APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

• CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

• CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

• If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click “Apply” and complete the application process for external applicants.

 

Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants.

This is a term position; length of the term will be discussed during the interview process. Continuation past the term length discussed will be based on university need, performance, and/or availability of funding.

 

POSITION SPECIFICS

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MatSE) at the Pennsylvania State University invites applications for a full-time Assistant Research Professor position in the areas of optoelectronics, photovoltaics, and advanced functional thin-film devices. The successful candidate will lead research efforts in thin film growth, device fabrication, and electrical/optoelectronic transport measurements, with a focus on the development of optoelectronic devices such as memory storage devices, sensors, and solar cells. This position emphasizes energy harvesting, device engineering, and the integration of next-generation materials into functional electronic and optoelectronic systems. The research program will involve fabrication and optimization of thin-film devices, nanofabrication and device integration, and detailed characterization of electrical, optical, and transport properties.

The ideal candidate should have strong expertise and demonstrated research experience in optoelectronics, photovoltaics (particularly solar energy harvesting), memory storage devices, and perovskite device engineering. A solid background in thin-film deposition techniques such as CVD, ALD, sputtering, or evaporation is required, along with experience in nanofabrication methods including photolithography. The candidate should also possess expertise in materials and device characterization, including electrical, optical, and structural analysis, as well as a strong understanding of charge transport and interface engineering in functional materials. Experience working with multifunctional materials, bio-hybrid systems, or emerging device platforms is highly desirable.

Responsibilities include conducting cutting-edge research in optoelectronic and energy materials, leading material synthesis, device design, fabrication, and characterization efforts, and collaborating with faculty across PSU and related disciplines. The candidate will also be expected to supervise and mentor postdocs, graduate and undergraduate researchers, contribute to proposal writing and research program development, and publish research findings in high-impact peer-revie