Sustainable Materials and Biodegradable Electronics for Healthcare
Reporting to: Shweta Agarwala, Professor and Associate Dean, School of Engineering and Applied Science
About the University: Ahmedabad University is a private and research-focused university with a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary problem-solving and liberal education. With its centrally located campus and internationally renowned faculty, Ahmedabad University fosters a stimulating academic environment that supports creativity and meaningful impact. The School of Engineering and Applied Science contributes to solutions for society, bringing together materials, electronics, energy, manufacturing, computation, and healthcare applications.
Role Summary: This position is under the internal grant “Sustainable Materials Library for Next-Generation Healthcare,” which focuses on biodegradable, biocompatible, and flexible electronic materials, printed/additive manufacturing, and a biodegradability assessment framework for next-generation healthcare technologies. The JRF will work at the interface of materials science, nanotechnology, electronics, and chemistry to develop sustainable electronic material systems for healthcare. The role includes material synthesis, device prototyping, printed electronics, biodegradation studies, characterisation, and scientific documentation. Candidates from interdisciplinary backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.
Responsibilities
- Synthesise and optimise biodegradable polymers, hydrogels, and hybrid material systems for healthcare electronics and sensors.
- Assist in thin-film fabrication, printed/additive manufacturing, and prototyping of electronic materials, interconnects, and simple devices.
- Plan and perform material characterisation using relevant structural, chemical, mechanical, and electrical techniques; coordinate with shared facilities and collaborators when required.
- Conduct biodegradability and degradation studies under biological or physiological conditions using standard frameworks such as ASTM/ISO-based protocols.
- May use some AI/ML model for process optimisation
- Analyse experimental data, maintain detailed lab records, and contribute to manuscripts, reports, presentations, and IP documentation.
- Support day-to-day lab management, consumable tracking, safety compliance, and collaboration across research groups.
Key Skills
- Hands-on interest in experimental research involving polymers, electronic composites, soft materials, thin films, printed electronics, sensors, or biomaterials.
- Ability to work across disciplines and quickly learn new tools in materials synthesis, device fabrication, and laboratory characterisation.
- Good documentation, scientific writing, and data-analysis skills; familiarity with Origin, Excel, Python, or similar tools is desirable. A good knowledge of tools for scientific Illustrations, cover art & graphic abstracts will be appreciated.
- Strong teamwork, initiative, and willingness to work in a collaborative and research-intensive environment.
Qualification
- MSc, MTech, ME, or equivalent in Materials Science, Polymer Science, Chemistry, Physics, Electronics, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Biotechnology, Nanotechnology, or a related interdisciplinary area.
- Prior project or laboratory experience in at least one relevant area such as material synthesis, polymers, sensors, thin films, printed electronics, hydrogels, or biodegradation studies will be preferred.
- Candidates with strong academic records, research aptitude, and motivation to work on sustainable healthcare technologies are encouraged to apply.
How to Apply: Interested candidates should email a single PDF containing their CV, a brief cover letter, academic transcripts, and contact details of two referees to [email protected]. Please mention “Application for JRF – Sustainable Materials” in the subject line. Review of applications will begin immediately, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interview.
