Assistant Project Scientist

UC San Diego Academic Jobs; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 97,000 - 122,000; Full time

Job summary

UC San Diego invites applications for an Assistant Project Scientist in the Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering within the Jacobs School of Engineering. The role focuses on developing 3D bioprinters, bioreactors, and AI for bioprinting under supervision.

Candidates should hold a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Bioengineering or related field, with experience in light-based 3D bioprinting and machine learning, and proficiency in Python, MATLAB, and

Qualifications

• Earned Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Bioengineering or related area.
• Experience in light-based 3D bioprinting and machine learning.
• Design and construction of DLP-based 3D bioprinters; ML to optimize bioprinting; bioreactor design.

Responsibilities

• Make creative contributions to the research team.
• Publish and conduct research under supervision of a Professor or Professional Research series member.
• Possibly serve as Co-Principal Investigators; no expectation for independent research or teaching duties.

Skills

3D bioprinting

Machine learning

Bioreactor design

Python

MATLAB

LabVIEW

Education

PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering / Bioengineering or related

Tools

Python

MATLAB

LabVIEW

Job description

Position overview

Position title: Assistant Project Scientist

Salary range: A reasonable salary range estimate for this position is $97,000 -$121,800. The posted UC academic salary scales (Current Academic Salary Scales | UCOP) set the minimum pay determined by rank and/or step at appointment. See the following table for the salary scale for this position: Salary Scale

Application window

Open date: September 21, 2026

Next review date: Wednesday, Oct 21, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)

Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Saturday, Feb 6, 2027 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)

Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

Position description

At UC San Diego, we are seeking a Project Scientist to join our research team, in the Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering within the Jacobs School of Engineering. These roles are crucial for individuals who wish to contribute significantly to research projects without the expectation of leading the team or conducting independent research.

Project Scientist Will

• Make creative contributions to the research team.
• Publish and conduct research under the supervision of a Professor or Professional Research series member.
• Potentially serve as Co-Principal Investigators, though not as Principal Investigators. It is important to note that this position does not mandate independent research or the development of an independent research reputation. Also, while university and public service are valued, they are not compulsory, and there are no formal teaching responsibilities. The duration of each appointment is subject to the research project's timeline and the availability of funds.

The Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego is committed to building an excellent, diverse and inclusive faculty, staff, and student body (https://jacobsschool.ucsd.edu/about/diversity.

Department

Department: https://cne.ucsd.edu/

Qualifications

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)

This Project Scientist Position Will Primarily Work On The Development Of 3D Bioprinters, Bioreactors, AI For Bioprinting. Therefore, The Candidates Must Have Earned Their Ph.D. Degree In Electrical And Computer Engineering, Bioengineering Or a Related Area. Successful Candidates Should Have Experience In Research And Development In Light-based 3D Bioprinting And Machine Learning, Especially In

• Design and construction of DLP-based 3D bioprinters (both hardware and software);
• Machine learning to optimize the bioprinting process;
• Bioreactor design and fabrication (both hardware and software)
• Comprehensive knowledge about 3D bioprinting and tissue engineering;

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior research or industry experience at the doctoral level or beyond in 3D bioprinting.
• Proficiency in machine learning.
• Prior research or industry experience in bioreactor development.
• Proficiency in automated data acquisition and analysis tools (e.g., Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW), and excellent written and oral communication skills for both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience contributing to multi-institutional, industry- or government-sponsored research programs, including milestone tracking, deliverables coordination, and cross-site reporting.

Application Requirements

Document Requirements

• Cover Letter (Optional)
• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
• Statement of Research
• Cover Letter (Optional)
• Misc / Additional (Optional)
• Misc / Additional (Optional)
• Misc / Additional (Optional)

Reference Requirements

• 3-5 letters of reference required

About UC San Diego

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

As a university employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

The University of California prohibits smoking and tobacco use at all of its university-controlled properties.

The UC San Diego Annual Security & Fire Safety Report is available online at: https://www.police.ucsd.edu/docs/annualclery.pdf. This report provides crime and fire statistics, as well as institutional policy statements & procedures. Contact the UC San Diego Police Department at [phone] if you want to obtain paper copies of this report.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, are currently being investigated for misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer.

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• “Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy: [https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000385/SVSH]
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, Students and Third Parties: [https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination]

Job location

La Jolla, CA