Join Mei Group

About the Group

Research Directions

• Synthetic Chemistry and Conjugated Polymers

  Molecular design and synthesis of new organic electronic materials: conjugated polymers and small molecules with distinctive electronic structures, electrochemical properties and optoelectronic functions.

  • Design, synthesis and structural characterisation of conjugated polymers and functional organic molecules
  • New donor-type, n-type and p-type organic semiconductors
  • Polymer doping and charge transport
  • Relationships between molecular structure, aggregate structure and electronic properties
  • Highly stable organic materials for electrochemical and bioelectronic applications

• Organic Electronics and Electrochemical Transistors

  New organic electronic and mixed ionic-electronic devices, and the coupled transport of electrons and ions and the electrochemical doping processes in conjugated polymers.

  • Organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs)
  • Mixed ionic-electronic conductors
  • Electrochemical doping and dedoping
  • Mechanisms of coupled electron and ion transport
  • High-performance, low-voltage and highly stable organic electronic devices
  • Devices for bioelectronics, neuromorphic electronics and flexible electronics

• Electrochromic Materials and Devices

  The next generation of high-performance electrochromic materials and devices, with a focus on the relationships between fast response, high optical contrast, high reversibility and long-term stability.

  • New electrochromic conjugated polymers
  • Spectral engineering
  • Electrochromic devices and interfaces
  • Electrochemical kinetics and failure mechanisms
  • Modular electrochromic material systems

Positions

The group works from molecular design through synthesis, materials and electrochemistry to devices and mechanisms, so we do not expect everyone to have exactly the same background: people from chemistry, materials science, chemical engineering and electronic engineering can each approach the same problem from a different angle here.

• Junior faculty

  For early-career researchers who want to build an independent research programme within the group, including research professors of the Hundred Talents Program. The group looks for researchers with backgrounds in organic synthesis, conjugated polymers, organic electronics or electrochemical materials and devices.

  The university provides salary, start-up research funding and other support according to the circumstances of each appointment and the relevant policies; appointments depend on university approval and the applicable recruitment procedures.

• Postdoctoral researchers

  For outstanding early-career researchers who have received or are about to receive a doctorate in organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, materials chemistry, physical chemistry, chemical engineering, electronic engineering or a related field. Postdocs carry out independent research while advancing major projects together with the team, and are encouraged to develop their own research direction over time.

  We especially welcome applicants with a background in organic synthesis, conjugated polymers or organic electronic materials. Experience with electrochemistry, semiconductor devices, organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) or electrochromics is an advantage.

• Full-time research scientists

  For researchers with substantial research experience who want a long-term career in research. Full-time research scientists take on the design and implementation of important research projects, build stable technical and research expertise in one direction, and can gradually take on the roles of project leader, topic leader or core team member.

  Their research tasks centre on the design and synthesis of conjugated polymers and functional organic molecules, materials characterisation, electrochemical measurement, device fabrication and the related data analysis.

  We especially welcome outstanding Ph.D. holders who can do independent research, early-career researchers with postdoctoral experience, researchers with expertise in organic synthesis, polymer chemistry, electrochemistry or organic electronic devices, and researchers who want to pursue original materials research over the long term.

• Research assistants

  For young people with a bachelor's or master's degree who want to enter research. Research assistants take part in organic synthesis, polymer synthesis, materials characterisation, electrochemical testing, device fabrication and the daily research work of the laboratory.

  We do not expect research assistants to master every experimental skill from the start. If you are careful, reliable and willing to learn, and genuinely interested in research, you are welcome to join us.

  Research assistants who do well and wish to continue their studies are encouraged to go on to a doctorate or to become long-term research staff.

• Laboratory technical staff

  Laboratory technical staff support the group's research: they keep the synthesis, characterisation, electrochemistry and device platforms running, look after the shared instruments and help make them openly usable across the group.

• Doctoral students

  Admission through the Department of Polymer Science and Engineering of Zhejiang University.

  The group trains graduate students around real scientific questions, so that they can work across molecular design, synthesis, materials characterisation, electrochemistry and device fabrication, from the molecule all the way to the device and its application.

  Apply through Zhejiang University's formal admissions procedures.

What We Offer

• Research topics at the international frontier, with ample research freedom
• A complete research chain from molecular design through synthesis, materials and electrochemistry to devices and mechanisms
• Excellent facilities for organic synthesis, materials characterisation, electrochemistry and device research
• Opportunities to work with leading research teams at home and abroad and with industry
• Encouragement to develop your own research direction, with support for publishing high-level papers and applying for research funding

Who We’re Looking For

The group values professional expertise, but a researcher's character matters more than the techniques already mastered.

Integrity

Character first: Be a person of integrity and warmth before anything else.

Be honest with data and take responsibility for your results, neither avoiding failure nor changing how you interpret the data to reach the result you hoped for. Research is built first of all on integrity.

A genuine interest in science

Be interested in research itself, not only in research as a job.

When a result surprises you, you want to know why.

When a question has no answer yet, you are willing to keep exploring.

We value curiosity, not only the knowledge you already have.

Have a direction

Hold a general mission or goal in life.

Thinking for yourself

Ask questions, not only carry out experiments.

Whatever your role, understand what you are doing and why you are doing it.

Put forward your own ideas for improving experiments and research directions.

Working independently

Carry out experiments independently, and raise new scientific questions from what your results show.

Communication and collaboration

The group is an interdisciplinary team, so communication matters.

Explain your ideas clearly, and listen carefully to the views of others.

Work independently, and work as part of a team.

Share your own experience, and learn from others.

Real interdisciplinary research does not simply bring people from different fields together; it means understanding problems together and solving them together.

Resilience

Be willing to embrace risk and uncertainty.

Original research rarely goes smoothly.

Persevere through setbacks, analyse what went wrong, think again, but, when necessary, also know when to let go.

English for research

Discuss your research and write papers in good English.