Postdoctoral Scholar - Mechanical Engineering

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This is a term position; length of the term will be discussed during the interview process. Continuation past the term length discussed will be based on university need, performance, and/or availability of funding.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at The Pennsylvania State University is seeking a Postdoctoral Scholar in Battery Mechanics, Physics-Based AI, and Energy Storage Manufacturing under the direction of Dr. Jun Xu.

• Research:
  Develop and lead research integrating AI with battery science and engineering; design computational and/or experimental studies; and collaborate with academic, national laboratory, and industry partners.
• Publications:
  Lead the preparation of high-quality journal manuscripts and present findings at conferences.
• Proposal development:
  Work closely with the PI to identify funding opportunities, develop research concepts, generate preliminary results, and prepare technical proposals.
• Laboratory management:
  Help coordinate daily laboratory activities, equipment use and maintenance, research documentation, data and code management, and safety practices.
• Mentoring and coordination:
  Mentor graduate and undergraduate students, support project planning, and track research milestones and deliverables.

• A Ph.D. in mechanical engineering, materials science, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, or a closely related field by the start date.
• Strong expertise in AI/machine learning, demonstrated through substantive research contributions.
• Experience preparing research proposals, mentoring students, or coordinating laboratory projects.
• Experience applying AI to batteries, energy storage, materials, or related physical systems.
• Experience with battery experiments, electrochemical or multiphysics modeling, scientific data infrastructure, or automated research workflows.
• A strong publication record appropriate to career stage and excellent scientific writing and communication skills.

Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.

Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being.

For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page. (

Note:

For Postdoctoral benefits, please see our Postdoctoral Benefits page.)

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