Opening
We are recruiting undergraduate researchers and Ph.D. students in Yin Lab at NC State University for 2027 Spring/Fall semesters.
Opening Ph.D. positions (2027 Spring/Fall):
The research program will focus on multidisciplinary Physically Intelligent Soft Robotics and Shape-Morphing Mechanical Metamaterials, as well as their broad applications in robotics, aerospace, healthcare, and sustainability.
The research will involve structural designs (theory or AI-guided), advanced manufacturing (e.g., 3D printing), materials synthesis, processing, and actuation (soft active materials such as fluidic-driven elastomers, hydrogels, liquid crystal elastomers, piezoelectric polymers, magnetoelastomers, etc), mechanical and device testing, analytical modeling, and numerical simulation methods (mainly finite element method).
Candidates with high self-motivation, experimental or modeling/simulation background and interests in but not limited to solid mechanics, dynamics, advanced manufacturing, textile engineering, biomedical engineering, soft materials, robotics, AI, electronics, sensors, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, materials science and engineering are highly encouraged to apply.
Minimum GPA requirement is 3.3/4.0. For international applicants, TOEFL or IELTS is required (minimum 80 on the internet-based TOEFL or a 6.5 on the academic version of IELTS). No GRE required. Applicants with master degree are preferred but not required.
If interested, please send your resume or CV including your GPA, TOEFL or IELTS, and publication list to Dr. Jie Yin at yingroup2013@gmail.com.
About NC State:
NC State is consistently ranked as one of the nation’s best values in higher education. We’re ranked among the top 1% of universities in the world (Center for World University Rankings), the No. 10 best value among public universities nationwide, and ranked Top 25 among Best Graduate Engineering Schools (U.S. News & World Report).
About the Advisor and Lab:
Dr. Jie Yin is currently a Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at NC State University. He was a Postdoc Associate at MIT. He received his Ph.D. from Columbia University and M.S. from Tsinghua University.
Dr. Yin is the recipient of the 2025 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) from the White House, the 2022 PNAS Cozzarelli Prize from the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), NSF CAREER Award, and Extreme Mechanics Letters (EML) Young Investigator Award.
Yin lab currently focuses on soft robotics, mechanical metamaterials, and shape-morphing functional materials. The lab has published over 90 journal publications (Google Scholar), including over 10 published in the premier multidisciplinary and materials journals of Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), Science Advances, Nature Communications, and Advanced Materials in the past five years.