Postdoctoral Associate
“Sustainable hydrogel microparticles for the removal of micropollutants from water”
Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Associate position in the Doyle Lab at MIT. The Doyle Lab has developed a suite of hydrogel technologies for applications in water treatment, focusing on the elimination of emerging contaminants and micropollutants (lead, PFAS, BPA, xenoestrogens, etc.) [1,2], and is currently working on commercializing this work for industrial applications in food & beverage, oil & gas, semiconductors, and effluent water treatment. The postdoctoral associate will lead engineering development of prototypes, entailing scaling up the manufacturing of hydrogel microparticles, optimization of performance, and the construction of small pilot-scale filters for water treatment.
The postdoctoral associate will have frequent interactions with the business development team and industry partners. Candidates should have experimental experience in one or more of the following areas: polymer chemistry or organic synthesis, catalysis or reaction engineering, process design, and scale up. Experience in modeling is a bonus but not required.
Required skills include: background in chemical/mechanical/environmental engineering or allied disciplines, and strong communication skills. Familiarity/interest in building simple mechanical devices is helpful in this project. Candidates with a strong interest in entrepreneurship and technology commercialization are desired, and an interest in continuing with the project as a member of the founding team of a startup to be incorporated in late 2024/early 2025 is preferred.
Applicants must have a demonstrated record of impactful scientific contributions (not necessarily limited to academic papers, patent applications, etc.), a passion for innovation, and a capacity to communicate effectively with stakeholders from a range of disciplines and backgrounds, including non-engineers. Interviews are underway now, with the position to be filled immediately.
To apply: please email (i) your cover letter & CV and (ii) the names and contact information for 3 references to Prof. Patrick Doyle (pdoyle [at] mit [dot] edu) “Water Postdoc Application” in the subject line.
MIT is an equal opportunity employer, and we welcome diverse experiences, backgrounds and perspectives.
References:
1. Gokhale, Hamelberg, and Doyle, “Multifunctional zwitterionic hydrogels for the rapid elimination of organic and inorganic micropollutants from water”, Nature Water, 2024.
2. Gokhale, Chen, and Doyle, “Micelle-Laden Hydrogel Microparticles for the Removal of Hydrophobic Micropollutants from Water”, ACS Applied Polymer Materials 4(1), 2022.