Empire Innovation Professor (Associate/ Full) - Advanced Characterization of Quantum Materials

Position Description

The Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering at Stony Brook University invites applications for an Empire Innovation Program faculty position at the Associate or Full Professor level in advanced characterization of quantum materials. The successful candidate will be an established researcher who can identify and control the materials-level origins of decoherence and help translate quantum phenomena into reliable, scalable technologies.

The position will focus on structural metrology and defect engineering in solid-state quantum materials. The faculty member will develop and apply advanced characterization methods that quantitatively connect defects, interfaces, and disorder with quantum coherence, transport, spin, and optical properties. The research program should bridge fundamental materials discovery with device-level integration and convert atomic-scale measurements into practical design rules for quantum technologies.

Research Areas

• Atomic-scale structural characterization of quantum materials and quantum-active solid-state platforms.
• Defect, interface, and disorder engineering to understand and reduce decoherence.
• Quantitative relationships among structure, processing, quantum coherence, electronic transport, spin behavior, and optical properties.
• Advanced microscopy, spectroscopy, diffraction, magnetometry, and electron paramagnetic resonance methods for quantum materials.
• Synthesis and processing strategies that control the defects and interfaces governing quantum performance.
• Integration of quantum materials into functional devices and architectures, in collaboration with theorists, synthesis researchers, and device engineers.
• Use of data analysis, modeling, and machine learning where these methods strengthen the interpretation and design of quantum materials.

The appointment is part of the proposal Quantum Information Science in the Real World from Molecules to Materials, which links molecular design, materials synthesis, advanced characterization, and quantum-state measurement. The new faculty member will collaborate with a campus network of 29 researchers spanning materials science, chemistry, physics, applied mathematics, computer science, and electrical engineering. Since 2018, this group has secured more than $100 million in external funding.

The research program will benefit from Stony Brook's role in the Co-design Center for Quantum Advantage and the New York State Quantum Research and Innovation Hub, as well as the University's partnership with Brookhaven National Laboratory. Relevant resources include the National Synchrotron Light Source II, the Center for Functional Nanomaterials, campus microscopy and diffraction facilities, high-performance computing, and planned access to SQUID magnetometry, electron paramagnetic resonance, and advanced microscopy.

The current position is expected to strengthen and complement teaching and research activities in Materials Science. The successful candidate will teach undergraduate and graduate courses in materials science and engineering, develop interdisciplinary curriculum in quantum information science and quantum materials, and mentor graduate students, undergraduate researchers, and postdoctoral scholars. The faculty member will contribute to an inclusive academic community and to collaborative education across the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the College of Arts and Sciences.

Candidates must meet the criteria for appointment at the rank of Associate or Full Professor at Stony Brook University and may be eligible for designation as a SUNY Empire Innovation Professor, subject to SUNY approval.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. (or foreign equivalent) degree in materials science and engineering, physics, chemistry, or a closely related field.
• Internationally recognized research accomplishments in quantum materials, advanced materials characterization, or a closely related area.
• A proven record of securing competitive external research funding
• A strong record of high-impact, peer-reviewed scholarly publications demonstrating significant research contributions and impact.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and participate in multidisciplinary team-science initiatives involving materials synthesis, theory, characterization, and device integration.
• A strong record of excellence and commitment to undergraduate and graduate teaching, mentoring, and the development of an inclusive academic environment.
• Experience and scholarly accomplishments commensurate with appointment and tenure at Associate or Full Professor rank.

Preferred Qualifications

• Research that quantitatively links atomic-scale defects, interfaces, and disorder to quantum coherence, transport, spin, or optical behavior.
• Demonstrated leadership in advanced structural characterization and defect engineering of extended solid-state platforms.
• A sustained record of experience translating characterization results into materials design, synthesis, processing, or device-integration strategies.
• Demonstrated expertise with one or more of the following: advanced microscopy, synchrotron methods, diffraction, SQUID magnetometry, electron paramagnetic resonance, or multimodal characterization.
• Demonstrated experience leading major multi-investigator proposals, centers, or collaborations supported by agencies such as the Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, or Department of Defense.
• A sustained record of productive collaboration with national laboratories or industrial partners in quantum information science and technology.

Application Instructions

Applications received prior to January 15, 2027 will receive full consideration. Candidates who apply on or after January 15, 2027 will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled. The below documents are required and must be submitted through Interfolio.

1. Cover Letter
2. Curriculum Vitae,
3. Research statement (3 pages maximum),
4. List of sponsored research funding, including the applicant's role on each award.
5. Teaching and mentoring statement (3 pages maximum),
6. Selected teaching evaluations, if available (may be uploaded to “other materials (if available may be uploaded to “other materials”),
7. Names and contact information of three references.

Candidates invited for on-campus interviews will be required to deliver a presentation and provide written references.

All application materials must be submitted online. Please use the Apply Now button to begin your application. For technical support, please visit Interfolio's Support Site (https://support.interfolio.com/) or reach out to their Scholar Service Team at help@interfollio.com or (877) 997-8807.

For questions regarding this position, please contact search chair, Michael Dudley at Michael.Dudley@stonybrook.edu

Department description

The Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering (MSCE) at Stony Brook University, one of the nine academic departments within the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences (CEAS), is a leading center for scientific discovery, engineering innovation, and interdisciplinary research. In 2026, faculty research expenditures exceeded $16 million, placing the department among the University's leaders in per-capita research funding and at the forefront of research activity within CEAS. Its internationally recognized faculty pursue transformative research in energy storage and conversion, advanced materials, catalysis, microelectronics, computational materials science, polymers, nuclear materials, and sustainable engineering. The department's distinguished research centers include the Energy Frontier Research Center for Energy Storage Technologies, Center for Mesoscale Transport Properties, Garcia Polymer Center, Center for Thermal Spray Research, and onsemi Research Center for Wide-Bandgap Materials, advancing discoveries in emerging materials and next-generation technologies. MSCE's research excellence is further strengthened by close collaborations with Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), located approximately 20 miles from Stony Brook, where affiliated faculty and students benefit from collaborative research opportunities and access to world-class facilities, including the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, National Synchrotron Light Source, Center for Functional Nanomaterials, and NewYorkBlue IBM Blue Gene/L supercomputer, with opportunities for joint research appointments. The department also benefits from CEAS's broader innovation ecosystem, including the Center of Excellence in Wireless and Information Technology (CEWIT) and the Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center (AERTC). By integrating cutting-edge research with undergraduate and graduate education and fostering collaboration across disciplines, national laboratories, and industry, MSCE empowers students and faculty to advance scientific knowledge, develop innovative technologies, and address the complex challenges shaping our future.

SBU campus description

Stony Brook University, one of four research intensive campuses within the State University of New York (SUNY) system, is widely regarded as its flagship. The University embraces its mission to provide comprehensive undergraduate, graduate and professional education of the highest quality, and its rankings bear that out. It's included among the top 1% of universities in the world by the 2018 QS World University Rankings and among the top 40 public universities by U.S. News & World Report's 2020 Best Colleges rankings. It is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities, composed of the top 62 research institutions in North America. As Long Island's largest single site employer, Stony Brook has nearly 15,000 full- and part time employees, including more than 2,700 faculty. It enrolled roughly 26,800 students in fall 2019 - 17,900 undergraduate students and 8,900 graduate students - and offers more than 200 majors, minors and combined-degree programs. The Department of Athletics supports 18 Division I varsity intercollegiate athletic programs that compete at the highest level within the NCAA. Located approximately 60 miles east of Manhattan on Long Island's beautiful North Shore, Stony Brook is situated on 1,454 wooded acres, encompassing 13 schools and colleges; a Research and Development Park; world-class athletics facilities, including an 8,300-seat stadium and a 4,000-seat arena; and Stony Brook Medicine, Long Island's premier academic medical center. Also part of the University is a teaching and research campus in Southampton, New York, which offers graduate arts programs and is the site of the Marine Sciences Center. In addition, Stony Brook has a role in running, and performs joint research with, Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), the only Department of Energy Laboratory in the Northeast. Home to the Emerson String Quartet, the PollockKrasner House in East Hampton, NY, and the Humanities Institute, with endeavors that extend to the Turkana Basin Institute in Kenya and the Ranomafana National Park in Madagascar, Stony Brook sustains an international reputation that cuts across the arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.

Special Notes

This is a tenured faculty position. FLSA Exempt position, not eligible for overtime. In addition to base salary, this position is eligible for $4,150 UUP annual location pay. Internal and external search to occur simultaneously.

Anticipated Start Date: Fall 2027

The selected candidate must successfully clear a background investigation.

In accordance with the Title II Crime Awareness and Security Act, a copy of our crime statistics is available upon request by calling (631) 632- 6350. It can also be viewed online at the University Police website at http://www.stonybrook.edu/police.

In support of this commitment, certain candidates for employment will be required to disclose such employment-related misconduct findings and pending investigations or proceedings, and final candidates for certain faculty and staff positions will authorize their current and previous employer(s) from the last seven (7) years to disclose such information to the University. Employment is contingent on your full and complete disclosure on these matters. In the event that you fail to disclose any such matter or in the event of an unsatisfactory outcome of the disclosure and review process, an offer of employment may be revoked at SBU's sole discretion. If SBU becomes aware of a failure to disclose or misrepresentation of any such matter after your employment commences, you may be subject to discipline, up to and including termination.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Stony Brook University is committed to excellence in the creation of an inclusive learning and working environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and all other protected classes under federal or state laws.

Stony Brook University is dedicated to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants, including individuals with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the application, interview, or hiring process, please request one by contacting oea_ada@stonybrook.edu. We will consider accommodation requests in compliance with applicable laws. This process is independent and does not require any voluntary self-identification of disability status. Please include the position title and position number (if known) in your message.

In support of this commitment, certain candidates for employment will be required to disclose such employment-related misconduct findings and pending investigations or proceedings, and final candidates for certain faculty and staff positions will authorize their current and previous employer(s) from the last seven (7) years to disclose such information to the University. Employment is contingent on your full and complete disclosure on these matters. In the event that you fail to disclose any such matter or in the event of an unsatisfactory outcome of the disclosure and review process, an offer of employment may be revoked at SBU's sole discretion. If SBU becomes aware of a failure to disclose or misrepresentation of any such matter after your employment commences, you may be subject to discipline, up to and including termination.

Stony Brook University is committed to creating and maintaining a workplace and educational environment that is safe, accessible, and free of all forms of discrimination, sexual misconduct or research misconduct, among other infractions.

Stony Brook University is committed to creating and maintaining a workplace and educational environment that is safe, accessible, and free of all forms of discrimination, sexual misconduct, or research misconduct, among other infractions.