Openings
We are currently “vibe hiring” for future team members 🚀
We are moving beyond the standard checklist. There are no fixed requirements for specific technical skills, publication counts, or whether you fit neatly into a “PhD” or “postdoc” box. We value people beyond productivity metrics and career stage. You are welcome to get in touch if you share our group values:
- Our group is grounded in kindness, and we strive to create an inclusive environment.
- We do not tolerate harassment or discrimination in any form.
- We value methodological development and good coding practices.
- We honor the contributions of all group members.
- We ask for help and value direct communication (more than 20 spoken sentences each day).
- We aim to tackle challenging scientific problems with a positive research mindset.
- We commit to acting with honesty and scientific integrity.
Contact: am3grouphiring@gmail.com
Please do NOT send applications to the [nus.edu.sg] email address. That makes it difficult for me to track your application materials. Thank you!
PhD Students:
Interested in pursuing a PhD in science? We recommend that you watch the Seminar Talk before applying. The presentation from Prof. Silvija Gradecak is particularly inspiring. If you have a strong desire to pursue this path, please check the timeline and submit your application through the GDA3 system.
We are actively looking for PhD students. Openings are available for both Fall and Spring intakes.
- BS or MS in physics, chemistry, applied mathematics, materials science, or a related field
- TOEFL (new) ≥ 5.0 or IELTS ≥ 6.5. GPA ≥ 80%. GRE is optional but preferred.
- Please email your CV and a very short statement of research interests to am3grouphiring@gmail.com.
- PhD positions in our group are well funded. We do not accept self-financed students (including CSC scholarships).
- Research assistantships (RAs) provide financial support for PhD students. We do not offer standalone RA or predoc intern positions.
- We encourage excellent candidates to apply for PhD fellowships:
- ASEAN Scholarship [please indicate; for students from ASEAN countries only]
- Commonwealth Scholarship [please indicate; for students from Commonwealth countries only]
- A*STAR Scholarship [with service commitments]
- AI Singapore Scholarship [with service commitments]
- President’s Graduate Fellowship (PGF) [by nomination]
- PGF nominations can be submitted for any intake. Successful applicants often have PhD offers from top-20 U.S. institutions (or equivalent programs). If you hold a competing offer and want to pursue a different path at NUS, feel free to get in touch.
- Our research is highly interdisciplinary. If you have a strong academic record, please consider the ISEP PhD program at NUS. (You can apply to both the ISEP and MSE PhD programs). Please send me your CV and a research proposal abstract (under 200 words), highlighting how you would combine science and engineering, or theory and experiment.
Who we are and what we offer:
- We are a TechTeam-style group. We help each other solve challenging scientific problems.
- We maintain a flat structure where team members are equally valued contributors to recruiting and research projects.
- We encourage graduate students to thrive in interdisciplinary research environments, identify their interests, and develop their careers.
- We focus on both method development and applications. We maintain close collaborations with experimental researchers.
Postdoctoral Fellows:
- If you are strongly interested in working with us, please send a CV and a brief statement of research interests (Vibe Hiring).
- Please note that I may not be able to respond to every email. If we do not have any openings, I will keep your materials on file and reach out if specific openings arise in the future.
- Regardless of current openings, we encourage excellent candidates to apply for postdoctoral fellowships:
- As an independent research fellow, you will have research freedom while collaborating with the group.
- We particularly recommend applying for the Eric and Wendy Schmidt AI in Science Postdoctoral Fellowship. Please (1) read the eligibility and requirements; (2) get in touch if you have the preferred qualifications and a strong interest in AI for Science.
- Other fellowships may also be available (e.g., Singapore NRF Postdoctoral Fellowship, LKY Fellowship, and Presidential Fellowship).
Visiting Scholars:
- Please email Dr. Zhong directly to discuss, and indicate the funding source for visits longer than six months.
- Visiting PhD students with CSC scholarships are welcome. Students should obtain approval from their PhD advisors before applying.
- Final Year Project (FYP) students at NUS are welcome. Please email Dr. Zhong directly to discuss.
Preferred Qualifications
Related experience is preferred but not required (especially for PhD applicants):
- Education or a track record in applied mathematics, with a strong interest in physical sciences
- A solid foundation in thermodynamics & statistical mechanics, solid-state physics/chemistry, and/or quantum mechanics
- Practical experience with density functional theory calculations (e.g., VASP, Quantum Espresso, Q-Chem, PySCF)
- Proficiency in at least one mainstream deep learning framework (e.g., PyTorch, JAX)
- Expertise in (atomistic) thermodynamic & kinetic simulations (e.g., Monte Carlo, molecular dynamics)
- Expertise in computational chemistry (e.g., rare-event sampling, reaction networks, high-throughput computation)
- Expertise in computational physics (e.g., excited-state calculations, quantum transport simulations)
- Expertise in generative modeling and dynamics
- Expertise in LLM-based agents for scientific applications (e.g., molecular design, decision-making, synthesis planning)