Postdoctoral Fellow - College of Engineering - Department of Chemical Engineering

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Since its inception in 1905, the Carnegie Mellon Department of Chemical Engineering has been on the leading edge of research and innovation in chemical engineering. Today, this is truer than ever. With research thrusts across fields such as health and medicine, biofuels, air quality and more, CMU chemical engineering students are paving the way to healthier, cleaner, more efficient future for all.

A research collaboration is being funded by the Energy and Environment Solutions (E2S) program of the Universite de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour (UPPA) and Carnegie Mellon University. The Postdoctoral Fellow will be investigating the anti-microbial properties of multi-component metallic alloy surfaces and conducting work at CMU. The surfaces of common objects that come in touch with human skin can serve as vehicles for transport of diseases and their spread throughout human communities. This infection process can be mitigated by surfaces on which microbes cannot survive for long periods of time. Many such surfaces are metallic and it is known that the surfaces of some pure metals, such as copper, silver, and cobalt exhibit anti-microbial activity. In principle, multicomponent alloys can be designed to have anti-microbial properties that are optimized by selection of the alloy composition. The project will exploit the use of Composition Spread Alloy Films (CSAFs) to enable rapid identification compositions of binary and ternary alloys that have maximum antimicrobial activity. The work being conducted at CMU will be the production and physical characterization of binary and ternary CSAFs using tools developed at CMU. These CSAF samples will be used by our collaborators at UPPA conducting experiments in which model microbes are adsorbed onto the CSAF surfaces and their lifetimes measured across a continuum of alloy compositions. The work will develop and implement procedures for preparing CSAFs of alloy components identified by the UPPA team. Initially, these will be binary AgAu and ternary CuAgAu CSAFs. The CSAF preparation will be conducted using existing apparatus (rotating shadow mask CSAF deposition tool) housed in Gellman's lab at CMU. Once deposited, the CSAFs will be characterized using secondary electron spectroscopy for micron level imaging of the CSAF morphology across the substrate. The local CSAF thickness and local CSAF composition will be measured as functions of position on the CSAF using energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX). If necessary, further characterization of the CSAF will be conducted using surface analysis tools such as x-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS). In addition to lab work as described above, the scope of work includes report writing and the development, submission and publication of scholarly articles describing the findings and outcomes of the project.

Responsibilities:

• Preparation and characterization of the Composition Spread Alloy Films of alloy including metallic components such as Ag, Au, Cu and others.
• Prepare maps of CSAF composition across the sample(s) surface.
• Use scanning electron microscopy (SEM) methods to prepare maps of CSAF
  surface morphology.
• Maintain the ultra-high vacuum equipment used for CSAF deposition and characterization.
• * Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Preferred applicants will have, or be close to completing, a PhD in physical science or engineering.
• They should have demonstrated expertise in the use of ultra-high vacuum instrumentation and methods for surface analysis.
• In addition, they should have demonstrated expertise in the methods of thin film growth and characterization.
• They should also have familiarity with the use of method for high throughput materials characterization

Joining the CMU team opens the door to an array of exceptional benefits.

Benefits eligible employees enjoy a wide array of benefits including comprehensive medical, prescription, dental, and vision insurance as well as a generous retirement savings program with employer contributions. Unlock your potential with tuition benefits, take well-deserved breaks with ample paid time off and observed holidays, and rest easy with life and accidental death and disability insurance.

Additional perks include a free Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus pass, access to our Family Concierge Team to help navigate childcare needs, fitness center access, and much more!

For a comprehensive overview of the benefits available, explore our Benefits page.

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