Summer Researcher Job La Vista area,Nebraska USA,Research/Development

Position Summary

The PRANA Lab at NJIT develops programmable, responsive, and adaptive microfluidic biosensing platforms for applications spanning point-of-care diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and defense. Our flagship systems—including the ESSENCE (Electrochemical Sensing System with Ionic-liquid-based Nanoporous Configurations for Environments) platform and the Porous Membrane Transducer (PMT)—leverage impedance spectroscopy, ionic liquid interfaces, and AI/ML-driven signal processing to enable multiplexed, real-time detection of chemical and biological analytes.

We seek a hands-on Summer Researcher to contribute to advancing electrochemical gas sensing technology over a focused 10-week term, supporting innovative research in environmental monitoring and chemical detection.

Title

Summer Researcher

Department

Associate Professor

Reports To

Associate Professor

Position Summary

Essential Functions

Design, fabricate, and characterize electrochemical microfluidic gas sensing cells incorporating ionic liquid electrolytes.
Develop and optimize electrode materials, including indium tin oxide (ITO) and carbon‑based electrodes, to enhance sensor sensitivity and selectivity.
Integrate porous membrane transducer architectures into portable, field‑deployable sensing modules.
Conduct impedance spectroscopy and amperometric measurements for volatile organic compound (VOC) detection and quantification.
Implement and refine machine learning models, including neural networks and random forests, for multi‑analyte classification and concentration prediction.
Develop signal drift correction protocols to improve long‑term sensor stability under real‑world operating conditions.
Integrate sensor data acquisition with embedded computing platforms to support autonomous, portable operation.
Design and execute experiments to evaluate sensor performance against established reference methods.
Document experimental procedures and results, prepare technical reports, and contribute to presentations.
Provide technical data and analytical results to support ongoing development of the ESSENCE‑Air platform.
Collaborate with graduate and undergraduate students within the PRANA Lab.

Prerequisite Qualifications

Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Chemistry, or a related field.
Demonstrated hands‑on experience with electrochemical sensing techniques, including impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and amperometry.
Experience designing and fabricating microfluidic devices.
Ability to work independently, troubleshoot technical challenges, and deliver results within established project timelines.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with ionic liquid‑based electrolyte systems for gas sensing applications.
Familiarity with AI/ML frameworks such as Python, scikit‑learn, Tensor Flow, or equivalent tools applied to chemical sensor data.
Experience developing portable or field‑deployable analytical instrumentation.
Experience with impedance data analysis and equivalent circuit modeling.
Background in point‑of‑care diagnostics or environmental sensing applications.

Compensation

$35.71/hour

NJIT considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as, market and…