CSU Ceramic Materials Group Postdoctoral Fellow

Colorado State University • Fort Collins, CO

24d

About The Position

The Ceramic Materials Group seeks a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to conduct innovative research in advanced manufacturing of critical engineering (ceramic) materials and/or advanced materials for electrochemical energy conversion and storage. The successful candidate will develop and carry out independent and collaborative research, generate novel scientific results, publish in peer-reviewed journals, and help develop new research directions and proposals.

The role includes designing, conducting, and troubleshooting experimental research; developing and evaluating materials, processing approaches, experimental methodologies, and instrumentation; and analyzing complex, multidisciplinary data. The postdoctoral researcher will identify scientific questions, develop approaches to challenging materials and processing problems, review and critically assess the literature, and communicate findings through publications, presentations, reports, and proposals. The researcher will also assist with supervising and mentoring graduate students and undergraduate research assistants.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States and hold a valid driver’s license by the proposed start date. A pre-employment background check is required for new hires. The full-consideration deadline is November 15, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time. The annual salary range is $55,000–$70,000. Application materials include a cover letter, resume/CV, and writing, publication, or grant proposal samples.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering, Applied Physics, (Inorganic) Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related field.
• A strong publication record, including at least three first-author peer-reviewed journal publications in areas closely related to advanced manufacturing of materials, advanced ceramics, electrochemical energy conversion and storage, or related materials research.
• Demonstrated ability to independently design, conduct, analyze, and troubleshoot experimental research.
• Strong scientific writing and oral communication skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to research excellence and scientific rigor.
• Ability to work effectively independently and as part of a multidisciplinary research team.
• Legally authorized to work in the United States by the proposed start date.
• Valid driver’s license by the proposed start date.
• Successful completion of the required pre-employment background check.

Nice To Haves

• Curiosity and enthusiasm for developing new materials, processing methods, experimental approaches, or scientific concepts.
• Experience developing or building experimental instrumentation or laboratory capabilities; greatly preferred.
• Experience with advanced materials processing, manufacturing, synthesis, or characterization.
• Experience with electrochemical energy conversion and/or energy storage materials and devices.
• Ability to formulate innovative research ideas and translate them into testable scientific hypotheses.
• Experience preparing research proposals, grant applications, or other competitive funding proposals.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to integrate knowledge across multiple disciplines.
• Experience mentoring graduate or undergraduate researchers.

Responsibilities

• Design, execute, and troubleshoot experimental research in advanced manufacturing of critical engineering (ceramic) materials and/or materials, especially ceramic materials, for electrochemical energy conversion and storage.
• Develop and evaluate new materials, processing approaches, experimental methodologies, and instrumentation.
• Collect, analyze, and interpret experimental data, including complex and multidisciplinary datasets.
• Identify scientific questions and develop innovative approaches to challenging materials and processing problems.
• Conduct comprehensive literature reviews and critically evaluate existing scientific knowledge.
• Prepare and publish high-quality manuscripts in reputable peer-reviewed scientific journals.
• Present research findings at scientific conferences, seminars, and group meetings.
• Participate in brainstorming and collaborative research activities to develop novel research concepts and competitive research proposals.
• Contribute to preparing research proposals, technical reports, presentations, and other scholarly materials.
• Assist in supervising and mentoring graduate students and undergraduate research assistants.

Benefits

• Robust benefits package
• Collaborative atmosphere
• Focus on work-life balance

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree