Postdoc: Electrophoretic Silicate Gels for Metal Separation

Battelle Energy Alliance; Idaho Falls (ID); On-site; USD 95,000 - 116,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

401(k) with employer contribution

Paid time off

Education program

Relocation package

Reasonable relocation assistance

Job summary

Idaho National Laboratory is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate in chemistry, materials science, chemical engineering, geochemistry, or a related field to develop electrophoretically driven silicate gel platforms for extracting and separating metals from silicate-rich feedstocks.

The role involves multidisciplinary collaboration, manuscript writing, and presenting results at conferences. A 9x80 schedule with every other Friday off is offered at the Energy Innovation Laboratory.

Qualifications

• PhD in chemistry, materials science, chemical engineering, geochemistry, or comparable discipline.
• PhD requirements must be completed by commencement of appointment and within the previous 5 years.
• Conduct experimental research on electrophoretically driven silicic acid polymerization, gel structuring, and metal extraction efficiencies under variable pH, ionic strength, and field conditions.
• Perform spectroscopic and structural characterization (EXAFS, XPS, FTIR, PDF analysis, electron microscopy) to evaluate metal adsorption mechanisms, gel morphology, and field-induced polymerization behavior.
• Design, develop, and test ligand-assisted free-flow electrophoresis systems to achieve selective electrophoretic separation of critical metals using stripped silicate matrices.
• Demonstrated oral and published written communication skills in English.

Responsibilities

• Write scientific manuscripts for journal publication and present research at national and international conferences and meetings.
• Coordinate experimental design, data interpretation, and method development across multiple tasks.
• Collaborate with Principal Investigator and colleagues across synchrotron spectroscopy, soft matter chemistry, and geological feedstock characterization.
• Work both independently and as part of an interdisciplinary team to advance research objectives.

Skills

Electrophoresis

Electrochemical separations

Ligand design

Metal extraction

English communication

Education

PhD in chemistry, materials science, chemical engineering, geochemistry, or related field

Tools

EXAFS

XPS

FTIR

PDF analysis

Electron microscopy

Job description

Idaho National Laboratory is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate in chemistry, materials science, chemical engineering, geochemistry, or a related field to develop electrophoretically driven silicate gel platforms for extracting and separating metals from silicate-rich feedstocks.

The role involves multidisciplinary collaboration, manuscript writing, and presenting results at conferences. A 9x80 schedule with every other Friday off is offered at the Energy Innovation Laboratory.