"Postdoctoral Associate, Computational Condensed Matter / Materials Physics, UMKC School of Science and Engineering"

Hiring Department

University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Science and Engineering

Physics and Astronomy

UMKC is rated R1 by the Carnegie Research Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

Job Description

The University of Missouri - Kansas City invites applications for a Postdoctoral Associate in computational condensed matter and materials physics. The successful candidate will lead theory/modeling efforts on semiconductor fabrication and bonding simulations, working closely with Prof. Paul Rulis. The position offers access to state-of-the-art high-performance computing resources and opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration.

Responsibilities:

• Design and execute computational studies using first-principles and/or atomistic methods (e.g., DFT and classical/ab initio MD).
• Develop and apply workflow automation and data/pipeline tools for high-throughput screening and data generation.
• Analyze structure-property relationships and generate testable predictions to guide experiments.
• Write manuscripts, present at conferences, and contribute to proposals and reports.
• Maintain reproducible code and documentation (version control, unit tests, containers).
• Co-mentor graduate/undergraduate researchers and contribute to group seminars.

This is a 12-month, full-time, benefit eligible, unranked academic position.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Physics, Materials Science, Chemistry, Applied Physics, or a related field by the start date.
• Demonstrated research experience in computational condensed matter/materials (e.g., electronic structure, lattice dynamics, defects, transport, magnetism, excitations).
• Proficiency with at least one major simulation package (e.g., VASP, Quantum ESPRESSO, ABINIT, GPAW, WIEN2k, LAMMPS, CP2K, OLCAO).
• Strong programming skills (e.g., Python, Perl, and Fortran), scripting, and Linux HPC workflows (job schedulers).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with beyond-DFT methods (e.g., GW/BSE, DMFT, QMC) or machine-learning interatomic potentials (e.g., GAP, SNAP, DeePMD, MACE, NequIP).
• Familiarity with workflow frameworks (e.g., ASE, pymatgen, custodian, FireWorks, atomate, AiiDA, AFLOW) and databases (Materials Project, OQMD, NOMAD).
• Background in phonons/thermal transport, spin textures/magnetism, defects and dopants, electrocatalysis, or interfaces/heterostructures.
• Good software engineering practices (Git, CI, containers, reproducible environments) and data stewardship (FAIR principles).
• Experience collaborating with experimentalists and translating predictions into measurements.

Anticipated Hiring Range

Salary is determined by a variety of factors, including but not limited to, the individual's particular combination of education, skills, and experience, as well as organizational requirements.

Your total compensation goes beyond the number on your paycheck. The University of Missouri provides generous leave, health plans, and retirement contributions that add to your bottom line.

Application Materials

Applicants need to apply at https://www.umkc.edu/. Please upload the following:

• Cover letter (1-2 pages) summarizing research interests, relevant experience, and fit to the position.
• Curriculum vitae including publications and contact information.
• Research statement (up to 3 pages) highlighting key achievements and proposed work.
• Code/sample or software portfolio (optional but encouraged; include GitHub links).
• Contact information for 2-3 references (no letters at initial stage; we will request letters for finalists).

If you are experiencing technical problems during application, please email umpshrsupport@umsystem.edu

For questions about the position, contact umkcfacultysearch@umkc.edu, including the Job ID and the name of the position.

Handling of Application Materials

After initial review by the committee all uploaded materials may be shared with all faculty in the prospective home department. For affiliations and joint appointments materials may be shared with all faculty in all departments involved.

Other Information

Resources and environment:

• Access to university HPC clusters and cloud resources.
• Opportunities to collaborate with the Missouri Institute for Defense and Energy and external partners.
• Professional development support for career planning, mentoring, and grant writing.

For more information about the UMKC School of Science and Engineering, please visit:https://sse.umkc.edu and https://sse.umkc.edu/profiles/rulis-paul.html