Job Description

The Department of Chemistry at Columbia University invites applications for an Associate Research Scientist position in the Physical Chemistry Division, under the supervision of Professor Xiaoyang Zhu. The Zhu Lab focuses on the photophysics of nanoscale, molecular, and hybrid semiconductors and interfaces. We investigate the dynamics of quasiparticles—such as excitons, polarons, and polaritons—and their many-body interactions, which are central to understanding and optimizing optoelectronic processes like solar energy conversion, light emission, and polariton condensation.

The successful candidate will lead and support cutting-edge experimental efforts utilizing techniques including femtosecond nonlinear optical spectroscopy, transient absorption and emission spectroscopy, THz spectroscopy and microscopy, and two-dimensional spectroscopy. This position will involve collaboration with a diverse, interdisciplinary team of chemists, physicists, and materials scientists, and will contribute to the mission of large-scale research centers such as the DOE Energy Frontier Research Center (EFRC) and NSF MRSEC.

Additional responsibilities include coordination of collaborative projects, supervision and mentoring of graduate and undergraduate students and postdocs, preparation of manuscripts and research proposals, and active participation in lab meetings and seminars. This is a full-time position with the possibility of renewal, contingent upon performance and funding availability.