Postdoctoral Positions
Apply to be an ICMT Postdoctoral Researcher
Applicants are invited to fill several postdoctoral positions in condensed matter theory at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. These positions start . They will normally be expected to last for two or three years, and are associated with the Institute for Condensed Matter Theory at Illinois. View our current list of people.
Postdoctoral Moore Scholars at ICMT will have wide latitude in their choice of research activities in Quantum Materials, and will be encouraged to be broadly engaged with condensed matter research activities at Illinois. For more information about the Moore Scholar postdoctoral positions and how to apply, please visit the postdoctoral Moore Scholars page.
Applications are also invited to fill departmental postdoctoral position. All these positions can be applied for concurrently with the ICMT Moore Postdoctoral Scholar positions. Although departmental positions are typically more closely tied to a specific supporting project, all Illinois postdoctoral researchers are encouraged to take advantage of the extensive opportunities provided to develop breadth through wide-ranging collaborations. Strong, creative individuals are encouraged to apply for these postdoctoral scholar and departmental post-doctoral positions, regardless of their specialties. For more information on how to apply, view the instructions below.
Condensed matter theory faculty at Illinois interact with other theorists at Illinois, with the superb and large experimental condensed matter group, including members of the Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, and have access to unparalleled facilities for computation through the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, including the new Blue Waters facility. They also interact with biologists elsewhere on campus, including through the University's Institute for Genomic Biology.
How to apply for postdoctoral positions at ICMT (see FAQ)
- To receive full consideration, applications should arrive no later than the application deadline listed above. The committee will start reviewing applications shortly after that date. Applications received after the deadline cannot be guaranteed full consideration. We anticipate conducting interviews throughout the fall semester.
- Web-based applications, made via https://my.physics.illinois.edu/join/, are strongly preferred.
- These applications should include
- a cover letter
- a curriculum vita
- a research statement, summarizing your past, ongoing and future research, and
- a publications list, including papers and preprints (with their URLs, if they are posted on the preprint server).
- For any papers or preprints that are not readily available via the Internet, applicants may wish to upload electronic copies (see FAQ) via the supporting documentation channel (or mail paper copies to the address given below).
- Electronic application materials in formats other than PDF are unlikely to be considered.
- Additionally, each applicant should include contact information for at least three references or possibly more (see FAQ) from whom letters of recommendation can be requested. References should be prepared to upload their letters of recommendation (PDF preferred) no later than the application deadline listed above.
- Address to which applications materials (including letters of recommendation) can, if necessary, be mailed:
ICMT Postdoctoral Positions Search
c/o Janice Benner
Department of Physics
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
1110 West Green Street
Urbana, IL 61801-3080, USA
The University of Illinois is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, and welcomes applications from minority and women candidates.
Opportunities for Postdoctoral Research in ICMT: FAQ
- In my ICMT fellowship application, must I mention the names of ICMT faculty members with whom I would like to work?
You don't have to do this. But it's a good idea to mention one or more people, if you can. One place you do this is in the "candidates comments" section of the web-based application. - I'd like to apply for an ICMT postdoctoral fellowship. How many letters of recommendation do I need?
Most applicants will list three recommenders. You're welcome to list one or two more but we don't expect this. - Should I ask my recommenders to send their letters directly?
No. Just ask them to be prepared to receive a request for a letter from us. And please alert them to our preference fof PDF-format letters, uploaded by them. Once you've applied, you'll receive information about how and where their letters should be uploaded. - What if PDF and uploading are inconvenient for some of my letter writers?
Don't worry. If necessary, letters can be sent by mail to this address. But we've found that most letter writers prefer PDF and uploading. - In my web-base application, what should I upload via the "supporting documentation" channel?
You don't need to upload anything under "supporting documentation". But you can use this channel to provide us with any preprints or reprints that are not readily available via the internet (PDF strongly preferred). - What are the main differences between the departmental postdoctoral positions and the ICMT postdoctoral fellowships?
The departmental positions are typically more closely tied to a specific supporting project than the ICMT ones. However, all illinois postdoctoral researchers are encouraged to take advantage of the extensive opportunities provided to develop breadth through wide-ranging collaborations. Also, the normal expectation is for departmental positions to last for two years and for ICMT ones to last for three years. - I'm interested in applying for a departmental postdoctoral position with one or more of the ICMT faculty members (e.g. in the Physics or Chemistry or... departments). How can I do this?
If you wish, you could certainly apply for departmental postdoctoral positions by sending your application materials directly to one or more faculty members. But instead, you can...
- Apply for an ICMT postdoctoral fellowship by completing the relevant web-based application at https://my.physics.illinois.edu/join/.
- Then be sure to contact the relevant ICMT faculty member(s) to let them know that you're also interested in being considered for a departmental postdoctoral position.
- If you follow this route (and we recommend that you do), in addition to contacting the relevant faculty member(s) please send email to Janice Benner at jbenner@illinois.edu, telling her which faculty member(s) you'd like to be considered by.
- There's no need for ICMT postdoctoral fellowship applicants to send duplicate materials for their departmental postdoctoral position applications. Their fellowship applications materials will be accessible to the relevant faculty member(s).