Postdoctoral Fellowship Opportunities

PPFP Position Descriptions

Physics & Astronomy

The Department of Physics and Astronomy invites research postdoctoral fellows in broadly defined fields of theoretical physics, particle physics, observational astronomy, experimental or theoretical condensed matter physics, and physics education. For candidates interested in teaching, opportunities exist for teaching undergraduate or courses across our curriculum. 

Presidential Postdoctoral Fellows interested in working with us can join studies on: cosmology and quantum gravity with Claire Zukowski ([email protected]); transiting exoplanets and eclipsing binary stars with Dan Stevens ([email protected]); theory, phenomenology, or experimental neutrino physics with Rik Gran ([email protected]) and Alec Habig ([email protected]); experimental condensed matter physics with Laura Adams ([email protected]); and physics education with Department Head Sergei Katsev ([email protected]). Prospective fellows should contact one of the faculty members above to discuss their fellowship application. 

Candidates should have received a PhD degree in a relevant field by the start date of the appointment and are expected to show a strong record of publication or other scholarly achievement for their career stage. Candidates with interest in developing their teaching skills are welcome to provide a statement of their interests or experiences in physics education. We welcome all candidates with interest in contributing to the intellectual life and activities of the Department, contributing to positive faculty and student relationships, and building connections across the University that advance the fellow’s research and benefit other faculty members, researchers, students, and communities served by the University. 

Please direct general questions to Prof. Sergei Katsev ([email protected]).

Chemistry & Biochemistry / Advanced Materials Science

The Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry is a highly interdisciplinary department with strong links to the University of Minnesota Duluth Medical School, the College of Pharmacy, the Advanced Materials Center, the Natural Resources Resources Institute, and the Large Lakes Observatory, including multiple faculty with joint appointments across these institutes. Our state-of-the-art laboratory facilities include multiple shared instrumentation facilities and a new Chemistry & Advanced Materials Science building that opened in 2020.

Chemistry and Biochemistry faculty conduct research in a variety of areas that span the chemical sciences and beyond. Presidential Postdoctoral Fellows interested in working with us can join: research on organic carbon cycling and natural organic matter structure in the Laurentian Great Lakes with Katie Schreiner ([email protected]); organic matter photochemistry in lake and marine systems with Liz Minor ([email protected]); quantifying and characterizing the degradation of polymers and plastics with Melissa Maurer-Jones ([email protected]); assessing the impact of Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) on undergraduates’ laboratory skill development with Jake Wainman ([email protected]); Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology, and Preclinical Drug Discovery of New Anticancer Agents with Venkatram Mereddy ([email protected]); developing new quantitative fluorescence and laser spectroscopy techniques to measure molecular interactions and characterizing protein-based environmental biosensors with Ahmed Heikal ([email protected]) and Erin Sheets ([email protected]); fabrication of Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Materials for solar energy conversion and storage applications and molecular electronic devices with Prashanth Poddutoori ([email protected]); development of new synthetic methodologies based on organic chemistry of hypervalent iodine with Viktor Zhdankin ([email protected]); or the biosynthesis and evolution of plant-derived chemical compounds using artificial intelligence with Lucas Busta ([email protected]). 

Candidates should have received a PhD degree in a relevant field by the start date of the appointment and a strong record of publication or other scholarly achievement for their career stage. We strive to support the research and professional growth of postdoctoral fellows. The successful candidate is expected to contribute to the intellectual life of the Department and University, including participating in department activities such as seminars, contributing to positive faculty and student relationships, and building connections across the University that advance the fellow’s research and benefit other faculty members, researchers, students, and communities served by the University.
 

Please direct general questions to Chemistry & Biochemistry Department Head Kathryn Schreiner ([email protected]).

Earth & Environmental Sciences

The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (EES) is dedicated to advancing knowledge of the environmental and geological processes that shape our planet on local, regional, and global scales and preparing students to address pressing environmental and resource management challenges.

Our department offers comprehensive undergraduate and graduate degree programs that provide a foundation in environmental science, geology, and hydrology, with unique access to a region rich with geological diversity and home to one of the largest freshwater ecosystems in the world - Lake Superior.

EES faculty and students conduct research in the fields of: hydrogeology, quantitative geomorphology with John Swenson; igneous/experimental petrology, mantle geochemistry with Fred Davis; sedimentary geochemistry, sedimentology/stratigraphy, early Earth evolution with Latisha Brengman; geochronology, paleoceanography, tectonics with Christina Gallup; sedimentology of lakes, stable isotope applications to lakes, paleoclimatology with William Daniels and Byron Steinman; fluvial geomorphology with Karen Gran; structural geology and geomechanics with Michael Braunagel; conservation paleobiology, paleoecology, and marine invertebrates with Jansen Smith.

We are open to candidates who conduct research in any of the above areas but are particularly interested in an environmental geoscientist focused on atmospheric and/or critical zone science using advanced data science techniques or remote sensing applications. Our faculty also collaborates closely with UMD’s Large Lakes Observatory and Natural Resources Research Institute, fostering interdisciplinary research and leveraging state-of-the-art facilities.

Candidates must hold a PhD in a relevant field by the appointment start date and demonstrate a strong record of scholarly achievement or publication, commensurate with their career stage. The successful candidate will be expected to engage actively in the intellectual community of the Department, College, and University. This includes attending departmental seminars, fostering positive relationships with faculty and students, and building collaborative connections across the University to advance their research while benefiting other faculty, researchers, students, and the broader communities served by UMD. 
The fellow will be matched with an EES faculty mentor. Our department is committed to providing mentoring support that will allow fellows to thrive as scholars, teachers, and leaders. The fellow and mentor will meet throughout the year to discuss research trajectories, professional and teaching goals, professional development, grant writing, and work/life balance. 
Please feel free to name potential faculty mentors in your research statement. 

For general inquiries, please contact EES Department Head Byron Steinman ([email protected]).

Large Lakes Observatory

The Large Lakes Observatory (LLO) at UMD is the only institute in the US dedicated to the scientific study of large lakes throughout the world. Our faculty hold appointments in UMD’s Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Sciences, and Physics departments, bringing a strong interdisciplinary dimension to research, education, and outreach conducted at LLO. We maintain a robust research program on the Laurentian Great Lakes, but our outlook and activities are global. 

Current research focuses on both large and small lakes in East Africa, Asia, and the Americas, as well as coastal ocean environments and ancient aquatic systems. Our analytical and laboratory facilities support a wide range of research in biogeochemistry, biology, sedimentology, and physics of aquatic environment, and we operate the only UNOLS research vessel on the Great Lakes, the R/V Blue Heron.

The LLO is part of an established limnology community in Duluth and the University of Minnesota system. Our scientists work closely with other aquatic researchers at UMD and the University of Minnesota system, as well as governmental and non-profit environmental groups in the Duluth area, including the Natural Resources Research Institute, the Duluth EPA laboratory, and the St Louis Estuary National Estuarine Research Reserve.

LLO faculty and students conduct research in the fields of paleolimnology and paleoclimatology, physical processes in lakes, organic and inorganic biogeochemistry, geomicrobiology, and aquatic ecology. Presidential Postdoctoral Fellows interested in working with us can join studies on: organic carbon cycling and organic geochemistry with Katie Schreiner ([email protected]); microplastics or organic and inorganic carbon cycling with Liz Minor ([email protected]); fluid dynamics, waves, and turbulence with Samuel Kelly ([email protected]); biogeochemical modeling and ancient oceans with Sergei Katsev ([email protected]); paleoclimatology and climate dynamics with Byron Steinman ([email protected]); cyanobacteria and bloom ecology and sediment microbiology with Cody Sheik ([email protected]); winter limnology with Ted Ozersky ([email protected]); and bioacoustics or remote-sensing based studies of lake dynamics with Catherine O’Reilly ([email protected]). Prospective fellows should contact one of the faculty members above to discuss your fellowship application before applying. We encourage prospective applicants with unique ideas that may not fit directly into one of the topics listed here to reach out to the most closely relevant faculty.

We are committed to supporting the research and professional growth of postdoctoral fellows and fostering a collaborative environment that values diverse perspectives and experiences. The successful candidate is expected to actively contribute to the intellectual life of the LLO and the University by engaging in interdisciplinary collaboration. The postdoctoral fellow will participate in department activities, including attending seminars, fostering positive relationships among faculty, students, and staff, and building connections across the University that advance the fellow’s research and contribute to a vibrant and inclusive academic community.

Candidates should have received a PhD degree in a relevant field by the start date of the appointment and should demonstrate a strong record of publication or other scholarly achievements for their career stage. 

Please direct general questions to Ted Ozersky ([email protected])

Mathematics & Statistics

The Mathematics and Statistics Department invites applications for postdoctoral fellows in mathematics or statistics. Faculty in Mathematics and Statistics actively conduct research in various areas including applied math, mathematical biology, modeling and simulation, celestial mechanics, number theory, combinatorics, topology, math education, and statistics. 

Candidates should have received a PhD degree in a relevant field by the start date of the appointment and are expected to show a strong research record for their career stage. Candidates with interest in developing their teaching skills are welcome to provide a statement of their interests or experiences in mathematics or statistics education. The successful candidate is expected to contribute to the intellectual life and activities of the Department. This includes contributing to positive faculty and student relationships, and building connections across the University that advance the fellow’s research and benefit other faculty members, researchers, students, and communities served by the University. 

The fellow will be matched with a departmental faculty mentor. Our department is committed to providing mentoring support that will allow fellows to thrive as scholars, teachers, and leaders. The fellow and mentor will meet throughout the year to discuss research trajectories, professional and teaching goals, professional development, grant writing, and work/life balance.

Please direct any questions to the Department Head, Dr. Kate Petersen ([email protected]).