Postdoctoral Research Associate

Job Summary

The Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering invites applications for a full-time Postdoctoral Researcher position in Professor Mija Hubler’s, Professor Wil Srubar's, Professor Srikanth Madabushi's, and Professor Chris Senseney's research groups. The University of Colorado Boulder provides an outstanding, world-class research environment. Highly motivated and independent Postdoctoral Researchers are sought with training and expertise in cement materials, bacterial cementation, and cracking and deterioration of aged concrete. The project, funded by DARPA, involves engineering biological vascular inspired repair of aged concrete and integration into concrete pavement patching technologies.

The Postdoctoral Researcher will design, organize, and conduct standardized cement and/or biological materials characterization experiments. When appropriate, the Postdoctoral Researcher will also design new experimental protocols related to the structure, function, and growth of the materials.

The University of Colorado Boulder is committed to building a culturally diverse community of faculty, staff, and students dedicated to contributing to an inclusive campus environment. We are an Equal Opportunity employer, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

We are a team of interdisciplinary researchers in civil engineering with expertise in living building materials, geotechnical research, pavement repair, concrete cracking and degradation. We are leading a project in collaboration with researchers at Drexel University, NCSU, and partnering companies.

The fields of civil, environmental and architectural engineering offer careers in planning, design, construction and management of the built environment as well as in the interaction between the built and natural environment. The Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering's mission is the education of undergraduate and graduate students to become leaders in the professional practice of engineering, contributing to technological advances that benefit humankind while enhancing the earth’s physical and biological resources.

The Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering fosters an environment of inclusivity and celebrates the increasing diversity of our student body. We are committed to fostering inclusive excellence and have adopted priorities to guide our values and practices.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

• Design and conduct fundamental biological and cement-based materials experiments in support of project goals and milestones;
• Collect, prepare, and analyze data for publication in high-quality scientific journals;
• Prepare visual media for scientific and technical audiences;
• Work collaboratively with a diverse, interdisciplinary team of graduate students, research scientists, internal and external to the University of Colorado Boulder;
• Assist in drafting and reviewing project technical reports;
• Supervise, train, and mentoring other laboratory personnel.

What You Should Know

• All University of Colorado Boulder employees are required to comply with the campus COVID-19 vaccine requirement . New employees must provide proof of vaccination or receive a medical or religious exemption within 30 days of employment.

What We Can Offer

• The annual salary associated with this position is $65,000.

Benefits

The University of Colorado offers excellent benefits , including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO Pass. The University of Colorado Boulder is one of the largest employers in Boulder County and offers an inspiring higher education environment. Learn more about the University of Colorado Boulder .

Be Statements

Be engaged. Be impactful. Be Boulder.

What We Require

• A Ph.D. in civil engineering, materials science, environmental engineering, or a related field;
• Excellent technical writing skills, as evidenced by multiple high-quality peer-reviewed publications;
• An ability to work independently and possess a strong passion for interdisciplinary research;
• A strong technical foundation and experience in one or more of the following areas:
1. Standard and advanced lab-scale microbiology techniques, preferably for biomineralization of cements.
2. Advanced X-ray micro-computed tomography imaging and multi-scale characterization of cementitious materials and microstructures. Knowledge and experience in advanced image analysis, data manipulation, and statistical analyses are also required.
3. Experience working with industry standard mechanical and corrosion testing of concrete. Knowledge of concrete cracking, aging, and chemical degradation principles.
4. Experience with laboratory concrete fatigue testing.

What We Would Like You to Have

Any of the following qualifications would be highly preferred if available:

1. Experience working with fungi and bacteria in cementious systems.
2. Experience with imaging of self-healed cementitious materials.
3. Experience working with ZEISS Xradia 520 Versa and Dragonfly Pro software.
4. Experience running long-term concrete corrosion studies.
5. Experience developing and implementing geotechnical centrifuge models.
6. Experience performing accelerated pavement testing with vehicle simulators.

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials:

1. Current resume or CV.
2. Cover letter briefly describing how your goals, skills, and experience fit the core responsibilities of this position.
3. Optional: PDF Sample of Work.
4. Optional: Statement of Research Philosophy.
5. Optional: Statement Describing Research-Related Goals.
6. Optional: Professional Publication(s).
7. Optional: Research Paper(s).
8. Optional: Writing Sample(s).
9. Optional: Diversity and Inclusion Statement. A statement describing your experiences, perspective on, and/or future plans for improving diversity, equity, inclusion and/or accessibility in or beyond your academic communities. Initiatives along these lines at CU can be read about here: university-level and College of Engineering & Applied Science .

Applicants are encouraged to review the Support for Faculty Applicants website for statement guidance.

During the application process, you will be asked to submit one (1) letter of recommendation.

For full consideration, candidates should apply by February 15, 2023 .

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, applications must be submitted through CU Boulder Jobs .

Posting Contact Information

Posting Contact Name: Boulder Campus Human Resources

Posting Contact Email: Recruiting@colorado.edu