Now Hiring



PositionsDescriptionsDeadlinesHow to Apply
Postdoctoral Research Associate We are now hiring research associates with skills in the following areas: quantum dot synthesis, optoelectronic device fabrication, nanomaterials engineering. Eligible candidates must have completed their PhD program (thesis defense) on or before their expected start.

Candidates with external funding are encouraged to apply. 		We have one open position starting after Sept 1, 2022 Email short introduction and attach CV to jhalpert[at_]ust.hk

Ref #HG03-20221231
Postgraduate Students
(PhD program) 		We are now recruiting PhD candidates with skills/experience in the following areas: chemical synthesis, physical chemistry, applied physics, nanomaterials engineering, device fabrication. Eligible candidates must have recently completed a 4-year Bachelor of Science or Masters degree in (or related to) the following subject areas: Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Physics, Materials Science/Engineering, or Nanomaterials/Nanoengineering, Optoelectronics.

International students are especially encouraged to apply. ANYONE WHO HAS RECENTLY BEEN ACCEPTED TO A US, CANADA, UK or EUROPEAN PROGRAM BUT IS UNABLE TO ENROLL DUE TO COVID TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO START YOUR CAREER AT HKUST INSTEAD: WE WILL BE ABLE TO PROCESS YOUR APPLICATION ASAP. 		Positions Available:
rolling acceptance for Fall 2023 is open for all students, closes May 31 1, 2023		 Email a short introduction, CV and copies of transcripts for all degrees to jhalpert[at_]ust.hk

Ref #HG02-052023
Postgraduate Students
(MPhil program) 		We are now recruiting MPhil candidates with skills/experience/interest in the following areas: chemical synthesis, physical chemistry, applied physics, nanomaterials engineering, device fabrication. Eligible candidates will have recently completed a 3- or 4-year Bachelor of Science in (or related to) the following subject areas: Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Physics, Materials Science/Engineering, or Nanomaterials/Nanoengineering, Optoelectronics. (Candidates with degrees in other fields in science, maths or engineering but with significant coursework in these areas may be considered on individual basis.) We do not currently have MPhil positions available at this time Email a short introduction, CV and copies of transcripts for all degrees to jhalpert[at_]ust.hk

N/A
Research Assistant Not Currently Available Closed N/A
Summer Internships Not Currently Available Closed N/A
Undergraduate Researchers Not Currently Available except through CHEM4689/CHEM4691/CHEM4692 We are NOT currently taking undergraduate researchers due to COVID restrictions contact PI at jhalpert[at_]ust.hk

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Suggestions for Candidates

Prospective RAs + Postdocs: Email your Curriculum Vitae (CV: include all degrees/publications) and a brief introduction(in the email). Include the job number in your email title. Alternatively prospective postdoctoral researchers are encouraged to have their adviser make early contact with the PI and establish that the prospect is qualified and capable. If accepted as a candidate you will need 2 Letters of Recommendation (one must be your PhD adviser) plus two additional references (postdocs only), and to schedule a video interview via Skype or in person which will cover all areas of the group, project details and your academic background. Some fellowships may require a site visit and presentation. You should alert your references they may be contacted. Please do not contact members of the group whom you do not already know personally; however upon request the PI will gladly provide contacts for interested recruits. Once you have been offered a position, you may accept/decline the offer or ask to visit the group, speak to the PI, or be provided with contacts in the group who may be able to better answer your questions (esp. regarding group dynamic, housing options, etc).
Prospective Students: Email your Curriculum Vitae (CV: include all degrees/publications), transcripts of all your degrees and a brief introduction (in the email). Include the job number in your email title. If accepted as a candidate you will need 2 Letters of Recommendation (one must be your most recent research adviser, if any), and to schedule a video interview via Skype or in person which will cover all areas of the group, project details and your academic background. You should alert your references they may be contacted. Please do not contact members of the group whom you do not already know personally; upon request the PI will gladly provide contacts for interested recruits. Once you have been offered a position, you may accept/decline the offer or ask to visit the group, speak to the PI, or be provided with contacts in the group who may be able to better answer your questions (esp. regarding group dynamic, housing options, etc).
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FAQs

Q1: When will the PI respond to my email / Why hasn't the PI responded?
Generally the PI will respond within a few weeks if a candidate has a good profile and is a fit for the position. However we receive hundreds of hiring requests at all levels each year. The PI is very busy and travels frequently, which makes it difficult to respond to every email. In many cases, he may not be able to respond immediately. He may respond nearer to the job closing, he may be collecting all the applications before making decisions, or he may be busy or unavailable that week. Some prospective candidates use mass mailings to reach many PIs at once, and some of these are not even close to a fit for the position. The less individualized the request, the less likely the PI is to respond. If you have not visited the site (attach the job number!) then you may want to do so before applying. Candidates who need a quick response are encouraged to send a single reminder email requesting more information two weeks after the first email. If you do not hear back, you can assume you were not selected for an interview. We cannot provide detailed feedback to unsuccessful candidates.
Q2: What are the criteria for selecting PhD students?
A GPA of >3.2/4.0 at a respected institution, a degree with a strong background in either synthetic chemistry, physical chemistry, applied physics, materials engineering, chemical engineering or electrical engineering. Spectroscopy, theoretical mathematics, data analysis, computational and coding skills are considered a plus. You will also need to have good recommendations by reliable references and make it clear you know your subject area during the interview. Finally, we are looking for talented individuals who are committed to a career in science and can work well with the other members of the group.
Q3: How can I apply for funding?
We certainly take some postdoctoral candidates and PhD students who lack independent funding. These are paid for via our grants, and such studentships tend to be very competitive. We also take qualified candidates who have their own funding. You can find resources for finding funding in Hong Kong at these links for post-graduate and postdoctoral (also here and here) funding options. You can also look to see if there are study abroad programs in your home country. For qualified candidates the PI is able to provide some input for project ideas and help in applying for grants.
Q4: What will I learn in this group?
Everyone who joins the Halpert Group will wind up making nanomaterials and also making devices in some ratio. Some projects are heavily weighted towards synthesis, others are weighted towards device engineering and applications. Candidates will have some degree of choice of directions they want to pursue and matching those interests and skills to the project are part of the selection process. However we do not have one person make the dots and a second person make the device and a third person test it, that goes against the purpose of being a PhD in this subject area. Each student has an individual project and they will pursue it from start to finish. However we do encourage collaborations within the group, the University and internationally depending on what is needed for each project. We currently have some active international collaborations in both spectroscopy and theoretical modeling of materials. Our students need to be independent and capable, but they don't have to solve every problem alone. HKUST has a very collaborative environment, so you can usually find someone to work with you in areas where you have less experience.
Q5: Who can join this group?
We take students, RAs and postdocs from all over the world. Historically, our group members have arrived from the US, mainland China, the UK, Canada, France, Hong Kong, India, Australia, New Zealand and Germany. The only requirement, is that you are able to obtain a visa in Hong Kong and that you can speak and write adequately well in English, since HKUST is an English language university. Students for MS, MPhil or PhD will have to pass an English language requirement exam (TOEFL or IELTS) to be accepted into the Department of Chemistry at HKUST. Aside from ensuring that you can communicate with the group, it is essential to be able to write well in English in order to publish articles in good journals. That being said, we have group members who are native english speakers and some who speak English as a second (or third) language. Being located in Hong Kong, there is also great value to having some Cantonese or Mandarin experience as well.
Q6: What are the qualification requirements for completing the PhD program?

Research postgraduate students are required to meet the following requirements:

 

  1. Coursework: students are required to complete a total of 12 credits of approved coursework (=4 full courses).
  2. Professional development: Students are required to complete CHEM 6771 (professional enrichment in chemistry) and PDEV 6770 (professional development for research PG Students).
  3. English language: Students are required to take the english language proficiency assessment (ELPA), a spoken English test administered by the center for language education (CLE) of the University, at the start of your first term of study and students are also required to complete LANG 5010 in the first year of study.
  4. Postgraduate seminar: Students are required to register in CHEM 6000 in all but one regular term of full-time enrollment and finish 8 seminar reports every term. PhD students are required to present a seminar based on literature unrelated to the student’s doctoral research.
  5. Cumulative Exams: written examinations will only be held once a month, students must accumulate 6 points (maximum 2 points per exam) on the cumulative exams before they can arrange the PhD Qualifying Oral Examination.
  6. PhD Qualifying Oral Examination: oral presentation of research proposal, usually given in the 2nd year of study.
  7. Thesis research: Students are required to write a thesis, give a presentation and an oral defense of the PhD Thesis.
  8. Publications There is no official requirement. However, no PhD student will be approved to graduate from this group without at least 2 publications in reputable journals (most will have 3 or more).

Most students finish these requirements in 4 years. As a reminder, the credits earned from CHEM 6771, PDEV 6770 and LANG 5010 cannot be counted toward the credit requirements. For more detail please click here. Research postgraduate students are also required to serve as Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) at HKUST, for more details please click here.