Postdoctoral Researcher –Catalytic Oleochemistry and Process Scale-Up.

National Laboratory of the Rockies; Golden (CO); On-site; USD 77,000 - 126,000; Full time

Job summary

National Laboratory of the Rockies in Golden, CO invites applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher in Catalytic Oleochemistry and Process Scale-Up. The role focuses on turning plant oils into high-value oleochemical products and scaling processes toward pilot-scale demonstration.

The candidate will join a multidisciplinary team applying catalysis, process engineering, and computational modeling to de-risk and accelerate technology scale-up for chemicals and materials.

Qualifications

• PhD in chemical engineering, biological systems engineering, mechanical engineering, chemistry, or relevant field.
• Solid background in biorefinery and biomass conversion.
• Excellent scientific writing and ability to publish.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills.
• Willingness to learn and work on multiple projects.
• Ability to conduct lab experiments with proper safety.

Responsibilities

• Develop pretreatment strategies for lipids to produce feedstocks for catalytic conversion.
• Design and optimize catalytic processes for lipids and related intermediates.
• Evaluate reaction pathways from bench to pilot scale and support reactor design.
• Develop product formulations and relate molecular composition to performance.
• Generate kinetic, mass-balance, and process data for techno-economic analysis.
• Define CMAs and CPPs and assess feedstock variability impact.
• Communicate results via reports, publications, and presentations.

Skills

Biorefinery

Biomass conversion

Scientific writing

Team collaboration

Oral and written presentation

Adaptability

Lab safety

Education

PhD in Chemical Engineering

Tools

FTIR

SEM

GC-MS

Job description

Golden, CO

Full time

R14521

Posting Title

Postdoctoral Researcher –Catalytic Oleochemistry and Process Scale-Up.

Location

CO – Golden

Position Type

Postdoc (Fixed Term)

Hours Per Week

40

Working at NLR

NLR is located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation’s primary laboratory for energy systems research and development.

Join the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), where world-class scientists, engineers, and experts are accelerating energy innovation through breakthrough research and systems integration. From our mission to our collaborative culture, NLR stands out in the research community for its commitment to an affordable and secure energy future. Spanning foundational science to applied systems engineering and analysis, we focus on solving complex challenges to deliver advanced, secure, reliable, and cost-effective energy solutions. Our work helps strengthen U.S. industries, support job creation, and promote national economic growth.

At NLR, you’ll find a mission-driven environment supported by state-of-the-art facilities, multidisciplinary research teams, and strong collaborations with industry, academia, and other national laboratories. We offer robust professional development opportunities, and a competitive benefits package designed to support your career and well-being.

Job Description

The Integrated Carbon Conversion Processes Group within NLR’s Catalytic Carbon Transformation and Scale-Up Center is seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher to work on oleochemistry, catalysis, and product development. Our group’s mission is to de-risk and accelerate the scale-up of technologies for producing chemicals, fertilizers, and critical minerals from domestic biomass resources and waste resources. Our multidisciplinary team integrates expertise in process engineering, process science, catalysis, and computational modeling of integrated processes to translate laboratory discoveries into technically and economically viable processes suitable for pilot-scale demonstration and eventual commercialization.

The selected candidate will work closely with senior researchers and industry collaborators to develop, de-risk, and scale up processes for converting emerging plant oils into performance-advantaged chemicals and materials. Target products may include lubricants, surfactants, specialty chemicals and other high-value oleochemical products.

The position combines fundamental catalytic science, with process development and applied research aimed at translating promising chemistries toward scalable and commercially relevant processes. A key objective will be to advance promising chemistries from bench-scale discovery through integrated process development and pilot-scale validation, generating the scientific and engineering knowledge required for technology scale-up.

The selected candidate’s responsibilities will include:

• Developing pretreatment strategies for lipids to produce feedstocks with critical material attributes (CMAs) for downstream catalytic conversion into products
• Develop and optimize catalytic processes that transform lipids, fatty acids, and related intermediates into chemical precursors for high-value products
• Design and evaluate catalytic reaction pathways from bench to pilot including catalyst screening, reaction engineering and integration of reaction and separation unit operations
• Develop product formulations and structure-property relationships that connect molecular composition with enhanced performance in applications such as lubricants, surfactants and specialty chemicals.
• Generating kinetic, mass-balance, and process-performance data needed to support reactor design, process modeling, techno-economic analysis, and transition from laboratory systems to pilot-scale operation.
• Establishing CMAs and critical process parameters (CPPs) for key unit operations and determining how feedstock variability and processing conditions affect intermediate quality, product performance, process robustness, and scale-up.
• Communicating research results through technical reports, peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, invention disclosures, and project reviews.

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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

Required Education, Experience, and Skills

Must be a recent PhD graduate within the last three years in Chemical Engineering, Biological Systems Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry, or relevant field.

• A solid background in biorefinery and biomass conversion.
• Strong scientific writing skills demonstrated by first authorship of quality scientific papers.
• Proven communications skills and the ability to work collaboratively as part of a research team are also required.
• Excellent oral and written presentation skills.
• A willingness and curiosity to learn and work on a variety of projects.
• Ability to learn new techniques quickly and multi-task efficiently.
• Conduct laboratory experiments with minimal supervision and with the utmost regard to safety is required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Batch and flow reactor operation for lipid processing to produce chemicals
• Hands on experience in oleochemistry
• Experience with wet chemistry, including sample preparation and catalytic conversion.
• Experience with catalytic upgrading and catalyst characterization.
• Experience with separations, including liquid-liquid and solid-liquid extractions.
• Experience with polymer formulation.
• Operation of analytical instrumentation (e.g. FTIR, SEM, GC-MS, etc.)
• Experience with pilot scale equipment for biomass conversion.
• Experience with modeling and machine learning.

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Job Application Submission Window

The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.

Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week)

Job Profile: Postdoctoral Researcher / Annual Salary Range: $76,600 – $126,400

NLR 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. NLR 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.

***** Based on eligibility rules

Badging Requirement

NLR is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), which includes a favorable background investigation.

Drug Free Workplace

NLR is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace in accordance with the federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug.

If you are offered employment at NLR, you must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment. Unless prohibited by state or local law, the pre-employment drug test will include marijuana. If you test positive on the pre-employment drug test, your offer of employment may be withdrawn.

Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard basis of age (40 and over), color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic partner status, military or veteran status, national origin/ancestry, race, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding), sexual orientation, and any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Reasonable Accommodations https://www.nlr.gov/careers/employment-policies

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E-Verify is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This business uses E-Verify in its hiring practices to achieve a lawful workforce.

The National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) is the U.S. Department of Energy’s primary national laboratory for critical minerals, energy innovation, and energy security. With locations in Golden and Boulder, Colorado, Fairbanks, Alaska, and a satellite office in Washington, D.C., NLR bridges foundational research with practical applications to develop and bring to scale new energy materials and technologies that lower energy costs, drive economic growth, and deliver abundant and reliable energy.

NLR is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All candidates must be authorized to access the facility per DOE rules and guidance within a reasonable time frame for the specified position in order to be considered for an interview and for hiring. DOE rules for site access during the interview process depend on whether the candidate is interviewed on-site, off-site, or via telephone or videoconference. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), which includes a favorable background investigation. Additionally, DOE contractor employees are prohibited from participating in certain Foreign Government Talent Recruitment Programs (FGTRPs). If a candidate is currently participating in an FGTRP, they will be required to disclose their participation after receiving an offer of employment and may be required to disengage from participation in the FGTRP prior to commencing employment. Any offer of employment is conditional on the ability to obtain work authorization and to be granted access to NLR by the Department of Energy (DOE).

Drug Free Workplace

NLR is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace in accordance with federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug.

If you are offered employment at NLR, you must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment. Unless prohibited by state or local law, the pre-employment drug test will include marijuana. If you test positive on the pre-employment drug test, your offer of employment may be withdrawn.