Postdoctoral Researcher – Process modeling and sustainability analysis for lignin valorization
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About this role
Working at NREL
NREL is located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado, and is the nation's primary laboratory for energy systems research and development.
Join the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NREL), where world-class scientists, engineers, and experts are accelerating energy innovation through breakthrough research and systems integration. From our mission to our collaborative culture, NREL 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 NREL, 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 Catalytic Carbon Transformation & Scale-Up Center at NREL has an opening for a full time Postdoctoral Researcher within the Economic, Sustainability, and Market Analysis group. The initial appointment is for one year, with possible renewal up to three years.
This position will work primarily on a Center for Bioenergy Innovation (CBI) project, in which we are developing new approaches to cost-effectively convert biomass into realistic biofuels. https://cbi.ornl.gov/
The successful candidate will work closely with the CBI Lignin Valorization team to conduct biorefinery analyses related to lignin valorization to fuels and chemicals. Analyses will be used to guide experimental R&D and thus a close connection to experimental efforts will be critical. The candidate will work with both AspenPlus and other process modeling tools.
The successful candidate will be able to:
- assimilate a wide variety of information into assessments
- contribute to the planning and execution of research and analysis
- communicate scientific results effectively, both written and oral
- author peer-reviewed publications, and
- work effectively in a large, multidisciplinary team of engineers, chemists, and biologists.
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
- Research experience with an emphasis on chemical process development
- Demonstrated experience with process modeling with Aspen Plus
- Demonstrated experience with doing statistical analysis (i.e., sensitivity or uncertainty)
- PhD degree in chemical engineering or related field
Preferred Qualifications
- Demonstrated experience with programming codes such as Python or R
- Demonstrated experience with LCA tools such as Brightway, openLCA or SimaPro
- Understanding of biomass conversion research and knowledge of lignin deconstruction chemistries
- Relevant experience with sustainable materials and green chemistry practices