Research Assistant in Materials Science and Additive Manufacturing

Research Assistant in Materials Science and Additive Manufacturing

Office

Location:

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
1201 W. University Drive
Human Resources
MASS Building 2nd Floor
Edinburg, TX 78539

Contact:
Edinburg:
Brownsville:

Office

Hours:

Monday-Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Position:
Graduate Research Assistant in Materials Science and Additive Manufacturing

Scope of Job:
Maximum appointment is 20 hours per week (50% FTE) during Fall and Spring semesters; up to 40 hours per week (100% FTE) during summer if funded by a grant. The candidate will be recruited in Dr. Ahsan’s Lab in the Department of Manufacturing and Industrial Engineering, starting as early as Summer 2026.

Responsibilities include:

designing and fabricating novel alloys for energy applications in harsh environments using additive manufacturing; integrating computational modeling, machine learning, and experimental investigations to characterize new alloys and composites fabricated via laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing; collaborating with faculty and peers; documenting findings; and preparing reports.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Must be admitted to a graduate degree program and be in good academic standing.
• Must be registered full-time for the semester (9 credit hours in fall or spring, 3 in summer) or meet required credit total to complete remaining degree requirements.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or Materials Science and Engineering.
• Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or Materials Science and Engineering (required for Ph.D. applicants).
• Experience with additive manufacturing, materials characterization, and/or physics-informed machine learning.
• Proficiency in Python programming.

Salary:
Commensurate with experience. Monthly stipend and tuition support are provided.

Benefits:

• 50% FTE mandatory; 100% FTE possible during summer.
• Monthly stipend and tuition support.

EEO Statement:
It is the policy of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley to promote and ensure equal employment opportunities for all individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information or protected veteran status. We encourage women, minorities and differently-abled persons to apply.