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Position Number: 00112281

Essential Job Duties:
The Abolhasani Research Group in the Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at North Carolina State University is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Scholar to develop artificial intelligence and machine learning methods for autonomous scientific experimentation as part of the NSF-funded SPEED Programmable Cloud Laboratory.

The successful candidate will develop AI/ML methodologies that enable autonomous laboratories to learn from experimental data, select informative experiments, optimize complex chemical and materials systems, and generate transferable scientific knowledge. Research topics may include Bayesian optimization, active learning, uncertainty quantification, representation learning, multimodal scientific data, surrogate modeling, sequential decision-making, and AI-driven experimental design.

A major emphasis will be translating AI/ML methodology into algorithms that operate directly with automated experimental platforms and real-world experimental data.

Duties and Responsibilities include:

• Develop AI/ML algorithms for autonomous experimental design and optimization.
• Develop surrogate models and uncertainty-aware approaches for learning from sparse and heterogeneous experimental datasets.
• Develop chemical and materials representations suitable for closed-loop experimental optimization.
• Implement Bayesian optimization, active learning, and related sequential experimental-design methods.
• Develop methods for incorporating prior knowledge and historical experimental datasets into experimental decision-making.
• Integrate AI/ML algorithms with SPEED automated experimental platforms.
• Analyze multimodal experimental datasets and identify scientifically meaningful structure-property-processing relationships.
• Evaluate algorithm performance using both benchmark datasets and physical experimental campaigns.
• Develop reusable software modules and documented computational workflows.
• Collaborate closely with experimental scientists, automation engineers, and SPEED users.
• Prepare peer-reviewed publications, presentations, technical reports, and research proposals.

Departmental Required Skills:

• Demonstrated research experience in machine learning, statistical modeling, computational science, data-driven modeling, or a related field.
• Strong programming skills, preferably in Python.

Preferred Experience, Skills, Training/Education:

• Experience in Bayesian optimization, active learning, representation learning, uncertainty quantification, scientific machine learning, multimodal data, graph neural networks, sequential decision-making, or generative methods is preferred.
• Experience applying AI/ML to chemistry, materials science, or physical experimental systems is particularly desirable.

Necessary Licenses or Certifications:
N/A

AA/EOE:
NC State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal opportunities for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, and veteran status. The University encourages all qualified applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities, to apply. Individuals with disabilities requiring disability-related accommodations in the application and interview process are welcome to contact 919-513-0574 to speak with a representative of the Office of Equal Opportunity.

If you have general questions about the application process, you may contact Human Resources at (919) 515-2135 or workatncstate@ncsu.edu.

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. Degree(s) must be obtained prior to start date in order to meet qualifications and receive credit.

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Department: 140201 - Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

Location: Raleigh, North Carolina