Research Assistant Professor

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Position Title:

Research Assistant Professor

Job Category:

Academic Staff

Employment Type:

Terminal (Fixed Term)

Job Profile:

Research Assistant Professor

Job Duties:

Key Job Responsibilities:

• Develops and publishes research content in peer-reviewed publications, presents materials at conferences, participates as an editor for publications, and/or participates in committees

• Supervises the day-to-day operational activities of research program staff

• Secures intramural and extramural funding through grants to establish financial independence for research program(s)

• Formulates and directs research program scientific and technical processes and policies and procedures to ensure compliance with established financial, ethical, and administrative requirements and standards

Department: College of Engineering and Applied Science

Compensation: $75,000 (Final salary offer will be determined based on qualifications and experience).

Job Summary/Unit Information:

The market for batteries is ever-growing. For lithium-ion batteries, it has surpassed $30 billion and is expected to double or perhaps triple by 2025. It also demands constant improvement in battery efficiency and storage capabilities. Answering this charge is a priority for UWM researchers, whose work in energy storage is helping power a strong industry cluster in Wisconsin and beyond. UWM’s expertise got a boost in 2015 when Deyang Qu became the Johnson Controls Endowed Professor in Energy Storage Research. The endowment from Johnson Controls, a giant in the battery industry, funded a unique dry lab at UWM, the largest such facility at any North American university. Housed in the College of Engineering & Applied Science, the lab is a miniature factory, providing limited manufacturing of promising new batteries. 

The unit seeks to fill a 12-month, fixed terminal academic staff Assistant Research Professor position to work on this research.  The successful candidate will support a broad portfolio of externally funded research in electrochemical energy storage. The position will provide scientific and technical leadership for federally and industry-sponsored research projects (i.e. US Department of Energy Battery 500 consortium, industry contracts, UWM DIG and UWRF Catalyst), coordinate research activities in the Principal Investigator's (PI) laboratory, manage collaborative research with external partners, and provide continuous mentoring to graduate students and junior researchers.  

The research program encompasses Li-ion batteries, beyond-Li-ion battery technologies, including Li-S and solid-state batteries, battery recycling, and related electrochemical energy-storage technologies. The successful candidate will be expected to contribute to the development and execution of current and future externally sponsored research programs and to help ensure the timely completion of research milestones, technical reports, publications, patents, and other project deliverables.

Required Qualifications:

• Education: A Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering or a closely related engineering or scientific discipline. 

• Research Experience: At least five years of postdoctoral and/or research associate experience following completion of the Ph.D., with substantial research experience in electrochemical engineering, electrochemistry, and electrochemical energy-storage technologies. 

• Scholarly Accomplishments: A strong record of high-impact, peer-reviewed publications demonstrating sustained contributions to electrochemical energy-storage research. Candidates must have a Google Scholar h-index of 40 or higher. 

• Battery Research Expertise: Demonstrated research accomplishments across multiple areas of advanced battery technology. Substantial research experience in all of the following areas is required: 

• Li-ion batteries

• Beyond-Li-ion batteries, including Li-S batteries

• Solid-state batteries

• Li-ion battery recycling and/or recycling-related battery materials and processes. 

• Industry-Sponsored Research: Demonstrated experience managing and conducting industry-sponsored or industry-collaborative research projects, including interaction with industrial partners, project planning and execution, management of milestones and deliverables, and preparation of technical reports. 

Preferred Qualifications:

• A demonstrated track record of serving as a Principal Investigator (PI) and/or Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI) lead on externally and/or internally funded research grants and/or contracts, with experience in developing research proposals, executing funded projects, and meeting sponsor milestones and deliverables. 

• A strong record of translating fundamental electrochemical research into practical battery technologies and engineering solutions. 

• Experience managing multiple concurrent federally and industry-sponsored research projects. 

• Awarded U.S. and/or international patents arising from battery, electrochemical, or energy-storage research. 

• Demonstrated experience mentoring graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and other junior research personnel. 

• Experience providing hands-on guidance in experimental design, electrochemical characterization, data analysis and interpretation, troubleshooting, technical writing, and preparation of peer-reviewed publications. 

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with multidisciplinary research teams, national laboratories, industrial partners, and academic collaborators. 

• Strong written and oral communication skills, including experience preparing research proposals, sponsor reports, presentations, manuscripts, and other technical documents.

Major Responsibilities:

• Conduct a high-quality, productive, and impactful research program in electrochemical energy storage, with research activities comprising the majority of the appointment. 

• Seek and maintain independent research funding as a Principal Investigator (PI) and/or Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI) on research proposals and awards, consistent with the Assistant Research Professor title and the needs of the research program. 

• Provide leadership for research projects and help develop and sustain specific research programs within the institution. 

• Provide mentoring to graduate students, serve on graduate committees as appropriate, and serve as a co-advisor for graduate students. 

• Participate, as appropriate, in research-related committees, compliance committees, and research advisory committees that support the research mission. 

• Manage and coordinate industry-sponsored research projects within the PI's research program, including project planning, execution, sponsor communication, milestones, deliverables, and technical reporting. 

• Coordinate research activities related to Li-ion, Na-ion, Li-S, solid-state batteries, battery recycling, and other emerging electrochemical energy-storage technologies. 

• Provide scientific and technical leadership for ongoing and future DOE-sponsored research projects and collaborations with national laboratories, including Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). 

• Provide continuous, hands-on mentoring to graduate students and junior researchers, including guidance in research planning, experimental design and execution, data analysis, troubleshooting, scientific writing, and publication preparation. 

• Assist with the development of new externally funded research opportunities, including federal proposals and industry-sponsored research contracts. 

• Coordinate research activities among graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, collaborators, and external partners to ensure timely achievement of project objectives. 

• Disseminate research results through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, technical reports, patents, and other appropriate channels.

Education: A Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering or a closely related engineering or scientific discipline.

Work Authorization: This position requires U.S. citizenship or U.S. permanent resident status, subject to confirmation that this requirement is consistent with applicable sponsor, contractual, export-control, and institutional requirements.

How to Apply: Please plan to apply on-line and present both a resume and cover letter for consideration. Please apply no later than November 24th.

Contact Information: Please direct all questions regarding this recruitment Amy Rehfeldt at [email protected].

Reasonable Accommodations
Pursuant to university policy, UWM provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities who are employees or applicants for employment. Employment opportunities will not be denied because of the need to make reasonable accommodations for a qualified individual with a disability. If you need assistance or accommodation in applying because of a disability, please contact [email protected] or 414-229-4463. This job announcement and other material on this site will be made available in alternate formats upon request to an individual with a disability.

Confidentiality of Applicant Materials
UWM is a State agency and subject to Wisconsin’s Open Records Law. UWM will not, however, reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing except as may be required by Wisconsin’s Open Records law. In certain circumstances, the identities of “final candidates” and/or the identity of the appointed applicant must be revealed upon request.

CBC and Reference Check Policy
Employment will require a criminal background check. UWM takes the prevention of sexual misconduct seriously. As such, you and your references will be required to answer questions regarding any past findings of sexual violence and sexual harassment or any pending allegations of sexual violence or sexual harassment.

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report (Clery Act)
For the UWM Annual Security and Fire Safety Reports (i.e., Clery Report), which includes statistics about reported crimes and information about campus security policies, see http://www.cleryact.uwm.edu/, or call UWM’s Dean of Students Office, Student Union 345 at (414) 229-4632 for a paper copy.

Employment Authorization
In compliance with federal law, all persons at the time of their start date will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

UW is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other bases protected by applicable federal or State law and UW System policies. We are committed to building a workforce that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills, and encourage all qualified individuals to apply.