The Department of Mechanical Engineering receives and evaluates applications on a continuous basis from applicants for research positions on an as needed basis by the Search Committee in conjunction with various Principal Investigators in the Department who have a demonstrated need. Appointments are temporary in nature and can be part-time or full-time depending on the research contract funding and terms. Renewals are contingent on satisfactory performance, the availability of funds and/or work for the position, and meeting standard University employment requirements of the individual in position. Salary is set by the individual faculty member choosing to hire a candidate but is within University guidelines. The percentage of time and duration of appointment will determine benefits. Duration of appointment, position title, and salary vary according to funding and qualifications of the candidate.

The post-doctoral associate employee conducts research or service that provides further development of career skills or allows them opportunities to learn new research techniques. The post-doctoral associate is trained by and works in conjunction with their faculty mentor who determines the training agenda.

Duties/responsibilities (breakdown of percentages required by OHR):

• performing high level experimental, theoretical, and numerical research and data analysis (60%)
• presentation publication, and proposal preparation (20%)
• mentoring PhD and MSME students (10%)
• laboratory organization and management (10%)

Duties/responsibilities:

• In this position you will be expected to perform high level experimental, theoretical, and/or numerical research.
• In this context, you might be expected to generate new research ideas and lead development of new research proposals.
• In this position, you will collaborate with a highly interdisciplinary team within the University of Minnesota and partner universities.
• You will be expected to author, co-author, and otherwise collaborate on preparing publications for peer review describing research results, assisting with the preparation of progress reports as required by funding agencies, preparation of presentations for conferences, attendance at grant review meetings, and assisting with proposal preparation. You will also be expected to participate in preparation and presentation of data to study investigators.
• As a post-doctoral associate, you will be encouraged to serve as a leader on your research team by mentoring graduate students, undergraduate students, and/or lab technician research team members. This may include advice on technical questions, data analysis, discussions on the development of research plans, preparation of manuscripts and reports, participating in the application / execution of established techniques to other projects, and helping them to develop and pursue their own independent research as a co-author.
• You might be acting lead on research projects and expected to effectively coordinate research activities within the project team, communicate project needs, and provide regular updates on project progress to the lab group and Principle Investigator.
• You will have joint responsibility for the organization and management of laboratories under the faculty mentor's supervision ensuring all lab members follow all safety protocols, properly recording data from experimental and numerical research and promptly backing up all data.
• While in this position you might also have the opportunity to teach courses offered in our department. These duties would be to prepare and deliver lectures, prepare homework assignments, quizzes and exams, hold office hours, assess student work, supervise the teaching assistants and manage the administration of the course

Required qualifications:

• Earned Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related field.
• Additional required qualifications are determined by the Principal Investigator/faculty supervisor.

*Any preferred qualifications are determined by the Principal Investigator/faculty supervisor.

About University of Minnesota Twin Cities

The University of Minnesota, founded in the belief that all people are enriched by understanding, is dedicated to the advancement of learning and the search for truth; to the sharing of this knowledge through education for a diverse community; and to the application of this knowledge to benefit the people of the state, the nation, and the world.

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