POST-DOCTORAL POSITIONS

CURRENT LISTINGS

POSTDOCTORAL POSITION IN MICROBIAL ECOLOGY

A Post-doctoral position is available in the Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University. The research will involve the investigation of fungal biofilms. Emphasis will be on the effects of fungal biofilms on both living and non-living surfaces. Studies will involve analysis of the microbial communities and specifically their effects on the underlying surfaces. Resumés should be e-mailed in PDF form to mitchell@seas.harvard.edu. Harvard University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and applications from women and underrepresented minorities are strongly encouraged.

Postdoctoral Fellow Positions in Bio-Inspired Engineering

The Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University invites applications for a number of postdoctoral fellow positions. The selected individuals will also hold an academic appointment with one of the three collaborating Harvard institutions: Harvard Medical School, The School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, or the Faculty of Arts and Science. The mission of the Wyss Institute is to discover the engineering principles that Nature uses to build living things, to pursue the high-risk research that is fundamental to advance this effort, and to harness these insights to create biologically inspired materials and devices to advance human health and improve the environment – thereby revolutionizing clinical medicine and creating a more sustainable world. Applicants are specifically sought working in the following knowledge platforms:

Biomimetic Microsystems: This platform will engineer microsystem technologies that reconstitute complex human tissue and organ functions for drug testing, diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Required expertise in: Mechanical/electrical engineering, Fluid dynamics / Numerical analysis, Bioimaging/Physiology, Microsystems integration and fabrication, and Automation and robotics for screening.
Biomaterials Evolution: This platform will create massively-parallel capabilities for directed evolution of biomolecules, such as DNA, for cell reprogramming, drug delivery, regenerative medicine and bioenergy. Required expertise in: Synthetic/Structural biology, Protein expression, and Automated material synthesis and screening.
Programmable Nanomaterials: This platform will create programmable nanomaterials for regenerative medicine, drug delivery and bioenergy applications. Required expertise in: Polymer synthesis, Synthetic Chemistry, Microsystems design and fabrication, Synthetic & Structural Biology, Materials Analysis, and Nanofabrication
Anticipatory Medical Devices: This platform will develop wireless devices that transmit rebooting signals to prevent life-threatening medical events or reboot disease processes. Required expertise in: Electrical/Mechanical Engineering, Computational dynamics, Device Miniaturization, Wireless Technologies, and Device Integration/Manufacturing.
Adaptive Architecture: This platform will develop integrated multiscale structures composed of biomimetic materials and devices that dynamically adapt to their environment for medical, energy and environmental applications. Required expertise in: Device Integration/Manufacturing, Robotics Hardware, Device Miniaturization, Software Engineering, Polymer synthesis, Nano- and micro-fabrication, and Electrical/Mechanical Engineering.

A Ph.D. in a related field is required. An application, assembled as a single pdf file, should contain a curriculum vitae, a cover letter describing research interests and goals, a full list of publications, copies of up to three relevant scientific papers, and names and contact information for at least three writers of letters of recommendation, who might be contacted as references. Applications should be sent to postdocs@wyss.harvard.edu.

Applications will be reviewed beginning March 2009. Later applications are also welcome until the positions are filled. Harvard University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and applications from women and minority candidates are strongly encouraged.

3 Postdoctoral positions at the Microrobotics lab

Position #1:

The Harvard Microrobotics Lab is currently seeking applicants for a postdoc position pertaining to the development of artificial muscles for soft robotics applications. There is a new interest in compliant robots that move in novel ways and are capable of dramatic changes in body morphology. Such a device will require quantum advances in scalable, fast, efficient, compliant actuation. We anticipate that the high performance artificial muscles generated in this effort will be applicable to many existing platforms and also enable a new class of mobile robots: 'chemical robots'. This is part of a highly visible research project and it is expected that the successful applicant will be a leader of a large multidisciplinary team of researchers.

Applicants should have a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, chemistry, or a related field. Experience with microfabrication techniques is essential. The position is open immediately (12/1/08) and is guaranteed for a year with a possible second year extension.

Position #2:

The Harvard Microrobotics Lab is currently seeking applicants for a postdoc position in fluid dynamics modeling for a flapping-wing micro air vehicle. In past research we have demonstrated the ability to construct insect-scale airfoils and high-speed micromechanical drive mechanisms. We aim to leverage that expertise to perform unprecedented experiments on the aerodynamics of flapping-wing flight in the hopes of elucidating the connections between areas of the design space and trends in flow structure, force production, and propulsive efficiency. Our ability to create insect-scale structures means that we do not need to make any scaling assumptions on the fluid dynamics. It is expected that this research will not only result in a greater understanding of the aerodynamics of flapping wings, but also design rules for the creation of robotic insects. This is part of a highly visible research project and it is expected that the successful applicant will be a leader of a large multidisciplinary team of researchers.

Applicants should have a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, or a closely related field. Experience with microfabrication techniques is preferred. The position is open immediately (12/1/08) and is guaranteed for a year with a possible second year extension.

Position #3:

The Harvard Microrobotics Lab is currently seeking applicants for a postdoc position in the area of biomechanics and biologically-inspired robotics. Our lab is creating various arthropod-inspired aerial and ambulatory robotic insects which seek to emulate various locomotor functions and sensorimotor control architectures of model organisms (mostly Diptera and Blattaria). We would like to establish a systematic approach to bio-inspired robotic insect development which combines biomechanics principles with our unique fabrication capabilities. This will entail a highly experimental approach involving iterative physiological studies and device fabrication and analysis resulting in new prototype robotic insects with comparable locomotion capabilities as their biological analogs. This is part of a highly visible research project and it is expected that the successful applicant will be a leader of a large multidisciplinary team of researchers.

Applicants should have a Ph.D. in biology with a focus in biomechanics, evolutionary biology, or arthropod physiology. The position is open immediately (12/1/08) and is guaranteed for a year with a possible second year extension.

Instructions for postdoc applicants:

Applicants should send a cover letter briefly describing their background and career plans, a CV, and the names and contact information for at least three references. These documents should be submitted as pdf attachments to Prof. Wood (in the header, please indicate which position you are applying for):

Harvard University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and applications from women and underrepresented minorities are strongly encouraged.

Postdoctoral Fellowship in theoretical aspects of high-res non-destructive microscopy

Candidates should have direct hands-on experience in areas such as lens design, imaging theory, theoretical acoustic imaging, diffraction physics, image simulations and holography and/or wave propagation in heterogeneous media including soft matter. The candidate should have a Ph.D. in Physics, Applied Physics, Engineering or related disciplines.

We are seeking outstanding candidates who are highly motivated and have strong academic record. Applicants should send their CV, list of publications and contact information for three references to: Shriram Ramanathan (Electronic Mail: shriram@seas.harvard.edu). Please include PDF Application in the subject line of the email.

Harvard is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. We strongly welcome applications from qualified women and minority group members.