Environmental Soil Physics Lab

Doctoral Graduate Research Assistant Position

The Environmental Soil Physics Lab, led by Dr. Yingxue Yu, who will join the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management at The Pennsylvania State University as Assistant Professor in January 2026, is recruiting a Doctoral Graduate Research Assistant to begin in Fall 2026. The successful candidate will be housed in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management and may enroll through the Soil Science Graduate Program or the Inter-college Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, based on research interests and professional goals. The lab focuses on understanding how physicochemical interactions and environmental factors shape contaminant behavior across terrestrial and aquatic environments.

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Overview of Research Areas

Conceptual illustration of contaminant pathways, transformations, and interactions in terrestrial and aquatic systems.

Specific Research Areas

• Transport of emerging contaminants (e.g., micro- and nanoplastics, PFAS, engineered nanomaterials, and pathogens) in saturated and unsaturated porous media;
• Aggregation, stability, and transformation of contaminants in soil and water systems;
• Quantification of adsorption and interfacial interactions using QCM-D and related surface techniques;
• Characterization of soil hydraulic properties, water flow processes, and indicators of soil health;
• Uptake and interactions of contaminants with plants;
• Evaluation of the environmental sustainability and degradation behavior of biodegradable plastics.

Students have the flexibility to pursue research topics within these areas through laboratory, field, and modeling approaches using computational tools such as HYDRUS and R. The lab fosters a collaborative and supportive environment that encourages creative, rigorous, and independent inquiry into the environmental behavior of contaminants.

Eligibility & Priority

• Master’s degree in Hydrology, Civil Engineering, Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Soil Science, or a closely related field at the time of appointment.
• Priority will be given to applicants who have:
  • Engineering background with solid training in mathematics and physics;
  • Prior first-author, peer-reviewed publications in related research areas;
  • Research experience in computational modeling (e.g., HYDRUS, R, or similar) and/or field-based investigations.
• Exceptional applicants holding a bachelor’s degree may be considered and offered a pathway consisting of a 2-year master’s program followed by a 3-year PhD program.
• For details on English proficiency, minimum GPA, and other requirements, please refer to Penn State Graduate School (https://gradschool.psu.edu/).

Deadline: The position will remain open until filled. Review of applications will begin immediately, and applications submitted by January 3, 2026 will receive full consideration. Informal inquiries are welcome and may be directed to Dr. Yingxue Yu at yqy5525@psu.edu.

How to Apply

Prospective students are encouraged to email Dr. Yu (yqy5525@psu.edu) a single PDF file including:

1. Cover letter describing qualifications, research experience, and future research goals, including how these align with the above-mentioned research areas (max. 3 pages);
2. Curriculum vitae;
3. Up to three representative publications (full text, if available);
4. Academic transcripts (unofficial Bachelor’s and Master’s transcripts are acceptable for initial review);
5. Names and contact information of three references;
6. TOEFL or IELTS (and GRE) test report (if available).