Postdoctoral Scholar, Chemical Engineering

Michigan Technological University; Houghton (MI); On-site; USD 54,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

Michigan Technological University invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Associate in hydrometallurgical refining and lithium-ion battery recycling. The successful candidate will contribute to externally funded research focusing on the hydrometallurgical processing of mine tailings and recycled battery materials, with bench-scale and pilot-scale work in an interdisciplinary team.

The role emphasizes experimental design, data analysis, manuscript preparation, mentoring students, and

Qualifications

• PhD required in Metallurgical/Mining/Materials/Environmental Eng or closely related field; must be completed by start date.
• Graduate-level or professional research experience in hydrometallurgy or mineral processing.
• Experience designing experiments, collecting data, and publishing results.

Responsibilities

• Design and conduct lab- and pilot-scale hydrometallurgical experiments.
• Develop and optimize unit operations (leaching, impurity removal, solvent extraction, ion exchange).
• Establish mass balances, analyze kinetics, and support techno-economic assessments.
• Characterize materials with analytical tools (XRD, SEM-EDS, FTIR) and prepare manuscripts.
• Mentor graduate and undergraduate researchers and manage project activities.

Skills

Hydrometallurgy

Mineral processing

Data analysis

Research publication

Education

PhD in Metallurgical Engineering

Tools

S-TEM

TGA/DSC

Job description

Ensured Consideration Date: October 31, 2026

Michigan Technological University is an R1 technological research university founded in 1885 in Houghton. Our rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's scenic Upper Peninsula and is home to nearly 7,500 students from more than 60 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigan's flagship technological university offers more than 185 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Research focus areas include defense, health, energy, automotive, environment, and aerospace.

The area's waters, forests, and snowfall support year-round recreation, including skiing, snowboarding, hiking, biking, and paddling. The University is an integral part of the region, supported by a friendly and welcoming community that takes pride in being a true college town. We embrace our size, climate, sense of adventure, and originality.

Summary

Prof. Lei Pan's research group at Michigan Technological University invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Associate in hydrometallurgical refining and lithium-ion battery recycling. The successful candidate will contribute to externally funded research focused on the hydrometallurgical processing of mine tailing and recycled battery materials. The position will focus on both bench-scale work and pilot-scale validation. This postdoctoral researcher will work in an interdisciplinary team at the interface of mineral processing, extractive metallurgy, and process scale-up.

Responsibilities and Essential Duties

1. Design and conduct laboratory- and pilot-scale experiments in hydrometallurgical operation.
2. Develop and optimize unit operations such as physical separation, leaching, impurity removal, solvent extraction, ion exchange, precipitation, crystallization, filtration, and product purification.
3. Establish mass balances, evaluate process kinetics and selectivity, analyze scaleup data, and support techno-economic and sustainability assessments when appropriate.
4. Characterize feed materials, intermediates, and products using appropriate analytical tools, such as, XRD, SEM-EDS, FTIR, particle size analysis, and others.
5. Prepare manuscripts for peer-reviewed publication, technical reports for sponsors, presentations, and contributions to new research proposals.
6. Mentor and supervise both graduate students and undergraduate researchers working on related projects.
7. Support day-to-day project management, including planning experiments, coordinating laboratory resources, documenting data, and communicating progress to the PI and project team.
8. Maintain a strong safety record by following university policies, developing and updating SOPs, conducting risk assessments, and promoting a positive safety culture in the laboratory and pilot facilities.
9. Commit to learning about continuous improvement strategies and applying them to everyday work. Actively engage in University continuous improvement initiatives.
10. Apply safety-related knowledge, skills, and practices to everyday work.

Required Education, Certifications, Licensures

• * PhD in Metallurgical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mining Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Environmental Engineering, or a closely related field. Candidates must have completed all PhD requirements by the appointment start date.

Required Experience

• * Demonstrated graduate-level or professional research experience in hydrometallurgy, and/or mineral processing, or closely related domains.
• * Hands-on experience designing experiments, collecting and analyzing data, and interpreting results for publication-quality research.
• * Experience working safely with chemical processes, laboratory equipment, and research documentation in a laboratory or pilot-scale environment.

Desirable Education and/or Experience

• * Research experience in lithium-ion battery recycling, nickel/cobalt refining, or primary nickel ore processing.
• * Experience with bench- or pilot-scale hydrometallurgical systems, including leaching, solid-liquid separation, ion exchange, solvent extraction, precipitation, crystallization, or electrowinning.
• * Prior postdoctoral, industrial, national laboratory, or externally funded project experience is beneficial but not required.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and/or Abilities

• * Ability to publish research findings in peer-reviewed journals and communicate technical results clearly in written and oral formats.
• * Ability to publish research findings in the field of critical mineral processing and relevant fields.
• * Ability to work independently while contributing effectively to a multidisciplinary research team.
• * Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple experimental tasks and deadlines.
• * Commitment to laboratory safety, responsible conduct of research, and mentoring of students in safe research practices.

Desirable Knowledge, Skills, and/or Abilities

• * Experience with advanced characterization methods such as S-TEM, TGA/DSC.
• * Familiarity with process simulation software, mass-balance calculations, kinetic modeling, statistical analysis, or data-driven process optimization.
• * Demonstrated record of high-quality publications, proposal contributions, sponsor reporting, or student mentoring.
• * Demonstrated success in, or potential future contributions to, working with persons with a wide variety of backgrounds and viewpoints.

Work Environment and/or Physical Demands

• * Work will be performed in office, laboratory, and pilot-scale research settings. The work environment may include routine use of chemical fume hoods, reactors, filtration equipment, pumps, analytical instruments, and pilot-scale processing equipment.
• * The position may require standing for extended periods, handling laboratory samples and chemicals, lifting or moving research materials within safe limits, wearing appropriate personal protective equipment, and following all applicable laboratory safety procedures. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Required Training and Other Conditions of Employment

• Every employee at Michigan Technological University will receive the following 4 required trainings; additional training may be required by the department.
• Required University Training:
  * Employee Safety Overview
  * Anti-Harassment, Discrimination, Retaliation Training
  * Annual Data Security Training
  * Annual Title IX Training
• Background Check:
  Offers of employment are contingent upon and not considered finalized until the required background check has been performed and the results received and assessed.

Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) % (1=100%)

1

FLSA Status

Exempt

Appointment Term

12 months

Pay Rate/Salary

The minimum salary for this position is $60,000 . Thefinal salary will depend on experience and qualifications.

Title of Position Supervisor

Associate Professor

Posting Type

Internal & External

Dependent on Funding

Yes

Additional Information

This position is contingent upon the continued availability of external funding.
Full ensured consideration will be given to applicants who apply on or before October 31, 2026

Other Conditions of Employment

Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without the need of an employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of your appointment, and maintain eligibility without sponsorship throughout your appointment.

Michigan Technological University is an Equal Opportunity Educational Institution/Equal Opportunity Employer that provides equal opportunity for all, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

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