Principal Investigator/ Associate Professor

About the role

Pioneer the Future of Smart Materials Principal Investigator / Associate Professor Center for Advanced Smart Materials (CASM) | Yongjiang Laboratory (Y-Lab) | Ningbo, China ________________________________________ Yongjiang Laboratory (Y-Lab), established in 2021 with robust and sustained government backing, is one of China's most heavily capitalized new R&D institutions—dedicated to research that bridges fundamental science and transformative technology. At its heart is the Center for Advanced Smart Materials (CASM), a flagship 7,000 m² research facility designed for full-chain innovation: from discovery-level condensed matter physics to real-world technology transfer. ________________________________________ A Track Record of Global Impact Led by Prof. Xiaobing Ren, an internationally recognized pioneer in ferroic smart materials (300+ publications; 30,000+ citations), CASM has established global leadership in strain-glass physics and high-performance piezoelectrics. Recent landmark results: •  Science (2026): Super piezoelectric ceramics far exceeding conventional performance limits •  Nature (2024): "Super-flexible yet super-strong" strain glass metals—a new paradigm in metallic materials •  Aerospace deployment (collaborative): Strain-glass alloys—built on the foundational concept proposed by Prof. Ren and characterized by his group—were developed by our aerospace partners and successfully deployed in China's Chang'e-5 and Chang'e-6 lunar missions. These achievements reflect 30+ years of sustained fundamental research and a proven capacity to translate frontier discoveries into cutting-edge technologies. ________________________________________ We Are Expanding — Join Us CASM invites exceptional scientists with expertise in smart materials broadly defined, including but not limited to: •  Shape-memory and ferroelastic alloys •  Piezoelectric and ferroelectric materials •  Magnetostrictive and ferromagnetic materials •  Computational and AI-driven materials design •  Smart materials for advanced applications ________________________________________ Open Positions Principal Investigator / Associate Professor We seek ambitious early-to-mid-career scientists with an outstanding publication record and the vision to build and lead an internationally competitive research program. We offer: •  Internationally competitive salary and comprehensive benefits •  Substantial, negotiable start-up funding tailored to your research vision •  Guaranteed laboratory space within our 7,000 m² state-of-the-art facility •  Dedicated PhD student and postdoctoral fellow quotas to rapidly build your group •  Full access to advanced synthesis, characterization, and computational platforms •  Long-term career stability within a rapidly growing, well-funded institution ________________________________________ Why CASM? •  Scale: Purpose-built 7,000 m² facility integrating discovery science, advanced characterization, and technology transfer under one roof •  Impact: Publications in Nature and Science — with continuing momentum •  Innovation: Strong backing to pursue ambitious, long-term research programs •  Resources: One of the most generously funded materials research centers in Asia Pacific •  Location: Ningbo — a beautiful, dynamic coastal city with excellent international connectivity, approximately 2 hours from Shanghai ________________________________________ How to Apply Submit the following as a single PDF to casm-hr@ylab.ac.cn: 1. Cover Letter — Specify your target position, outline your research vision, and highlight key accomplishments 2. Curriculum Vitae — Including a complete publication list 3. References — Contact details for three referees (letters requested upon shortlisting) Email subject line: Application for [PI/Associate Professor] – [Your Name] Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Early submission is encouraged. ________________________________________ Center for Advanced Smart Materials (CASM) Yongjiang Laboratory (Y-Lab) 1519 Xinghai South Road, Zhenhai District Ningbo, Zhejiang 315201, China Email: casm-hr@ylab.ac.cn Web: https://www.ylab.ac.cn/en/casm/positions/

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