Openings and Opportunities

The NIcE X Lab, led by Dr. Jingping Nie, is seeking passionate and motivated undergraduate students to join our interdisciplinary research team at the intersection of embedded AI, multimodal sensing, wearable computing, and human-centered intelligent systems. Our lab’s mission is to transform everyday devices into intelligent systems for wellness, health, and sustainability — through hardware–software co-design, sensor fusion, and AIoT-enabled data science.

Research topics include: 

  •  Smart wearable and sensor platforms for physiological and behavioral sensing 
  •  AI-driven analysis of speech, acoustics, and motion for wellness and mental health 
  •  Cyber-physical systems for fitness tracking, digital health, and sustainable cities 
  •  Multimodal data fusion, self-supervised learning, and on-device machine learning 

Requirements: 

  • Strong motivation to learn and explore interdisciplinary research 
  • Background in one or more of the following: Python, C/C++, embedded systems, signal processing, or machine learning  
  • Prior experience with Arduino, Raspberry Pi, Jetson, or PyTorch is a plus 

Preferred Skills (Optional): 

  •  Experience in wearable device prototyping, PCB design, or mobile app development 
  •  Interest in health informatics, digital health, or human–computer interaction 

Prospective Ph.D. students (Starting from Fall 2026)

  1. Submit the UNC online application
  2. Email your CV and a cover letter to jingping@unc.edu with the subject line starting with [Prospective NIcE X PhD].

Research Assistant/Internship (Rolling)

Email your CV, a cover letter, and an unofficial transcript to jingping@unc.edu with the subject line starting with [Prospective NIcE X RA].

Requirement: Commitment of 10–15 hours per week during the semester (flexible schedule) and preferrable full-time during summer break.

Postdoc (Rolling)

Email your CV, a cover letter, and an unofficial transcript to jingping@unc.edu with the subject line starting with [Prospective NIcE X Postdoc].