Post-Doctoral Associate - Membrane Desalination

New York University; Al Ruways Industrial City; On-site; AED 167,400 - 279,000; Full time

Job summary

New York University in Abu Dhabi is seeking a Post-Doctoral Associate - Membrane Desalination to lead innovative research in sustainable desalination techniques. This role involves advanced membrane technology development to tackle unique regional water challenges involving high salinity and biological fouling.

The ideal candidate will hold a PhD and have relevant experience in membrane systems, reverse osmosis, and desalination processes. Collaborate with faculty and contribute to high-impact research with access to advanced infrastructure.

Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent advanced terminal degree from a recognized institution.
• No more than 5 years of experience after receiving the PhD.
• Strong knowledge of membrane fabrication and desalination processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead research on advanced membrane desalination technologies.
• Develop high-flux membrane technologies for Arabian Gulf water conditions.
• Conduct experimental research on high-pressure reverse osmosis processes.

Skills

Membrane desalination

Reverse osmosis

High-pressure reverse osmosis

Seawater treatment

Desalination brine characterization

High-salinity treatment

Biological fouling control

Harmful algal bloom protection

Membrane fabrication

Microfiltration

Ultrafiltration

Nanofiltration

Proposal writing

Education

PhD in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or related field

Job description

Job Snapshot

Post-Doctoral Associate - Membrane Desalination

Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Industry: Higher Education

Function: R and D-Science

Experience: PhD with no more than 5 years post-PhD experience

Job Type: Full-time two-year contract

Role Context

The Post-Doctoral Associate - Membrane Desalination will lead research on the application of membrane desalination to treat water from UAE feed sources under the supervision of Professor Nidal Hilal and Professor Raed Hashaikeh. The project focuses on developing advanced membrane systems that can perform under challenging Arabian Gulf conditions, including high salinity, severe biological fouling, harmful algal blooms, and demanding energy-efficiency requirements. This role supports important work in sustainable desalination, water security, high-pressure reverse osmosis, and practical membrane innovation for regional and global water treatment needs.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead research on advanced membrane desalination technologies for treating UAE seawater, desalination brine, and challenging regional feed sources.
• Develop high-flux membrane technologies tailored to Arabian Gulf water conditions, including high salinity levels and severe biological fouling.
• Conduct experimental research on high-pressure reverse osmosis processes for desalination and sustainable water purification.
• Characterize local seawater and desalination brine to guide targeted membrane design, pretreatment development, and process optimization.
• Use advanced membrane fabrication techniques such as electrospinning, phase inversion, and additive manufacturing.
• Develop and evaluate robust pretreatment processes including microfiltration, ultrafiltration, and nanofiltration to protect desalination systems from regional water challenges.
• Investigate system resilience against harmful algal blooms, biological fouling, salinity stress, and complex feedwater conditions.
• Perform experimental and theoretical studies of mass transport, membrane compaction, energy efficiency, and separation performance.
• Optimize desalination processes for sustainability, operational reliability, water quality, and energy-conscious performance.
• Manage project activities, coordinate milestones, maintain research documentation, and support timely delivery of technical outcomes.
• Develop novel concepts for membrane materials, desalination systems, pretreatment strategies, and regional water treatment solutions.
• Contribute to research proposal writing, technical planning, and future project development within the Water Research Center.
• Write progress reports, technical summaries, research manuscripts, patent drafts, and conference presentation materials.
• Author peer-reviewed publications in membrane science, desalination, materials engineering, chemical engineering, and water treatment.
• Present research results at national and international conferences, seminars, and scientific meetings.
• Work closely with faculty, PhD-level scientists, postdoctoral researchers, engineers, graduate students, and undergraduate researchers.
• Maintain excellent laboratory practice, accurate experimental records, reproducible methods, and careful data analysis.
• Contribute to a multidisciplinary research environment focused on practical innovation, water sustainability, scientific quality, and regional impact.

Ideal Profile

• PhD or equivalent advanced terminal degree from a recognized institution in Materials Science and Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Analytical Chemistry, or a related field.
• No more than 5 years of experience after receiving the PhD.
• Strong knowledge of membrane fabrication, membrane characterization, desalination, reverse osmosis, and separation processes.
• Excellent experimental and analytical skills relevant to seawater desalination, brine treatment, membrane performance testing, and water purification.
• Experience with electrospinning, phase inversion, additive manufacturing, microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, or high-pressure reverse osmosis is highly valuable.
• Demonstrated ability to work with complex feedwater conditions, high salinity water, biofouling challenges, or regional desalination constraints.
• Prior expertise in materials science, analytical chemistry, membrane science, or water treatment is preferred.
• Strong record of peer-reviewed publications in a related research area.
• Ability to address complex research problems with creativity, technical depth, and practical judgment.
• Strong attention to detail with excellent organization, documentation, and project coordination skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills for reports, publications, proposals, patents, and conference presentations.
• Capable of working independently while contributing effectively to a collaborative multidisciplinary team.
• Motivated to develop sustainable membrane desalination technologies that support water security and environmental resilience.

Skills Set

• Membrane desalination
• Reverse osmosis
• High-pressure reverse osmosis
• Seawater treatment
• Desalination brine characterization
• UAE feed sources
• Arabian Gulf water conditions
• High salinity treatment
• Biological fouling control
• Harmful algal bloom protection
• High-flux membranes
• Membrane fabrication
• Electrospinning
• Phase inversion
• Additive manufacturing
• Microfiltration
• Ultrafiltration
• Nanofiltration
• Pretreatment process development
• Water purification
• Separation processes
• Mass transport analysis
• Membrane compaction
• Energy efficiency optimization
• Materials science
• Chemical engineering
• Analytical chemistry
• Experimental research
• Theoretical modeling
• Research project management
• Proposal writing
• Peer-reviewed publications
• Patent drafting
• Technical reporting
• Conference presentations

Why Join Us

This opportunity is ideal for a Post-Doctoral Associate - Membrane Desalination who wants to contribute to high-impact research in sustainable desalination and regional water treatment innovation. The role offers access to advanced research infrastructure, collaboration with leading engineering faculty, and the chance to develop membrane technologies that address the unique water challenges of the UAE and Arabian Gulf. It is a strong platform for a researcher aiming to publish meaningful work, build technical expertise, contribute to patents, and support practical solutions for water security in Abu Dhabi's Higher Education and engineering research ecosystem.

About the Company

New York University Abu Dhabi is a leading global research university campus in the United Arab Emirates, supporting advanced scholarship, multidisciplinary research, and international collaboration across engineering, science, social sciences, humanities, and the arts. Through the Water Research Center, NYU Abu Dhabi provides a strong platform for research in desalination, membrane science, water purification, sustainable engineering, and technologies that support cleaner, more reliable water systems for the UAE and the wider region.