Postdoctoral Scholar-Fixed Term

MSU Careers Details • East Lansing, MI

19h

About The Position

Develop, formulate, and characterize bio-based adhesive and composite systems using agricultural and lignocellulosic feedstocks. Investigate relationships among raw-material characteristics, particle size, dispersion, adhesive formulation, processing conditions, and final material performance. Conduct laboratory-scale fabrication and testing of plywood and other wood-based composite materials, evaluating adhesive bonding and interfacial behavior, including glue-line quality, wet shear performance, wood failure, curing behavior, and moisture response.

Conduct research on drying and dewatering wood and lignocellulosic materials, evaluating drying kinetics, dimensional changes, energy-related process performance, and resulting material properties. Perform mechanical, physical, thermal, chemical, and surface characterization of renewable materials and composites using appropriate techniques, including FTIR, thermal analysis, microscopy, contact-angle measurements, particle-size characterization, and mechanical testing.

Design experiments and use statistical and multivariate methods to assess relationships among feedstock properties, processing conditions, and material performance. Analyze experimental data and document methods and results. Prepare peer-reviewed manuscripts, technical reports, presentations, and sponsor deliverables. Collaborate with faculty, students, research staff, external university collaborators, materials suppliers, and industry partners; help translate laboratory findings to pilot- and commercial-scale applications; contribute to research proposals and new directions in sustainable materials, renewable feedstocks, packaging, forest products, and bioprocessing; and assist with mentoring graduate and undergraduate researchers.

The proposed research includes soy-meal particle-size and formulation studies, FTIR and thermal analysis, plywood performance testing, wheat-soy adhesive optimization, and DOE wood-drying, surface, adhesion, composite, and mechanical-property research. A doctorate in Chemical Engineering, Material Science, Engineering, Forest Products/Wood Science, or a closely related field is required.

Applicants are subject to criminal background checks and professional misconduct reviews. Applicants must disclose relevant pending investigations, findings, or sanctions and sign an authorization and release allowing the University to contact current and former employers from the seven years before application. Employer contact will occur only if the candidate reaches the semi-finalist stage. A professional misconduct history does not automatically exclude a candidate, but the University may decline to hire based on its review. Failure to sign the authorization and release makes the application incomplete and subject to withdrawal.

Michigan State University provides equal employment opportunity. All qualified applicants receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, or protected veteran status. The application requires a cover letter describing relevant research experience and qualifications, a curriculum vitae, and contact information for three professional references. Review of applications begins October 30, 2026.

Requirements

• Doctorate in Chemical Engineering, Material Science, Engineering, Forest Products/Wood Science, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated research experience with bio-based materials, biomass, lignocellulosic materials, renewable polymers, adhesives, or composite materials.
• Demonstrated research experience in biomass processing, conversion, fractionation, modification, or characterization.
• Demonstrated experience investigating material structure-property, composition-property, or process-property relationships.
• Demonstrated experience with adhesives, polymeric materials, engineered wood products, or composite-material fabrication and testing.
• Hands-on experience with at least two analytical or materials-characterization techniques, such as FTIR spectroscopy, DSC/TGA or other thermal analysis, microscopy, contact-angle or surface analysis, particle-size analysis, or mechanical testing.
• Demonstrated experience in experimental design and quantitative/statistical analysis of experimental data.
• A demonstrated record of peer-reviewed scientific publication.
• Demonstrated ability to independently plan, conduct, analyze, and document laboratory research.
• Demonstrated written and oral scientific communication skills and ability to work collaboratively in multidisciplinary research teams.
• Submit a cover letter describing relevant research experience and qualifications, a curriculum vitae, and contact information for three professional references.
• Applicants must disclose relevant pending professional-misconduct investigations, findings, or sanctions and sign the required authorization and release.

Nice To Haves

• Research involving bio-based adhesives or engineered wood products.
• Experience with wood, cellulose, lignocellulosic biomass, agricultural feedstocks, plant proteins, or other renewable materials.
• Experience in interfacial chemistry, surface science, adhesion, or surface modification.
• Experience in biorefinery, biomass conversion, or sustainable materials-processing technologies.
• Experience evaluating mechanical and physical properties of wood, polymers, or composite materials.
• Experience with experimental optimization, multivariate statistical analysis, response-surface methodology, or related data-analysis approaches.
• Experience translating laboratory research toward pilot-scale or industrial application.
• Experience collaborating with industrial partners on applied research or technology development.

Responsibilities

• Develop, formulate, and characterize bio-based adhesive and composite systems using agricultural and lignocellulosic feedstocks.
• Investigate relationships among raw-material characteristics, particle size, dispersion, adhesive formulation, processing conditions, and material performance.
• Fabricate and test plywood and other wood-based composite materials at laboratory scale.
• Evaluate adhesive bonding and interfacial behavior, including glue-line quality, wet shear performance, wood failure, curing behavior, and moisture response.
• Study drying and dewatering of wood and lignocellulosic materials, including drying kinetics, dimensional changes, energy-related process performance, and resulting material properties.
• Conduct mechanical, physical, thermal, chemical, and surface characterization of renewable materials and composites.
• Design experiments and apply statistical and multivariate methods to evaluate material and process relationships.
• Analyze experimental data and document research methods and results.
• Prepare peer-reviewed manuscripts, technical reports, presentations, and sponsor deliverables.
• Collaborate with faculty, students, research staff, external university collaborators, materials suppliers, and industry partners.
• Assist in translating laboratory findings to pilot- and commercial-scale applications.
• Contribute to research proposals and new research directions related to sustainable materials, renewable feedstocks, packaging, forest products, and bioprocessing.
• Assist with mentoring graduate and undergraduate researchers.

What This Job Offers

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