Principal Investigator/ Associate Professor

Pioneer the Future of Smart Materials

Principal Investigator / Associate Professor

Center for Advanced Smart Materials (CASM) Yongjiang Laboratory (Y-Lab) Ningbo, China

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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.

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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/