Postdoctoral Fellow (PREP0005063)

Johns Hopkins University; Baltimore (MD); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Johns Hopkins University is seeking a Post-Doctoral Researcher to support calibration methods for critical minerals and materials in collaboration with the NIST PREP program. You will develop LA and solution-based ICP-MS calibration methods, prepare samples, and design robust experiments to quantify metals in complex feeds such as battery black mass and electronic scrap, reporting findings for publications.

U.S. Citizens Only.

Qualifications

• PhD in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field.
• Proven experience with acid digestions, and trace element quantification is required; fundamental knowledge about plasma source mass spectrometry and LA-ICP-MS is desirable (> 3yrs).
• Excellent written/oral communication; track record of meeting milestones in multidisciplinary teams; demonstrated first author publications.
• Must be comfortable working with caustic and corrosive chemicals and working in a laboratory that maintains strict clean sample preparation protocols ensuring low blanks and cross contamination.
• Familiarity with metal extraction and preservation chemistry, Li battery chemistry, rare earth and toxic metals analyses.

Responsibilities

• Method Development: Develop LA and solution-based ICP-MS calibration methods for quantification of critical and toxic metals in complex industrial materials and feedstocks.
• Sample Preparation: Prepare sample pellets for LA calibration and analysis; perform microwave-assisted acid digestions of complex secondary materials (e.g., black mass, e-scrap) and associated reference materials.
• Experimental Design, Instrumental Analysis and Data Collection: Design sound experiments; Optimize and run ICP-MS instrumentation and couplings; interpret complex datasets; develop and apply high accuracy calibration schemes.
• Communication: Prepare findings for peer-reviewed publications, technical reports, and oral presentations. Deliverables to include internal Reports of Analysis.

Education

PhD in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field

Job description

PREP Research Associate

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program. NIST recognizes that its research staff may wish to collaborate with researchers at academic institutions on speciï¬c projects of mutual interest, thus requires that such institutions must be the recipient of a PREP award. The PREP program requires staff from a wide range of backgrounds to work on scientiï¬c research in many areas. Employees in this position will perform technical work that underpins the scientiï¬c research of the collaboration.

Research Title: Post-Doctoral Research Associate: Advanced Calibration Methods for Critical Minerals and Materials

(U.S. Citizens Only)

Overview:

The Material Measurement Laboratory (MML), part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), is seeking a Post-Doctoral Researcher to support critical minerals chemical composition research. Candidates must be US citizens and will report to the NIST Charleston, SC laboratory, which is co-located with the USDOC NOAA Hollings Marine Laboratory. The candidate will develop both solid and solution sampling calibration methods using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), laser ablation (LA) and other techniques characterize the elemental composition of complex material streams such as battery black mass and electronic scrap. These streams contain critical minerals and materials that have economic value, but recovery pathways remain nascent. The driver for this research focuses on validating calibration methods that could potentially port to industry and bolster measurement capabilities across domestic critical materials supply chains.

Key responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Method Development: Develop LA and solution-based ICP-MS calibration methods for quantification of critical and toxic metals in complex industrial materials and feedstocks.
• Sample Preparation: Prepare sample pellets for LA calibration and analysis; perform microwave-assisted acid digestions of complex secondary materials (e.g., black mass, e-scrap) and associated reference materials.
• Experimental Design, Instrumental Analysis and Data Collection: Design sound experiments; Optimize and run ICP-MS instrumentation and couplings; interpret complex datasets; develop and apply high accuracy calibration schemes.
• Communication: Prepare findings for peer-reviewed publications, technical reports, and oral presentations. Deliverables to include internal Reports of Analysis.

Safety and Compliance: Maintain strict adherence to institutional safety requirements, including hazardous chemical handling protocols; protect intellectual property of candidate research materials.

Qualifications

• PhD in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field.
• Proven experience with acid digestions, and trace element quantification is required; fundamental knowledge about plasma source mass spectrometry and LA-ICP-MS is desirable (> 3yrs).
• Excellent written/oral communication; track record of meeting milestones in multidisciplinary teams; demonstrated first author publications.
• Must be comfortable working with caustic and corrosive chemicals and working in a laboratory that maintains strict clean sample preparation protocols ensuring low blanks and cross contamination.
• Familiarity with metal extraction and preservation chemistry, Li battery chemistry, rare earth and toxic metals analyses.

Salary Range

The referenced salary range represents the minimum and maximum salaries for this position and is based on Johns Hopkins University's good faith belief at the time of posting. Not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range. The actual compensation offered to the selected candidate may vary and will ultimately depend on multiple factors, which may include the successful candidate's geographic location, skills, work experience, internal equity, market conditions, education/training and other factors, as reasonably determined by the University.

Total Rewards

Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports our employees' health, life, career and retirement. More information can be found here: https://hr.jhu.edu/benefits-worklife/.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Johns Hopkins University is committed to equal opportunity for its faculty, staff, and students. To that end, the university does not discriminate on the basis of sex, gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status or other legally protected characteristics. The university is committed to providing qualified individuals access to all academic and employment programs, benefits and activities on the basis of demonstrated ability, performance and merit without regard to personal factors or demographic characteristics that are irrelevant to the program involved.

Pre-Employment Information

If you are interested in applying for employment with Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre-employment process, please contact the HR Business Services Office at [e-mail]. For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711. For more information about workplace accommodations at Johns Hopkins University for disabilities, medical conditions (including medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth), accessibility, or religious reasons, please visit accessibility.jhu.edu.

Background Checks

After receiving a conditional offer, the successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check including education verification. When deciding whether a candidate's conviction history is job-disqualifying, the University considers the nature and gravity of the offense, the time that has passed since the conviction, and the nature of the job being sought.

EEO is the Law

https://www.eeoc.gov/employees-job-applicants

Vaccine Requirements

Johns Hopkins University strongly encourages, but no longer requires, at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. This change does not apply to the School of Medicine (SOM). SOM hires must be fully vaccinated with an FDA COVID-19 vaccination and provide proof of vaccination status. We still require all faculty, staff, and students to receive the seasonal flu vaccine.

Exceptions to the seasonal flu vaccine or COVID-19 vaccine (for SOM) requirement(s) may be provided to individuals with sincerely held religious beliefs or medical conditions that preclude them from receiving the vaccine. Requests for an exception must be submitted to the JHU vaccination registry. For additional information, applicants for SOM positions should visit https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine/ and all other JHU applicants should visit https://covidinfo.jhu.edu/health-safety/covid-vaccination-information/.

The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas, laboratories, working with research subjects, or involving community contact requires documentation of immune status against Rubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may include documentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicella vaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratory testing. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases are ordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except for those candidates who provide results of blood tests or immunization documentation from their own health care providers. Any vaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no cost in our Occupational Health office.