Postdoctoral Researcher Electrochemically Enhanced Mineralization to form Carbon-Negative Cement, Concrete, and Other Materials from Alkaline Sources/
National Renewable Energy LaboratoryWorking at NREL
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation’s primary laboratory for research and development of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.
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Job Description
A position is available in the Building Technologies and Science Group to support and lead work relating to decarbonization of the cement, concrete, and mining industries through development and optimization of mineralization processes.
The successful candidate will be responsible for performing sample analysis on mine tailings with varied geochemistry and using electrochemistry to optimize mineralization reactions, producing durable building materials. Tasks will include method development, reactor design and fabrication, data analysis, and process optimization.
Coordination with a large multi-institutional team and mentorship of interns will be required. Therefore, the successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate excellent teamwork and strong leadership and mentorship skills.
Basic Qualifications
Must be a recent PhD graduate within the last three years.
* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.
Additional Required Qualifications
The successful candidate will have a PhD in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or similar.
Additionally, expertise in the following fields is required:
-aqueous electrochemistry
-analytical chemistry
-synthetic inorganic chemistry
Ideally, the candidate will also have expertise in:
-CO2 sequestration via mineralization
-Cement and Concrete
-Geochemistry
A candidate with a strong fundamental knowledge of chemical principles who can translate this understanding to applied problems is sought. Creative, critical thinking across a wide variety of disciplines and research areas will be essential.
A strong record of teamwork, mentorship, project management, and leadership is desired. The successful candidate will work closely with engineers, scientists, and students in many different fields, and will work to establish collaborations both within NREL and with partner organizations. As such, demonstration of an ability to participate in, to facilitate, and to lead collaborations is important. The candidate must demonstrate the ability to encourage and maximize the unique talents and innovative ideas of a diverse array of collaborators from a wide range of backgrounds.
In addition to strong teamwork, candidates must demonstrate a history of working independently and taking initiative. Candidates must demonstrate ability to design high-quality research projects and to interpret and communicate experimental results. The successful candidate will have excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills, with a strong record of contributions to the field. Teamwork, leadership, and collaboration will be essential.
Preferred Qualifications
Preferred qualifications include:
-Experience developing new laboratory capabilities
-Leadership experience/project management experience
-Carbon Life Cycle Analysis experience
-Technoeconomic Analysis experience
-A strong history of publication
.Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week)
Job Profile: Postdoctoral Researcher / Annual Salary Range: $71,300 – $117,600
NREL takes into consideration a candidate’s education, training, and experience, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees. In compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a potential new employee’s salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.
Benefits Summary
Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; short-term disability insurance*; pension benefits*; 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match*; life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance; personal time off (PTO) and sick leave; and paid holidays. NREL employees may be eligible for, but are not guaranteed, performance-, merit-, and achievement- based awards that include a monetary component. Some positions may be eligible for relocation expense reimbursement.
