  Tsukuba located about 50 kilometers northeast of Tokyo is a city designed from the ground up for research. It is home to a large number of over 110 top research institutions as well as a major national university, and to over 20,000 domestic and oversea researchers.

Contact: Dr. Paul Fons, AIST, Tsukuba, Japan (e-mai: [email protected], tel: +81-298-61-5636)

The projectis under the auspices of the Nanometronics Laboratoryfor structural materials(https://staff.aist.go.jp/m.ohkubo/Nanometronics_Lab/index_e.html)