Job Description
MIT is working to create a sustainable energy future. Developing new strategies to store renewable energy inspires us. We bring together the best minds and pursue the most promising science. We are MIT. We collaborate with researchers across MIT and the world to benefit humanity. Learn more at web.mit.edu/johnsongroup and rle.mit.edu/eel and follow us @johnsonchem and @EELabMIT.
A major challenge for renewable energy storage is the synthesis, structural characterization and functional screening of potential electrolyte candidates. Recently, technologies such as high throughput experimentation (HTE) coupled with machine learning have been introduced to shorten the synthesis to screening discovery cycle in fields such as drug discovery, but the implementation of these concepts in electrolyte design is in its infancy. This Research Scientist will explore and optimize a novel HTE system featuring a one-of-a-kind custom high throughput electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (HTEIS) setup that is being developed at MIT. The system allows synthesis, formulation, analysis, and screening of hundreds of novel electrolyte formulations in days vs. weeks or months via conventional approaches. Moreover, its direct connection to advanced data processing and machine learning tools facilitates rapid experiment optimization through a closed experimental–computational loop.
The main purpose of this position is to collaborate with research laboratories and with multidisciplinary project co-leaders as well as students and postdocs at MIT to develop and apply this HTE and HTEIS tool to advance the scientific field and be impactful in support of the electrolyte discovery and optimization efforts in our laboratories.
The candidate would work at MIT in a dedicated space that houses the HTE-HTEIS tool and contains a chemical fume hood and various other instrumentation that is accessible to the candidate.
During this work, the candidate will have numerous opportunities to visit and interact with MIT students, postdocs, and faculty, as well as TRI researchers and other collaborators around the world, to learn about and advance about the cutting-edge battery electrolyte research.
Responsibilities:
- Perform research work in designated areas as agreed to MIT and TRI teams
- Prepare summary of research progress and manuscripts for publication
- Summarize and present data at internal and external meetings
- Work with students and postdocs to enable their projects
- Coauthor publications with students and postdocs based on their research
Qualifications
Required:
- Required Minimum Education: PhD in Chemistry, Materials Science, or a related discipline
- Graduate level experience in organic chemistry with some knowledge of polymers/materials or electrochemistry.
- Individual must have a mind-set of curiosity, creativity, collaboration and openness to diverse thinking.
- Candidate will also require a good working knowledge of Microsoft Office suite.
- Good communication skills (written and oral) are also required for report/manuscript writing, collaboration with others, and research presentations.
Preferred:
- Prefer candidate with strong knowledge of organic and polymer chemistry with high throughput experimentation (HTE) and traditional EIS or other electrolyte/battery experience
- Experience with Biologic Potentiostat and EC-lab software, Thermal analysis (DSC, TGA)
- Working computer science skills in common languages such as Python, R, or VBScript
- Experience with design of experiments (DOE) and analysis of large datasets
Primary Locations
United States-Massachusetts-Cambridge-MIT
Organization
MIT