Postdoctoral Researcher in AI for Autonomous Laboratories
Interested?
Submit CV + Cover letter to ai@ece.ucsb.edu by November 15th, 2026, to receive full consideration. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
REAL AI at UC Santa Barbara is seeking a postdoctoral researcher to help build the AI systems that will power the next generation of autonomous laboratories.
This position is part of UCSB’s Programmable Cloud Laboratory (PCL) effort, a major NSF-supported initiative connected to a nationwide network of 20 remotely accessible laboratory nodes. UCSB is a leading institution in materials research, with world-class facilities, experimental expertise, and substantial laboratory infrastructure already in place. Our goal is to advance the frontier of AI for autonomous laboratories.
The postdoctoral researcher will work at the intersection of AI, chemistry, materials science, robotics, and scientific software, developing intelligent systems that can interact with experimental laboratories, reason over scientific data, and help determine what experiments should happen next. The work will have access to experimental data and capabilities that are rarely available to AI researchers, including data generated through automated polymer synthesis and characterization.
Who we are looking for
The ideal candidate has a background in chemistry, materials science, chemical engineering, or a related scientific field, together with strong fluency in modern AI and machine learning.
We are equally interested in exceptional candidates from AI/ML or computer science who are deeply motivated to learn chemistry and materials science and engage closely with experimental research.
More important than having worked in exactly the right subfield is the ability and willingness to learn quickly, cross disciplinary boundaries, and communicate effectively with researchers from very different backgrounds.
Experience in one or more of the following areas is especially valuable:
- Scientific foundation models;
- Multimodal machine learning;
- LLM agents or other agentic AI systems;
- Large-scale or distributed model training;
- Generative models;
- Data-efficient machine learning, including Gaussian processes, Bayesian optimization, and active learning;
- Chemistry lab experience.
Why this position
This is an opportunity to help shape a new national infrastructure for AI-driven scientific discovery. This role offers strong visibility through a nationwide 20-node PCL network and close collaboration with leading scientists in chemistry and materials science at UCSB. You will have access to exceptional facilities and unique experimental data, creating opportunities for both high-impact AI research and scientific publications.
The position also offers substantial research freedom. We are looking for someone who wants to identify important problems, develop ambitious ideas, and help define what AI for autonomous laboratories should become. We are looking for a researcher who is excited to help build that future.