Postdoctoral Research Associate - Applied Catalysis & Emissions Research

Requisition Id 12532 

Overview: 

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is the largest US Department of Energy science and energy laboratory, conducting basic and applied research to deliver transformative solutions to compelling problems in energy and security.

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate who will support the Applied Catalysis and Emissions Research Group in the Buildings and Transportation Science Division, Energy Science and Technology Directorate at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).   The mission of the Applied Catalysis and Emissions Research Group is to develop, understand, and demonstrate technologies for energy conversion that will achieve net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) and near-zero emissions of pollutants. The successful candidate(s) for this position will have the opportunity to work on projects focused on: catalysts for converting carbon dioxide to renewable fuels and chemical intermediates; catalysts for carbon dioxide capture and purification; methane oxidation catalysts (MOCs); sulfur and NOx traps for fuel cell air purification; catalytic fuel reforming; and catalysts for control of combustion engine emissions.

Major Duties/Responsibilities: 

• Synthesize catalytic materials including oxides of transition metals, supported metal catalysts, and zeolites.

• Characterize catalytic materials through techniques that may include surface spectroscopy (DRIFTS), titration of active sites through chemisorption, reducibility (TPR), and surface area measurements (BET).

• Evaluate the performance and durability of catalytic materials under realistic operating conditions in flow reactor systems.

• Report research results in peer-reviewed journal articles, conference presentations, and project reviews and reports.

Basic Qualifications:

• A PhD in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or a related field completed within the last 5 years

Preferred Qualifications:

• A record of excellence in experimental catalysis research as demonstrated through high-impact peer reviewed publications and/or patents

• Experience synthesizing catalysts

• Experience characterizing catalysts, including techniques such as DRIFTS and site titration through chemisorption, TPR, and BET

• Experience operating flow reactor systems, including on-line instrumentation (FTIR, MS, FID, GC)

• Familiarity with LabVIEW software for control and data acquisition

• Familiarity with catalyst modeling

• Excellent written and oral communication skills

• Ability to work independently and to participate creatively in collaborative teams across the laboratory 

• Ability to function well in a fast-paced research environment, set priorities to accomplish multiple tasks within deadlines, and adapt to ever changing needs

Please submit three letters of reference when applying to this position. You can upload these directly to your application or have them sent to postdocrecruitment@ornl.gov with the position title and number referenced in the subject line.

Instructions to upload documents to your candidate profile:

• Login to your account via jobs.ornl.gov

• View Profile

• Under the My Documents section, select Add a Document

Applicants cannot have received their Ph.D. more than five years prior to the date of application and must complete all degree requirements before starting their appointment. The appointment length will be for up to 24 months with the potential for extension. Initial appointments and extensions are subject to performance and the availability of funding.

Moving can be overwhelming and expensive. UT-Battelle offers a generous relocation package to ease the transition process. Domestic and international relocation assistance is available for certain positions. If invited to interview, be sure to ask your Recruiter (Talent Acquisition Partner) for details.

For more information about our benefits, working here, and living here, visit the “About” tab at jobs.ornl.gov.

This position will remain open for a minimum of 5 days after which it will close when a qualified candidate is identified and/or hired.

We accept Word (.doc, .docx), Adobe (unsecured .pdf), Rich Text Format (.rtf), and HTML (.htm, .html) up to 5MB in size. Resumes from third party vendors will not be accepted; these resumes will be deleted and the candidates submitted will not be considered for employment.

If you have trouble applying for a position, please email ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov.

ORNL is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, are encouraged to apply.  UT-Battelle is an E-Verify employer.