Postdoctoral Fellow - Wentz Lab

Job Summary

The Wentz Lab at Indiana University is seeking to hire a postdoctoral scholar to develop the synthesis of new main-group heterocycles, macrocycles, and polymers as functional materials. Goals of projects in the Wentz lab are to gain a fundamental understanding of how electronic structure as well as hierarchical structure influences bulk properties in main-group materials.

Responsibilities

• Manage own academic research project(s).
• Achieve research objectives by developing new main-group molecules and polymers and characterizing their properties.
• Write up new results for publication in peer-reviewed journals.
• Maintain excellent record keeping through lab notebook documentation of experiments.
• Maintain equipment and instrumentation in the laboratory.
• Assist with setting up new instrumentation and other equipment purchased.
• Mentor undergraduate and graduate students with their projects and teach how to use new instrumentation.
• Contribute ideas for new research projects.
• Stay informed of new literature related to academic research project(s).
• Present new results and systematic literature reviews in weekly group meetings.

Basic Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Chemistry by the start of the appointment;
• strong publication record in synthetic chemistry and photophysics;
• excellent leadership and communication skills, both oral and written.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with inert atmosphere manipulation of air- and moisture-sensitive chemicals as well as analytical techniques for characterizing the newly synthesized molecules and polymers (NMR, IR, Mass spec, single crystal XRD, GPC, UV-vis, FL…etc.) is essential.
• The preferred candidate will have a deep understanding of the chemistry of the main-group elements.
• Experience with DFT or quantum-chemical calculations is also preferred.

Department Contact for Questions

Questions regarding the position or application process can be directed to: Prof. Wentz, Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, 800 E. Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47405, wentzke@iu.edu

Additional Qualifications

Salary and Rank: $55,000

Special Instructions

The initial appointment for this position will be for 12 months. Additional 12-month extension will be available based on performance. A competitive salary along with a benefits package will be offered. Interested candidates should submit 1) a cover letter, 2) CV, 3) a one-page research plan that reflects the candidates research interest relevant to the job ad, and 4) contact information for three references to http://indiana.peopleadmin.com/postings/32618. Applications will be reviewed upon receipt. For Best Consideration Date 04/10/2026 Expected Start Date 06/01/2026

Posting Number

IU-101527-2026

Expected Start Date

06/01/2026