Job Title

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Agency

Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi

Department

S&E-School Of Engineering & Computing Sciences

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

Corpus Christi, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

PURPOSE

• The position is to conduct BSEE (Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement) funded research to apply eChip (ecology on a chip) microfluidic platform developed by Sheng’s lab to study the effects of microbial degradation on dispersed oil droplets and subsequently their fate.  Using the eChip platform and micro–Transfer Molding technique.

DESCRIPTION

• Responsible for precise measurement of biodegradation of dispersed oil droplets. 
• Use micro-transfer printing to pattern a substrate (bottom walls of eChip) with an array of surface mounted oil droplets.
• Perform microcosm experiments using eChip technology to measure directly the dissolution and biodegradation of natural assemblage in seawater sample at GoM.
• Perform research on streamer formation over moving micro-droplets.
• Fabrication of disposable microfluidics, functionalization of microfluidics inner surface using PEM, performing systematic microcosm experiments to quantify processes of streamer formation with different oil, dispersant, and natural assembly.
• Lab organization, supervise UG and Grad students.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Doctoral degree in one of the following fields: physics (soft matter), marine microbiology, mechanical engineering (thermal fluids), chemical engineering (soft matter), civil and environmental engineering, and biomedical engineering.
• Experience with experimental studies of biofluid flow in low Re number.
• Skills and familiarity with one or several flow measurement techniques such as PIV, uPIV, and other optical flow measurements.
• Research experience with experimental microcosm experiments. 
• Skills and familiarity with microbiology analysis including microscopy, profiling, proteomics, and genetic analysis.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experiences in MATLAB, GPU-/HPC-computing environment to process the large amount of data will be a plus.
• Ability to be trained on the missing fundamentals necessary to conduct his/her research responsibility. Support from in-house experts will also be provided.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer committed to diversity.