Research Assistant

Stanford University; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 86,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

18+ PTO days per year

Flexible work options

403(b) plan

Tuition and training assistance

Commuter benefits

Job summary

Stanford University’s School of Engineering invites applications for a one-year fixed-term position in the Chemical Engineering Department. The role supports Professor Bao’s lab with research in material devices and wearable biomedical applications, including fabrication, testing, and system integration.

The successful candidate will join a collaborative, cross-disciplinary team, contribute to publications, and help manage lab operations, safety, and budgeting, with opportunities to advance

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related scientific field; two years of relevant work experience or a Master’s degree as listed.
• Strong analytical abilities and a solid grasp of experimental methods.
• Ability to learn new lab techniques and document results clearly.

Responsibilities

• Independently conduct portions of research and advise the PI on design and direction.
• Perform complex experiments to gather data for major projects.
• Interpret results, modify procedures, and develop new protocols as needed.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams across faculties and schools.
• Review literature to stay current and contribute to publications.
• Oversee lab budget, safety, maintenance, and inventory.

Skills

Scientific principles

Computer skills

Analytical skills

Record keeping

Deadline-driven

Organizational skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in related scientific field

Master’s degree in related scientific field

Job description

This position has been deemed critical by the School of Engineering Dean’s Office and is exempt from the hiring freeze.

Note: This is a one (1) year fixed term position. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. All candidates must be eligible to work and live in the U.S.

Work Arrangement: This position is onsite, working at the Stanford main campus.

Budgeted Salary: The budgeted base salary range for this position is $86,355 to $100,077 per annum.
The School of Engineering

Stanford Engineering has been at the forefront of innovation for over a century, creating pivotal technologies that have transformed the worlds of information technology, communications, health care, energy, business and beyond. Our faculty and students are creative risk-takers who pursue excellence across a breadth of disciplines. Our alumni include some of the world's most successful leaders in technology and business. Our staff are critical to enabling Stanford Engineering to accomplish its mission: seeking solutions to some of the world's most urgent challenges and educating leaders who will make the world a better place through the power of engineering principles, techniques and systems.

The Chemical Engineering Department was founded in 1961, and it was initially an outgrowth of the university’s Department of Chemistry. Early faculty pioneered or substantially influenced the emerging field of chemical engineering in many vital areas, including catalysis and transport/fluid mechanics. More recently, the department has added bioengineering and soft-material science to its core areas of excellence and has made a growing commitment to technology development that complements its long-held strength in fundamental applied science and molecular engineering. (Chemical Engineering website: https://cheme.stanford.edu/ )

Professor Zhenan Bao's research in the Chemical Engineering Department at Stanford University has pioneered molecular design concepts and fabrication processes to advance the scope and applications of skin-inspired electronics. Her group discovered the nano-confinement effect of conjugated polymers in polymer blends, laying the foundation for skin-inspired electronic materials and devices. Her work has resulted in new materials and device solutions for soft robotics, wearable and implantable electronics for precision health, precision mental health, and advanced tools for understanding neuroscience and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Building on chemical insights, her group has developed foundational materials and devices that enabled a new generation of skin-inspired soft electronics. They provide unprecedented opportunities for understanding human health through developing monitoring, diagnosis, and treatment tools. Some examples include: a neuromorphic e-skin that can sense force and temperature and directly communicate with the brain, a wireless wound healing patch, a soft NeuroString for simultaneous neurochemical monitoring in the brain and gut, a soft high-density electrophysiological recording array, a meta-learned skin sensor for detailed body movements, and a reconfigurable self-healing electronic skin. (https://baogroup.stanford.edu/ )

The Chemical Engineering department is looking for a highly skilled professional to support and enhance Professor Bao’s lab through advanced scientific research. The ideal candidate will be a well-rounded researcher with extensive experience across the entire research spectrum. This includes expertise in material and device fabrication, circuit design, and system integration, as well as practical experience in wearable biomedical applications. The successful applicant will be expected to lead multidisciplinary projects that aim to deliver transformative innovations in device technology while addressing real-world healthcare challenges.

In this role, the ideal candidate will collaborate with a diverse team of scientists and engineers, working on the cutting edge of technology development. The candidate should showcase a strong foundation in organic electronics, stretchable devices, semiconductor fabrication techniques, flexible circuit design, and system-level integration, all of which are essential for pushing the boundaries of current electronic technologies to improve human-machine interfaces and healthcare solutions. This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to pioneering advancements that could revolutionize the way we interact with technology and monitor our health.

In this role you will:

• Frequently stand, walk, twist, bend, stoop, squat, grasp lightly, use fine manipulation, grasp forcefully, perform desk-based computer tasks, use telephone, write by hand, lift, carry, push and pull objects weighing over 50 pounds.

Responsibilities

Core Duties:

Independently conduct a portion of the research project(s). Makerecommendations on experimental design and/or research direction toprincipal investigator.

Independently conduct complex (lab and/or field) experiments togather data for a portion of a major research project.

Interpret and analyze results, often where few guidelines exist,and make modifications to existing procedures and protocols.

Develop new research protocols where appropriate protocols arenot described in the literature or where modification or adaptation ofstandard procedures and protocols is required.

Participate in multidisciplinary teams across different facultiesor schools.

Perform ongoing literature review to remain current with newprocedures and related research; apply to ongoing research anddevelopment of new protocols.

Contribute substantively to the preparation of papers forpublication, especially in the results section, and to publication offindings. Present ongoing work to colleagues and/or academicconferences.

Oversee supply and equipment budget under supervision ofprincipal investigator or business manager.

Work with health and safety department to ensure lab complieswith regulations and all required trainings.

Supervise (either formally or informally) staff or students asneeded, including oversight and direction on techniques, as well asconsultation on project work. Serve as a technical resource for otherresearch staff.

Oversee the daily activities of the laboratory including labmaintenance; maintain lab stock, manage chemical inventory and safetyrecords, and provide general lab support as needed. May assist withpurchasing laboratory equipment.

Bachelor's degree in related scientific field and two years ofrelevant work experience; or Master’s degree in a related scientificfield.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Comprehensive understanding of scientific principles.

General computer skills and ability to quickly learn and mastercomputer programs, databases, and scientific applications.

Strong analytical skills and excellent judgment.

Ability to maintain detailed records of experiments andoutcomes.

Ability to work under deadlines with general guidance isessential.

Excellent organizational skills and demonstrated ability toaccurately complete detailed work.

• Pay Range $71,627-$133,704
• Pay Frequency Annually
• Fixed Term Y
• Stanford Schools and Units School of Engineering
• Full time or Part time Full Time
• Regular or Temporary Regular
• Job Category Research
• Posting Date 08/24/2026, 06:05 PM
• Grade G
• Job Identification 200789

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Benefits that support you, and your future

18+ PTO days per year

Health benefits start when you start

Flexible work options

$6000+ annual tuition and training assistance

403(b) plan

Mental health and wellness programs

Free and discounted commuter transportation

Applies to regular full-time positions.

Notice to Applicants
The job duties listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classifications and are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, tasks and responsibilities. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary depending on department or program needs without changing the general nature and scope of the job or level of responsibility. Employees may also perform other duties as assigned.
Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of their job.
Stanford is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Stanford University provides job pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for a particular job. The specific pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on a wide range of factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to geographic work location, relevant knowledge, skills and abilities, relevant education, years of relevant experience, depth and breadth of relevant experience, and performance; further including but not limited to other business and organization needs such as the scope and responsibilities of the position, the minimum qualifications, departmental budget availability, and market and internal equity across the university, school/ unit, department, as well as job reporting relationships.