Job Description

One opening is available now for a postdoctoral researcher on optical fiber sensor development. The proposed optical fiber sensors will enable differentiation of complex mixtures of gasses and aromas, with potential applications ranging from the food industry, pharmaceutical industry, advanced manufacturing, and defense purposes.

The project is sponsored by U.S. Army Ground Vehicle Systems Center (GVSC), and the technology has been attracting interests from various industrial members in the food and pharma industries, with one company in the process of licensing this technology from WPI. The postdoc researcher will be mentored closely while being granted their own freedom of pursuing new ideas, providing that the progress on the sponsored project is satisfactory. The training of the postdoc will benefit from sophisticated experiences on multidisciplinary research topics and extensive facilities available in the research group. The postdoc will have opportunities to collaborate closely and interact periodically with experts from these industrial sectors and from the Army. In addition, the postdoc will be able to take advantages of the industrial and academic connections through the WPI/UIUC Center for Advanced Research in Drying (https://www.dryingresearch.org/).

The specific job responsibilities include research activities, coordinating monthly meetings with sponsors, and writing reports and publications. The postdoc is expected to lead research activities including fiber sensor design and fabrication, fiber tip customization, numerical simulation on optical modes in waveguides (mainly in COMSOL Multiphysics), in-lab sensor characterization, and in-the-field sensor demonstration.

Requirements: The requirements for the candidates include 1) US citizenship or permanent residency, 2) strong hands-on skills and a trackable publication record on optical fibers or optical sensor development, 3) a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or related majors. The existing funding is for one year with a high likelihood to continue after the first year.

Please email 1) a cover letter, 2) CV, and 3) contacts of 3 referees to Prof. Yuxiang Liu at yliu11@wpi.edu. Please use "postdoc position application" as the subject title. Position is open until filled, and the review of applications has already started.