Postdoctoral Research Associate in Molecular Dynamics of Reverse Osmosis Membranes at UNC-Chapel Hill University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in United States

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is hiring a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering (Gillings School of Global Public Health) as part of the UNC Superfund Research Program.

The project focuses on molecular dynamics simulations of reverse osmosis (RO) membranes, with an emphasis on molecular-level processes that shape macroscopic membrane performance. The postdoc will investigate polymer chemistry, crosslinking mechanisms, and water/solute transport in highly crosslinked polyamide systems, and will help develop or extend computational tools for analyzing membrane structure and dynamics.

This is a collaborative research role bridging fundamental science and applied membrane design. The successful candidate will work with computational and experimental researchers, contribute to mentoring graduate and undergraduate students, assist with proposal writing, and participate in related academic activities.

Eligibility highlights: Ph.D. in environmental engineering, chemical engineering, computational chemistry, materials science, physics, or a closely related field; prior programming experience; ability to write and modify scientific code; proficiency in Python, C, C++, or similar. Preferred experience includes MD/atomistic simulations, HPC environments, polymer chemistry, scientific software development, mathematics, modeling, or numerical methods.

Funding and appointment: Full-time temporary postdoctoral appointment for 12 months. UNC postdoctoral benefits include medical and vision coverage and paid leave. No stipend amount is listed in the posting.

Application window: Posted 2026-04-01; application deadline 2026-07-31.

Apply via the UNC PeopleAdmin portal and upload the required CV/resume, cover letter, and references.