Postdoctoral Appointee - Discovery Chemistry & Functional Materials, Onsite

About the role

We are seeking a high-caliber, innovative POSTDOCTORAL APPOINTEE to join an interdisciplinary team pioneering the discovery of novel small molecules, polymers, and functional architectures.

Responsibilities

• Spearhead the multi-step design, synthesis, and purification of novel organic, organometallic, and polymeric targets;
• Apply cutting-edge synthetic methodologies and air-free techniques;
• Systematically map structure-activity/property trends (e.g., electronic tuning, photophysical behavior, degradation kinetics, sorption affinity) to guide iterative molecular optimization;
• Utilize a comprehensive suite of analytical tools (1D/2D NMR, HRMS, UV-Vis, XRD, DSC/TGA, FT-IR) to establish structural proof, purity, and thermal/mechanistic stability profiles;
• Collaborate tightly with materials scientists, characterization specialists, and chemical engineers to evaluate target performance and translate milligram-scale hits into scalable, robust systems;
• Establish and refine standardized experimental protocols, assay workflows, and stability screening methodologies;
• Communicate technical milestones across multi-institutional leadership, author peer-reviewed manuscripts, and present discoveries at national/international conferences.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Chemistry, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related discipline;
• Practical experience in organic, organometallic, or macromolecular synthesis, including standard air-free/Schlenk-line or glovebox techniques;
• Proficiency in routine methods for structural confirmation and purity analysis (e.g., NMR, UV-Vis, FT-IR, Mass Spectrometry, or thermal analysis like TGA/DSC);
• A track record of peer-reviewed publications demonstrating the ability to drive a research project through to completion.

Qualifications Desired

• Strong interest in working across disciplines to connect synthetic chemistry with material performance and engineering targets;
• Experience with gas/vapor sorption systems (e.g., BET, volumetric/gravimetric gas physisorption) and macromolecular/polymer synthesis;
• Understanding of chemical engineering fundamentals (e.g., mass transfer, thermal transport, scale-up dynamics, or process safety);
• Exposure to computational chemistry, molecular modeling, or automated/high-throughput computational (or experimental) screening methods;
• Demonstrated leadership in mentoring graduate/undergraduate researchers and/or managing laboratory safety/equipment workflows.