Group Profile & Experimental Platform

Based at Eastern Institute of Technology (Ningbo), the Zhu Group focuses on the cutting-edge field of AI for Science. Our core research direction is AI-driven automated chemistry and wet-dry closed-loop autonomous laboratories. We build an AI-as-brain and automated hardware-as-limbs system, enabling recursive self-evolution (RSI) through real-world physical interactions, and achieving closed-loop autonomous research: experimental design, robotic synthesis, instrumental characterization, and iterative machine learningRoyal Soci....

The group boasts top-tier laboratory infrastructure in China:

• A 200 m² AI automated chemistry laboratory;

• 192 parallel photochemical reaction stations;

• An independent supercomputing cluster (≈1000 CPU cores + 8 NVIDIA A100 GPUs);

• 26 fume hoods;

• Comprehensive characterization instruments, including an in-house UPLC-QTOF high-resolution mass spectrometer and a 400 MHz NMR spectrometer.

Lab Homepage: https://zhu.eitech.edu.cn/lab/

1. Joint-Training PhD Positions (Shanghai Jiao Tong University / University of Science and Technology of China)

The 2027 intake PhD program adopts a 1+3 joint-training model between Eastern Institute of Technology and Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) or the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC). Students will be awarded a PhD degree by SJTU or USTC upon graduation. Both direct admission via postgraduate recommendation and admission via assessment for master’s graduates are available.

Competitive research assistant stipends are provided during research work at EIT. The group has abundant research funding and long-term collaborations with multiple research teams and leading AI-for-Science enterprises worldwide. We fully support students to attend international academic conferences and overseas research visits.

PhD Candidate Requirements

1. Solid academic background and strong independent research capacity; first-author publications in top journals are preferred.

2. CET-6 certificate, with proficient English reading, writing and oral communication skills.

3. Bachelor’s or master’s research experience in synthetic organic methodology, AI for Chemistry, or laboratory automation; strong interest in automated AI chemistry and autonomous labs.

4. Prior experience in AI for Chemistry / lab automation, or programming skills (Python) are highly preferred.

2. Special Cross-Disciplinary Quota: Mechanical Automation + Chemistry Joint-Training PhD

For the 2027 intake, we offer one exclusive PhD position at the intersection of mechanical automation and chemistry, jointly supervised with the College of Engineering (Peking University) or the School of Computer Science (Shanghai Jiao Tong University) (for PhD students and direct PhD candidates). The goal is to upgrade our existing automated lab toward fully self-driving operation.

Requirements: Outstanding academic performance, strong hands-on engineering skills; winners of robotics competitions are prioritized.

3. Postdoctoral Positions (Priority: AI Automated Chemistry & Wet-Dry Closed-Loop Autonomous Labs)

We recruit multiple postdoctoral researchers focused on AI automated chemistry and wet-dry closed-loop autonomous laboratories. Co-supervision with the Chen Yuntian Group (EIT) is available for AI-for-Chemistry projects. We also recruit one postdoc for organic photochemical synthesis, transition-metal cross-coupling and DFT computational chemistry.

Basic Eligibility

1. Age generally under 35; PhD degree obtained or to be obtained within the past three years.

2. Excellent academic track record, strong independent research ability, with multiple high-quality peer-reviewed publications.

3. Good command of written and spoken academic English.

4. Candidates with AI-for-Chemistry, lab automation experience or Python programming skills will be given priority.

Postdoctoral Compensation & Benefits

1. Pre-tax annual salary: 325,000–525,000 RMB (excluding employer social insurance & housing fund contributions). Additional monthly living allowance and seasonal welfare vouchers are provided.

2. Full social insurance and housing fund, paid annual leave and holiday benefits. Eligible to apply for government furnished talent apartments (ready for move-in).

3. Eligible to apply for up to 200,000 RMB research grants from local government during the postdoctoral appointment.

4. For recipients of China Postdoctoral Science Foundation or provincial postdoctoral grants, Ningbo municipal government offers a 1:1 matching fund.

5. Postdocs who take up employment in Ningbo after their fellowship may receive a government subsidy of up to 600,000 RMB.

4. Intern Positions (AI Automated Chemistry)

We recruit interns year-round for AI automated chemistry research. Open to undergraduate and master’s students majoring in Chemistry, Computer Science, Automation and related disciplines. Monthly internship stipend is offered, and top-performing interns will receive priority recommendation for PhD admission.

Principal Investigator: Chen Zhu

Dr. Chen Zhu is a Principal Investigator and PhD Supervisor at the Faculty of Science, Eastern Institute of Technology (Ningbo). He also serves as an Adjunct PhD Supervisor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the University of Science and Technology of China. He was selected for the National High-End Overseas Talent Program (2023).

He earned his Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Chemistry from RWTH Aachen University (Germany) in 2014, 2017 and 2019, under the supervision of Prof. Magnus Rueping. He graduated summa cum laude and was awarded the Borchers-Plakette Medal of RWTH Aachen University. Afterwards, he worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher and Research Scientist at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST).

Research Interests: AI & automated chemistry, organic photochemical synthesis, transition-metal cross-coupling reactions, DFT computational chemistry.

He has published 40 peer-reviewed papers as first or corresponding author (including co-corresponding), including 1 Nat. Catal., 2 Nat. Chem., 2 Nat. Synth., 5 Nat. Commun. and 9 Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. plus 1 J. Am. Chem. Soc.; five papers have been selected as ESI Highly Cited Papers. He is the Principal Investigator of the National Natural Science Foundation Youth Project and a project lead for the national “AI for Science” major R&D program (2030 Initiative). He has been listed among the World’s Top 2% Scientists (2023, 2024, 2025).

Group Website: https://zhu.eitech.edu.cn/ 

Lab Platform: https://zhu.eitech.edu.cn/lab/ 

PI Profile: https://faculty.eitech.edu.cn/science/zc/main.htm 

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=qk4aBQkAAAAJ&hl=en

University Overview

Eastern Institute of Technology (Ningbo) is a new research-intensive university jointly built by municipal and provincial governments with national support and social investment. Adhering to the vision of high starting point, small but elite, innovative and international development, the university focuses on fundamental research, cutting-edge interdisciplinary studies and engineering technologies. Its disciplinary framework centers on Science, Engineering, Information and Business, complemented by distinctive humanities and social sciences. Committed to fostering rigorous, ambitious talent with solid foundational knowledge, innovative capacity, national commitment and global vision.

Official Website: https://www.eitech.edu.cn/

Application Instructions

Please send your CV and supporting documents in a single PDF file to: chen.zhu@eitech.edu.cn. Email Subject: Position Applied – University – Full Name

Application Materials

1. Bilingual (Chinese & English) CV (education, research experience, representative publications);

2. Research statement;

3. Degree certificates and official certifications;

4. Supplementary materials (papers, awards, language proficiency certificates, etc.).