"Postdoctoral Research Associate I"

Postdoctoral Research Associate I

Company: The University of Arizona

Job Location: Tucson, Arizona

Category: Geology, Earth Sciences, and Oceanography

Type: Full-Time

Posting Number: req21759

Department: Lunar and Planetary Laboratory

Location: Main Campus

Address: Tucson, AZ USA

Position Highlights

The Lunar & Planetary Laboratory and the Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Arizona has an opening for a Postdoctoral Research Associate I in the field of thermodynamic modeling of planetary materials. The group's areas of interest span a broad range of topics including lunar processes, the origins of presolar circumstellar dust, the high-temperature origins of the first solar-system solids, and low-temperature aqueous chemistry that occurred within asteroids in the early solar system. We seek a postdoctoral candidate to work within our planetary materials research group performing computational thermodynamics in support of characterization and interpretation of the origin of planetary materials. This is a year-to-year appointment, contingent upon funding and performance. The start date is negotiable, but preference is for on or before the start of the Fall 2025 semester.

Outstanding UA benefits include health, dental, vision, and life insurance; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; UA/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; access to UA recreation and cultural activities; and more!

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Duties & Responsibilities

The successful applicant will conduct original research related to the origins of refractory calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions (CAIs), the first solids to have formed in the solar system. Duties include: (i) construction and cataloging of thermochemical databases, (ii) using density functional theory to compute the thermochemical properties of mineral phases relevant to CAIs and their solid solutions for which appropriate thermochemical data may be lacking, and (iii) constructing thermodynamic models and calculating the phase diagrams of those systems. The candidate will be part of a team focused on characterizing CAIs down to the atomic level using electron microscopy and comparing the characterization data with model output to infer the thermodynamic conditions and chemical pathways through which CAI phases formed. Thus, participating in group meetings, presenting results at conferences, and preparing original scientific research manuscripts are expected activities.

The successful applicant will also participate in team meetings, presentation of results at conferences, and preparation of original scientific research manuscripts.

Minimum Qualifications

PhD in the field of Materials Science and Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Earth and Planetary Science, or a related field at the time of the appointment.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with the CALculation of PHase Diagram (CALPHAD) framework to compute and model the thermochemical properties of materials

Experience with density functional theory to model the free-energy functions of materials

Experience with Thermocalc software to calculate phase diagrams

FLSA: Exempt

Full Time/Part Time: Full Time

Number of Hours Worked per Week: 40

Job FTE: 1.00

Work Calendar: Fiscal

Job Category: Research

Benefits Eligible: Yes - Full Benefits

Rate of Pay: NIH salary guidelines, Depends on Experience

Compensation Type: salary at 1.0 full-time equivalency (FTE)

Type of criminal background check required: Name-based criminal background check (non-security sensitive)

Number of Vacancies: 1

Contact Information for Candidates

Tom Zega, tzega@arizona.edu

Open Until Filled: Yes

Documents Needed to Apply: Curriculum Vitae (CV), Cover Letter, and Three Additional Documents

Special Instructions to Applicant

Documents required for consideration for the position include a Curriculum Vitae with a list of publications and three letters of recommendation.