Postdoctoral Scholar - Mechanical Engineering

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

*** 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.
** Qualifications and Requirements:
*** 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.

Interested applicants should send the following materials as a
** single PDF file**:
* Curriculum vitae
* Brief research statement describing prior research experience and future research interests
* Representative publications
* Contact information for three references