A postdoctoral research associate position on developing a new class of ultralight, manufacturable materials is available in the Department of Mathematics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill). The anticipated start date is on or after July 1, 2024. This position will be funded through a new NSF DMREF award, Iterative Design and Fabrication of Hyperuniform-Inspired Materials for Targeted Mechanical and Transport Properties, that includes close collaborations with collaborators at NC State, UCLA, and JHU (see https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2323342&HistoricalAwards=false). The broad goal of the project is to jointly optimize mechanical (stiffness and strength) and transport (thermal, acoustic, and electrical) properties to design a new class of disordered lattice materials. The postdoctoral associate at UNC-Chapel Hill will work on developing numerical methods and analytical approaches to characterize, predict, and optimize transport on a class of open lattice materials that are manufacturable or 3D printable.

Candidates are expected to have a PhD in Mathematics or a related field by the start of the appointment. They will also need to work closely with experimentalists as part of this supportive collaborative team. Expertise in one or more of the following is desirable: stochastic processes and analysis, spatial-averaging techniques, and network analysis. Although this is a research position that would not require teaching, teaching opportunities may be available through the UNC-Chapel Hill Department of Mathematics. The research associate is expected both to receive and contribute towards effective workforce development for a diverse group of undergraduates, PhD students, and postdoctoral researchers in the multidisciplinary areas of engineering, materials science, mathematics, and physics.