Postdoc: AI-Driven Autonomous Materials Lab

Rice University

Houston (TX)

On-site

USD 54,000 - 66,000

Full time

14 days+

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Job summary

The NSF-funded READINESS Programmable Cloud Laboratory (PCL) at Rice University invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Associate to help develop AI-enabled, cloud-accessible autonomous laboratories for next-generation electronic and quantum materials.

The position sits at the intersection of materials science, AI for Science, experimental automation, and cloud infrastructure, bridging AI with physical synthesis and characterization systems to enable secure, remotely accessible

Qualifications

Ph.D. in Materials Science or closely related field.
No additional experience beyond graduate research required.

Responsibilities

Develops AI/ML and agentic AI frameworks, digital twins, and closed-loop optimization workflows for autonomous materials synthesis.
Connects AI frameworks with physical synthesis and characterization instruments via APIs, communication protocols, data pipelines, and control interfaces.
Designs and constructs a web-based user interface and cloud-access framework enabling external users to securely access and utilize READINESS infrastructure remotely.
Collaborates with researchers from materials science and computer science, serving as a technical bridge between the two communities.
Helps lead and mentor a small group of graduate students and publishes research in AI-enabled autonomous experimentation.
Performs other duties as assigned.