Adjunct Researcher

CP11 University of New Hampshire; Durham (NH); Hybrid; USD 23,000 - 32,000; Part time

Job summary

The University of New Hampshire is seeking an adjunct staff researcher to support the Department of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering in developing phase-separated hydrogels for angiogenesis and wound healing. The role is based in Durham and involves in vitro studies on biomaterials that mimic extracellular environments to guide tissue regeneration.

You will fabricate, image, and evaluate injectable hydrogels with tunable microstructure and engage in hypothesis-driven studies of how

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree or current enrollment in a Bachelor's program.
• Be able to work in person.
• Interest in biomaterials, tissue engineering, or regenerative medicine.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the synthesis and preparation of phase separated hydrogels with controlled mechanical and structural properties.
• Conduct cell culture experiments, including seeding and maintaining endothelial and stromal cells in 3D hydrogel environments.
• Perform microscopy based imaging data collection to evaluate microstructure and cell behavior.
• Support data analysis, imaging processing and quantitative assays.
• Maintain accurate lab records, data logs, and experimental protocols with current lab members.
• Participate in regular lab meetings and contribute to discussion on experimental design and data interpretation.
• Follow all laboratory safety protocols and assist in maintaining a clean and organized research space.

Skills

Basic engineering knowledge

Education

Bachelor degree or current enrollment in a Bachelor's program

Job description

USNH Employees should apply within Workday through the Jobs Hub app. This adjunct staff researcher position supports ongoing efforts in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering to develop and characterize phase-separated, microstructured hydrogels for applications in angiogenesis and wound healing. The position is situated in Li research lab focused on designing biomaterials that mimic complex extracellular environments to regulate cell behavior and tissue regeneration. The work contributes to a broader program aimed at understanding how spatially patterned material properties influence vascular formation and wound repair processes in vitro.

The staff will be involved in experimental research related to the fabrication, imaging, and functional evaluation of injectable hydrogels that exhibit liquid-liquid phase separation and tunable microstructure. This position requires engagement with advanced biomaterial systems and offers the opportunity to contribute to hypothesis-driven studies that examine how hydrogel properties guide endothelial cell migration, organization, and matrix remodeling. The role is suited for staff with foundational laboratory experience and a strong interest in biomaterials, tissue engineering, or regenerative medicine.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Assist in the synthesis and preparation of phase separated hydrogels with controlled mechanical and structural properties.
• Conduct cell culture experiments, including seeding and maintaining endothelial and stromal cells in 3D hydrogel environments.
• Perform microscopy based imaging data collection to evaluate microstructure and cell behavior.
• Support data analysis, imaging processing and quantitative assays.
• Maintain accurate lab records, data logs, and experimental protocols with current lab members.
• Participate in regular lab meetings and contribute to discussion on experimental design and data interpretation.
• Follow all laboratory safety protocols and assist in maintaining a clean and organized research space.

Minimum Acceptable Education & Experience

Bachelor degree or currently enrolled in a Bachelor program.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Basic knowledge of engineering, bioengineering, chemical engineering or related field.

Other Requirements

Be able to work in person.

Compensation Pay Range: $20 per hour.

Please be advised that this position is supported by external sponsor funding. As such, continued employment in this role is contingent upon the availability of those external funds. If, for any reason, the sponsor funding is reduced or discontinued, employment may be subject to modification or termination in accordance with applicable policies and procedures.

The University of New Hampshire is an R1 Carnegie classification research institution providing comprehensive, high-quality undergraduate and graduate programs of distinction. UNH is located in Durham on a 188-acre campus, 60 miles north of Boston and 8 miles from the Atlantic coast and is convenient to New Hampshire’s lakes and mountains. There is a student enrollment of 13,000 students, with a full-time faculty of over 600, offering 90 undergraduate and more than 70 graduate programs. The University actively promotes a dynamic learning environment in which qualified individuals of differing perspectives, life experiences, and cultural backgrounds pursue academic goals with mutual respect and shared inquiry.

EEO Statement: The University System of New Hampshire is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access employer. The University System is committed to creating an environment that values and supports diversity and inclusiveness across our campus communities and encourages applications from qualified individuals who will help us achieve this mission. The University System prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or marital status.

The pay range for this position is listed above. Actual offer will be based on skills, qualifications, experience, and internal equity, in addition to relevant business considerations.

More information on benefits can be found here: USNH Employee Benefits | Human Resources.

Location: Durham Salary Grade: Adjunct Hourly Staff 00.

Are you an employee of KSC, PSU, UNH or the system office? Apply internally within Workday through the Jobs Hub app.

The University System of New Hampshire is the largest provider of postsecondary education in the Granite State. With approximately 30,000 enrolled students annually and more than 90,000 alumni living in state, the institutions of the University System - the University of New Hampshire - Durham, the University of New Hampshire School of Law, the University of New Hampshire at Manchester, Plymouth State University, and Keene State College - have a direct impact on hundreds of thousands of New Hampshire citizens every year.