A postdoc position is available immediately in Dr. Yalin Li’s group in Civil & Environmental Engineering at Rutgers University-New Brunswick (https://yalinli.group; https://cee.rutgers.edu/yalin-li). The postdoc will lead research on process design, techno-economic analysis (TEA), and market survey/analyses of cell-free systems.
The position is funded as a part of the National Science Foundation’s >$32 MM CFIRE initiative in biotechnology to accelerate the adoption of cell-free systems. The project is a collaboration between Rutgers and Caravel Bio., California Institute of Technology, Avery Bio., and Oregon State University. More information about the CFIRE initiative and the project can be found through the links below:
- https://www.nsf.gov/tip/updates/nsf-invests-more-32m-biotechnology-accelerating-adoption
- https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2452693
Postdocs at Rutgers are covered by Union Agreement with highly competitive pay and benefits (minimum $63,968/year with insurance, retirement, etc.). The initial appointment will be for 12 months, renewable for another 2 years contingent on satisfactory performance and the availability of funding. As a part of CFIRE and its sister initiative USPRD (Use-Inspired Acceleration of Protein Design), the postdoc will be able to tap into a strong cohort of researchers, entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and policymakers in biotechnology. Dr. Li will work closely with the postdoc to provide tailored mentoring plans based on their career goals, and will fund activities for professional development (e.g., conferences and workshops).
Qualifications
Requirements:
- Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Synthetic Biotechnology, Biological Engineering, or related fields.
- Highly motivated, capable of working independently and in a collaborative environment.
Strong candidates:
- Experience with process design/synthesis/optimization and TEA.
- Experience with relevant tools (e.g., Aspen Plus, SuperPro Designer).
- Experience with programming (Python in particular) and AI/ML.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills with evidence of scientific impact of their Ph.D.
To Apply
Prospective candidates should submit the applications through Rutgers Job Board (Posting Number: 25FA0899; https://jobs.rutgers.edu/postings/260663). The following materials are required: brief cover letter, curriculum vitae, names and contact information for three references, and up to two examples of scholarly output (e.g., published or submitted manuscripts; upload as Writing Sample). Application review will begin immediately and continue until the ideal candidate is identified, candidates submitted by 10/31/2025 will be given priority.
About the Li Group
The Li Group focuses on advancing the sustainability of water and energy infrastructure through integrated experimentation and modeling. The group is interested in: (i) experimental development of thermochemical and catalytic technologies for resource recovery and biomanufacturing; and (ii) sustainable design and decision-making to prioritize the research, development, and deployment of technologies. The group’s work has been funded by the National Science Foundation, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the National Research Foundation of Singapore.
About Rutgers–New Brunswick
Founded in 1766, Rutgers–New Brunswick is the historic birthplace and flagship of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. It is the leading public university in New Jersey, a top 15 public national university, and a top 100 world university. Rutgers is also a member of the Association of American Universities and the Big Ten Academic Alliance. The CEE department is the oldest engineering discipline at Rutgers. It is housed in the new Richard Weeks Hall of Engineering in the Busch Campus, which is conveniently situated in central New Jersey and near the major urban centers of New York City, Philadelphia, and the iconic Jersey Shore.