Post-Doctoral Research Associate: Center for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing - UTK

The Center for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing (CAMM) at the University of Tennessee is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Fellow with research interest and expertise in low-dimensional quantum materials. CAMM is a newly funded NSF Materials Research Science and Engineering Research Center (MRSEC) that focusses on two major initiatives: using Artificial Intelligence to tame the complexity of quantum materials and creating new materials that can operate in extreme conditions.

The successful candidate will be primarily responsible for the synthesis of epitaxial quantum materials via molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The materials synthesis will be supported by state-of-the-art artificial intelligence protocols. The successful candidate will work in a stimulating scientific environment with ample opportunities to broaden their professional portfolio by conducting, e.g., in-situ scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy (STM/STS), photoemission (XPS/ARPES) experiments, and ex-situ transport, magnetic and other physical property measurements. The successful candidate will be positioned to drive their own scientific activities and collaborate with faculty members, postdoctoral associates, and students from the departments of Physics & Astronomy, Materials Science & Engineering, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, all affiliated under the CAMM umbrella. 

Required Qualifications

• Education: PhD in Physics or closely related discipline.
• Experience: Research experience in MBE synthesis
• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: Strong publication, communication skills, and a demonstrated ability to work in a collaborative team environment

Preferred Qualifications
Additional expertise in scanning tunneling microscopy, photoemission, transport and/or magnetometry measurements is a plus, although not essential.  We welcome additional research experience in areas that support the center’s artificial intelligence mission including, but not limited to, automation, active and reinforcement learning, as well as material informatics and data-driven approaches for materials discovery and device design, including machine learning methods.

Candidates with experience in more than one discipline, or interest in collaboration across disciplines, are preferred. However, candidates who can define a unique research area are equally encouraged to apply.

Work Location: 

• On-site at the Institute of Advanced Materials & Manufacturing, Knoxville, TN

Compensation and Benefits 

• Anticipated hiring range: $60,000 – $63,000
• Find more information on UT Benefits here

Application Instructions 

For full consideration, applicants should submit in their application: 

1. A curriculum vitae, including a publication list 

2. Statement of research interests and accomplishments

3. A minimum of two letters of recommendation

Review of applications will begin on October 19, 2026, and will continue until the position is filled. For further information about this position, please contact Prof. Hanno H. Weitering (hanno@utk.edu), Prof. Norman Mannella (nmannell@utk.edu), or Prof. Wonhee Ko (wko@utk.edu).

About The Department

The Department has an exemplary research record, with eight professors earning NSF CAREER awards since 2012, eight professors among the world’s top two percent of physicists based on citation count, the award of the prestigious American Physical Society 2021 Bonner Prize, eleven APS Fellows, and four AAAS Fellows. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville is Tennessee’s flagship state research institution, a campus of choice for outstanding undergraduates and a premier graduate institution with a number of nationally and internationally ranked programs and with national and international leadership in numerous fields.