Position Description
Duke University was created in 1924 through an indenture of trust by James Buchanan Duke. Today, Duke is regarded as one of America’s leading research universities. Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is positioned in the heart of the Research Triangle, which is ranked annually as one of the best places in the country to work and live. Duke has more than 15,000 students who study and conduct research in its 10 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools. With about 40,000 employees, Duke is the third largest private employer in North Carolina, and it now has international programs in more than 150 countries.
The Pratt School of Engineering at Duke University is one of the fastest rising, highly ranked engineering schools in the nation. The school consists of four departments with 130 tenure-track faculty members, 1250 undergraduate students, 1400 master’s students, and 600 PhD students. Housed within a university renowned for its programs in the liberal arts, medicine, business and law, Pratt prepares future engineering leaders to address complex challenges with solutions that take into account the complexities and nuances of implementing them. Pratt takes a whole-student approach to education, ensuring students are well supported throughout their journeys and graduate with the grit and determination required to persevere in their careers and their lives. Pratt is dedicated to the values of diversity, equitability, inclusivity and community in its pursuit of knowledge and service to society.
Occupational Summary
Conduct independent research activities under the guidance of a faculty mentor in preparation for a full-time academic or research career.
Work Performed
The Postdoctoral Appointee holds a Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate (e.g. ScD, MD, DVM). Candidates with non-US degrees may be required to provide proof of degree equivalency.
1. A candidate may also be appointed to a postdoctoral position if the candidate has completed all the requirements for a degree, but the degree has not been formally conferred: in this case, the candidate may present evidence of completion of the degree requirements, together with a statement documenting the date on which the degree is to be conferred. If the degree is not conferred by this projected date, the postdoctoral appointment may be terminated.
2. Note for international candidates: Generally, immigration classifications (e.g., H-1B, J-1, etc.) require that the requisite degree be conferred before a petition can be filed or a visa document issued to sponsor the individual.
The term of the appointment is limited (see Section 5 of the Postdoc Policy for the length of the appointment).
The appointment involves substantially full-time research or scholarship and may include teaching responsibilities.
The Postdoctoral Appointee functions under the supervision of a mentor or a department at Duke University.
The Postdoctoral Appointee is expected to publish the results of his or her research or scholarship during the period of the appointment.
Expectation
The conscientious discharge of research or scholarship responsibilities, which may include teaching responsibilities for Postdoctoral Associates
Conformance to standards of responsible conduct in research
Compliance with good scholarly and research practice
Maintenance of a laboratory notebook and/or other comparable records of research activity, which remains the property of Duke University upon termination
Adherence to University standards regarding the use of chemicals and the like
Open and timely discussion with the mentor regarding all facets of the Postdoctoral Appointee's research activities. Postdoctoral Appointees are encouraged to consult the AAMC Compact Between Postdoctoral Appointees and Their Mentors for suggested guidelines for the Postdoctoral Appointee-mentor relationship
Prompt disclosure to the mentor regarding the possession and desire to distribute materials, reagents, software, and copyrightable and potentially patentable discoveries derived from the Postdoctoral Appointee's research.
Collegial conduct towards members of the research group and others as described in the Duke University School of Medicine Honor Code of Professional Conduct and other relevant conduct policies about other schools at Duke University.
Compliance with all applicable University and departmental policies and procedures.
The postdoc candidate is expected to:
Automate workloads of ab-initio codes to accelerate the discovery/design of ultra-high-temperature high-entropy ceramics and other disordered systems
Advance and implement high throughput models for the discovery/design of ultra-high-temperature high-entropy ceramics and other disordered systems
Support the educational activities of the PI through graduate student mentoring, selected lectures, and general teaching assistance, if needed.
More may be found on our website at https://materials.duke.edu.
Minimum Qualifications
The candidate should have a Ph.D. in Materials Science,
Physics, Chemistry, or a related area. Graduate students near completion of
their Ph.D. are welcome and invited to apply.
Experience
0+ years of postgraduate experience.
Skills
Successful candidates should have:
· Deep
understanding of thermodynamics and kinetics of materials, solid-state physics,
crystallography/group-theory, and inorganic chemistry.
· Solid
communication skills, both verbal and written.
· Strong
programming skills in C++, LaTeX, good knowledge of Unix systems, and
experience using materials data repositories such as AFLOW.
· Proven
experience in VASP, Quantum Espresso, FHI-AIMS, or other ab-initio code.
This job description intends to provide a
representative and level of the types of duties and responsibilities that will
be required of positions given this title and shall not be construed as a
declaration of the total of the specific duties and responsibilities of any
particular position. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks
other than those specifically presented in this description.
Note. This is not a remote-work position.
Duke
is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment
opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability,
gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information,
national origin, race, religion, (including pregnancy and pregnancy
related conditions), sexual orientation, or military status.
Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration,
innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on
the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich
diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes.
To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the
community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all
individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of
our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.
** (posted 2026/01/21, listed until 2026/01/28)