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POSITION DETAILS

Employment based visa sponsorship will be considered for this position.

Position Number:  130230
Classification Title:  Postdoctoral Associate
Working Title:  Postdoctoral Associate

Department:  Academic Affairs-Special Project
FLSA Status:  Exempt
Salary Range:  $65,000 - $80,000
Pay Basis:  Annually

POSITION OVERVIEW

JOB SUMMARY:

The successful candidate will conduct cutting-edge research under the mentorship of Principal Investigators, Dr. Jake Tan and Dr. Jacob Tracy, to support projects under the Center for Computational Intelligence. This position will collaborate on the creation and/or application of computational models and systems capable of performing complex tasks in strategic research clusters. The successful candidate will perform quantum chemistry, molecular dynamics, and periodic boundary calculations to investigate organic reaction mechanisms and understand molecular behavior for battery applications and ionic liquids. The postdoc is also expected to develop methods and computational chemistry protocols, to help in mentoring undergraduate students, and to generate data and help with grant proposals.

The position is approved for funding for 2 years, with the funding available to extend the appointment to a 3rd year, dependent on having met specified goals and metrics agreed upon by the PI and CCI leadership. Postdocs are required to live locally with the expectation of working on campus, with schedule flexibility coordinated with the PI. Move date is also flexible within reason.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

The appointee shall have received a doctorate from an accredited institution in a field appropriate to the assigned duties and responsibilities, such as Computational Chemistry or a closely related field. Candidates must have a doctoral degree conferred before the appointment date. Candidates must also be authorized to work in the US (US citizens, permanent residents, or appropriate visa status. No H1-B visa allowed due to current moratorium).

POSITION QUALIFICATIONS:

The applicant must be familiar with the Linux operating system, have strong programming skills in Python, C++, and/or Fortran, have experience in performing quantum chemistry calculations and/or molecular dynamic simulations. Documented experience working in a collaborative research team environment. Excellent written and oral communication skills. A strong commitment to conducting research involving undergraduate students.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Experience in transition state search and reaction modeling. Knowledge of machine learning as applied to chemistry, familiarity with high-performance computing (HPC) clusters, and collaboration experience with experimental chemists. Experience securing grant funding for research. Ability to work collaboratively in a research team environment. Experience working with external stakeholders and partners towards a common goal.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/JOB DUTIES:

• 40% - Performs or supervises research on assigned projects. - (Essential)
• 15% - Coordinates project activities and reports on progress. - (Essential)
• 15% - Trains and mentors subordinate research associates and undergraduate students. - (Essential)
• 10% - Writes articles for publication. - (Essential)
• 5% - Prepares research and presents to applicable parties as needed. - (Essential)
• 5% - Compiles data for funding proposals. - (Essential)
• 5% - Assists with the writing of funding proposals. - (Essential)
• 5% - Professional development activities. - (Essential)

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Physical Requirements: No unusual physical requirement. Requires no heavy lifting and nearly all work is performed in a comfortable indoor facility.
• Impact of Deadlines: Work schedules, volume of work, or priorities seldom change. Able to anticipate new work. Minimum distractions or interruptions. Seldom involves conflicting demands on time.
• Standing: Daily
• Walking: Daily
• Sitting: Daily
• Reaching with hands and arms: Frequently
• Climbing or balancing: Never
• Stooping: Never
• Use of hands to handle objects: Daily
• Lifting up to 10lbs: Occasionally
• Lifting up to 25lbs: Occasionally
• Lifting over 25lbs: Never
• Talking as express or exchange of ideas verbally: Daily
• Hearing as perceive sound by ear: Daily
• Vision as distinguish colors & depth: Daily

Special Requirements or Considerations of the Job:  

• This position requires a criminal background screening.
• This position requires fingerprinting.

Special Instructions to Applicants:  Candidates must apply online through the University of West Florida website: https://careers.uwf.edu.

Applicants are required to submit the following: 1) A cover letter describing the applicant’s previous research experiences and future research interests, 2) A detailed CV including a list of publications, 3) three references, one of whom should be the applicant’s Ph.D. supervisor or current postdoctoral supervisor. References will be contacted upon submission of this application. An opportunity to upload these documents will be provided during the application process. For assistance, please contact Human Resources at 850.474.2694 or email jobs@uwf.edu.

If one or more of your advanced degrees is awarded from an institution outside of the United States, UWF will require a credential evaluation and/or translation prior to onboarding. This credential evaluation should include original documents received directly from your institution so that the agency can evaluate and attest that your credential is equivalent to a similar degree earned at a US institution. If your credential is not in English, this evaluation should also include a translation to US English.

UWF does not endorse any particular approved agency; however, typically any current National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) member agency is acceptable. You are advised to check with the agency first to make sure your educational background can be evaluated as some agencies do not evaluate all international degrees.

When necessary, these credential evaluations will be requested as part of the Offer Letter with instructions on where and to whom these documents should be submitted.

ADDITIONAL POSTING DETAILS

Number of Vacancies: 1
Work Hours:  8am-5pm
FTE:  1.0
Preferred Response Date:  06/15/2026