Postdoctoral Research Scholar

Arizona State University; Tempe, Northern (AZ, KY); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Arizona State University’s LightWorks seeks a Postdoctoral Research Scholar to advance sustainable energy and chemical processing projects, including redox metal oxide thermochemical water and CO2 splitting, thermochemical storage, and bioprocesses.

The role emphasizes experimental design, data analysis, mentorship of students, proposal writing, and cross-team coordination to meet milestones with an anticipated April 2025 start date.

Qualifications

• Recent Ph.D. (within four years) in chemical, materials, or mechanical engineering or closely related discipline.
• Research experience in solar thermochemistry, high-temperature systems, or related areas is highly desirable.
• Strong writing and communication skills, and ability to document results clearly in the scientific literature.

Responsibilities

• Experimental or analytical design and implementation, data analysis, and manuscript preparation.
• Mentorship of graduate and undergraduate students.
• Coordinating among team members to achieve project milestones.

Skills

PhD-level expertise

Excellent communication

Team collaboration

Mentorship

Education

PhD in chemical, materials, or mechanical engineering

Tools

Thermogravimetric analysis

Gas chromatography

Mass spectrometry

X-ray diffraction

Gas sorption

Surface area analysis

Job description

Arizona State University: Knowledge Enterprise: Global Institute of Sustainability and Innovation: LightWorks

Location

Tempe campus

Open Date

Mar 07, 2025

Description

The Postdoctoral Research Scholar will be taking a role in sustainable energy and food projects involving redox metal oxide thermochemical water and carbon dioxide splitting (solar and e-fuels), thermochemical energy storage, chemical looping, chemical production, and biochemical fermentation, and encompassing activities such as detailed engineering modeling and analysis of unit operations including chemical reaction, heat and mass transfer, and separations; thermodynamic analyses of chemical systems; techno-economic and scenario analyses; reactor and system design, construction, and characterization of novel thermochemical systems; and redox active materials development including synthesis, characterization, and evaluation of chemically reactive behavior and biomass.

This is a benefits-eligible, full-time, 12-month position, with no tenure implications. The anticipated start date is April 2025.

• Experimental or analytical design and implementation, data analysis, report/manuscript preparation, and mentorship of graduate and undergraduate students.
• Assisting in writing research proposals and seeking future funding.
• Coordinating among team members, which will be essential for achieving project milestones.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Applicants must have a recent Ph.D. (within the past four years) in chemical, materials, or mechanical engineering or a closely related discipline.

Desired Qualifications:

• Practical experience in at least one of the following, solar thermochemistry and concentrating solar power technology, construction and operation of high temperature systems including heterogeneous reactor systems, fermentation and bioreactors, systems modeling and engineering, and computational fluid dynamics, or thermodynamics, is highly desired;
• Familiarity with and competence in the design, assembly, and operation of laboratory reactor systems, and the synthesis of metal oxides and/or metal nitrides and with standard materials characterization techniques including thermogravimetric analysis, gas chemisorption, surface area analysis, gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, and x-ray diffraction, and nutrient composition analysis;
• Experience with the development and/or optimization of new redox active materials or processes will also be considered an asset;
• Demonstrated motivation and aptitude for learning and taking on new challenges, collaboration, and clearly and carefully documenting results in the scientific literature is desired;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills;
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment, and effectively balance parallel work on several different projects.
• Climate-controlled office setting subject to extended periods of being in a stationary position.
• Constantly detects and operates a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a calculator, copy machine and computer printer.
• Ability to clearly communicate and exchange accurate information to perform essential duties.
• Expected to be responsive to customers, engaged in work production, resourceful, flexible, and respectful of others.

Department Statement

Arizona State University is a new model for American higher education, an unprecedented combination of academic excellence, entrepreneurial energy and broad access. This New American University is a single, unified institution comprising four differentiated campuses positively impacting the economic, social, cultural and environmental health of the communities it serves. Its research is inspired by real world application blurring the boundaries that traditionally separate academic disciplines. ASU serves more than 100,000 students in metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona, the nation’s fifth largest city. ASU champions intellectual and cultural inclusivity, and it welcomes students from all fifty states and more than one hundred nations across the globe. ASU is in the Phoenix metropolitan area in Tempe, Arizona, and is one of the largest universities in the U.S. The Academic Rankings of World Universities has included ASU in the top-100 list of research universities and ASU tops the 2015-2021 U.S. News & World Report list of most innovative schools in the US. ASU has recently passed the $600 million mark in annual research expenditures.

ASU LightWorks places light-inspired and renewable energy research at the University under one strategic framework. ASU LightWorks is a multidisciplinary effort to leverage the University's unique strengths in a broad set of emerging technologies, including energy efficiency, artificial photosynthesis, biofuels, and next-generation photovoltaics. ASU LightWorks operates within the Office of Knowledge Enterprise (KE) and the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory, which seeks research funding, supports faculty researchers, nurtures partnerships with external partners, promotes innovation and entrepreneurship and shares what we learn with the community and the world.