Associate in Research

Position Description

Duke University was created in
1924 through an indenture of trust by James Buchanan Duke. Today, Duke is regarded
as one of America’s leading
research universities. Located
in Durham, North Carolina,
Duke is positioned in the heart of the Research Triangle, which is ranked
annually as one of the best places
in the country to work and live. Duke has more than 15,000
students who study and conduct research in its 10 undergraduate, graduate and
professional schools. With about 40,000 employees, Duke is the third largest
private employer in North Carolina, and it now has international programs in
more than 150 countries.

The Pratt School of
Engineering at Duke University is one of the fastest rising, highly ranked
engineering schools in the nation. The school consists of four departments with
130 tenure-track faculty members, 1250 undergraduate students, 1400 master’s students,
and 600 PhD students. Housed within a university renowned for its programs in
the liberal arts, medicine, business and law, Pratt prepares
future engineering leaders
to address complex
challenges with solutions
that take into account the complexities and nuances of implementing them. Pratt
takes a whole-student approach to
education, ensuring students are
well supported throughout their journeys and graduate with the grit and
determination required to persevere in their careers and their lives. Pratt is
dedicated to the values of diversity, equitability, inclusivity and community
in its pursuit of knowledge and service to society.

Occupational Summary

An individual with academic
credentials but without a doctorate and not a degree candidate. Assists faculty
members in research programs by participating in the research directly or in
organizing a program under which the research
is carried out. This classification is administered on Campus
through the Office
of the Provost and in the Medical Center throughout the office
of the Chancellor for Health Affairs. Is it not subject to the Wage and
Salary system.

Work Performed

The
student will be responsible for designing DNA origami structures functionalized
with polynucleotide brushes and simulating their conformational dynamics using
coarse-grained simulations. He or she will also be responsible for studying the
interactions between brush-functionalized origami and the role of brushes in
triggering either the dissociation of DNA origami structures or conformational
changes of flexible DNA origami structures. The student will be required to
collaborate with existing students in the lab and prepare research work for
journal publications. He or she will maintain lab safety and upkeep.

Minimum Qualifications Education

BS or MS in
chemistry, physics, materials science, or computer science.

Experience

The project
requires students with strong skills in python programming and computer
simulations, and passion for computational research and DNA nanotechnology.
Some prior experience of working in a research lab is a plus.

Skills

Computer programming in Python, C, or MATLAB.
High-performance computing. Solid fundamentals in biochemistry, physics, and
mathematics

The intent
of this job description is to provide
a representative and level of the types of
duties and responsibilities that will be required of the positions given this title and shall not be construed as
a declaration of the total of the specific duties and responsibilities of any
particular position. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks

other than those specifically presented in this description.

Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity
Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without
regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic
information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or
veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on
collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success
depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich
diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members
of the community feel secure
and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that
all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to
uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions

Certain
jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential
job functions that require specific
physical and/or mental abilities. Additional
information and provision
for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.

Duke University
is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment
opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability,
gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information,
national origin, ethnicity, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy
related conditions), sexual orientation, or military status.

Duke University aspires to create a community built on collaboration,
innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on
the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich
diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes.
To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the
community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all
individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of
our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.