A postdoctoral position is available in the group of Wennie Wang at the University of Texas at Austin, focusing on the study of optoelectronic properties in semiconductors for energy sustainability applications. Further information on related research activity in the group here. The project is supported by the Welch Foundation and involves the study of structural heterogeneities (e.g., point defects, layering effects) in few and monolayer low-dimensional materials for photocatalysis applications.

Excellent candidates with a background in solid-state chemistry/physics and first-principles simulations of materials are invited to apply. Candidates with a publication record and/or prior research experience involving defects in semiconductors, Under the direction of Prof. Wennie Wang, the Postdoctoral Scholar will apply advanced electronic structure methods, including those based on many-body perturbation theory.

Application Materials:

Candidates should submit (in PDF format):

1) a full CV, including list of publications and contacts for 3 references

2) a cover letter of intent also containing a brief summary of past research accomplishments and how they align with the project described above, as well as a description of future research interests

Send materials to Wennie Wang ([email protected]). Letters of recommendation may be confidentially requested for candidates under serious consideration.

Academic Title: Postdoctoral Fellow

Salary: Commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Basic Qualifications: Ph.D (or equivalent foreign degree) in physics, chemistry, materials science, or related field of research

Start date: Flexible, preferably to start as soon as possible before June 2024

Skills and experience:

- Strong background in solid-state physics, e.g., density functional theory, (preferred) many-body perturbation theory, ab initio molecular dynamics

- Prior publication or research experience in computational work on photocatalysis (preferred)

- Previous experience with first-principles materials simulation codes

- Solid programming skills

- Previous collaboration with experimental groups (preferred)

The position (initially for 1 year and renewable pending performance and availability of funding) will be under the supervision of Prof. Wennie Wang (https://wangmaterialsgroup.com) in the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering. UT Austin and the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering boasts a top-ten graduate program and offers a thriving intellectual environment, outstanding computational resources and facilities, and a very active and lively community. Austin itself is a thriving city and is consistently ranked as one of the top places to live in.

Bio: Wennie Wang received her B.Sc from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2013 and her Ph.D. from UC Santa Barbara under the supervision of Chris Van de Walle in 2018 where she was an NSF Graduate Research Fellow. She then completed a postdoctoral appointment in the group of Giulia Galli at the University of Chicago in the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering. In Jan 2022, she joined as an assistant professor in the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering. The Wang Materials group focuses on the computational engineering of optoelectronic materials properties in semiconductors for energy sustainability applications, including in the areas of electrochemistry and neuromorphic computing. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment and strive to broaden participation in the computational material sciences.