Post Doctoral Scholar

The Opportunity:

We are seeking a highly motivated and skilled Research Associate to support ongoing and new projects related to direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs) and water electrolyzers (alkaline/anion exchange membrane systems). The successful candidate will contribute to the design, fabrication, testing, and characterization of materials and devices for clean energy conversion and storage.

Responsibilities:

• Conduct experimental research on fuel cell and electrolyzer systems, including Electrode and catalyst synthesis.
• Membrane and MEA (membrane electrode assembly) fabrication, Cell assembly and performance testing (e.g., polarization curves, EIS).
• Design and execute experiments for materials optimization and degradation analysis.
• Maintain and operate laboratory equipment, including potentiostats, impedance analyzers, gas flow systems, and temperature-controlled test stations.
• Perform materials and surface characterization (e.g., SEM, TEM, XRD, XPS, BET, Raman, FTIR).
• Analyze and interpret electrochemical and physicochemical data.
• Prepare progress reports, technical documentation, and research papers.
• Assist in writing proposals, manuscripts, and patents.
• Supervise and mentor graduate/undergraduate students.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and external partners in academia, government, and industry.

Minimum Qualifications:

Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry, Electrochemistry, or a related discipline.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Hands-on experience in fuel cell and/or electrolyzer R&D, preferably PEM-based or alkaline systems.
• Strong background in electrocatalysis, membrane materials, or electrochemical testing.
• Demonstrated experience with electrochemical techniques (CV, LSV, EIS, chronoamperometry, etc.).
• Familiarity with nanomaterial synthesis and material characterization tools Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and organizational skills.

Department

Work Schedule

Type of Appointment

Expected Salary

As a Florida public university, the University of Central Florida makes all application materials and selection procedures available to the public upon request.

UCF is proud to be a smoke-free campus and an E-Verify employer.

If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 407-823-1336 or email onac@ucf.edu.

For general application or posting questions, please email talent@ucf.edu.