Postdoctoral Research Associate - Advanced Separation and Purification

Requisition Id 16936 

Overview:

We are seeking a postdoctoral research associate who will focus on membrane and sorbent materials and processes for advanced separations and purification applications. This position resides in the Soft Materials and Membranes Group in the Chemical Sciences Division, Physical Sciences Directorate (PSD), at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

As part of our team, you will work on developing energy efficient and cost-effective materials and processes for energy applications. The successful candidate will focus on problems related to the separation and recovery of critical materials, gas separation, and biomass based chemical and fuel precursors. Selected candidate will be responsible for developing new and exciting ideas, building collaboration within and outside ORNL, and executing the project from idea stage to eventually generating quantifiable outcomes such as publications and invention disclosures. 

Major Duties/Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to advance separation science and technologies for energy applications.
• Support research and program-development activities in advanced separation and purification, including the recovery of critical materials used in magnets, batteries, and semiconductors from mined resources and electronic waste, as well as separations for bioenergy applications.
• Develop new research directions and contribute to proposals for external funding.
• Communicate research findings through technical reports, conference presentations, and timely publications in peer-reviewed journals.
• Prepare invention disclosures and contribute to patent applications, as appropriate.
• Comply with applicable environmental, safety, health, and quality requirements.
• Demonstrate a strong commitment to ethical conduct and ORNL’s organizational values.
• Deliver ORNL’s mission by aligning behaviors, priorities, and interactions with our core values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service. Promote equal opportunity by fostering a respectful workplace – in how we treat one another, work together, and measure success.

Basic Qualifications:

• A PhD in chemical engineering, chemistry, environmental science and engineering, materials science and engineering, or a related field completed within the last 5 years.

Preferred Qualifications:

• A strong foundation in separation and purification science, materials chemistry and engineering, polymer chemistry, or related disciplines.
• Hands-on experience designing, synthesizing, fabricating, characterizing, and evaluating materials for separation applications.
• Research experience in one or more of the following areas:
  • membrane- or sorbent-based separation and purification;
  • hollow-fiber or spiral-wound membrane-module fabrication and membrane-process scale-up;
  • filtration, solvent or liquid-liquid extraction, solid-liquid or gas-liquid separation, membrane contactors, adsorption, or packed-column systems;
  • extraction, separation, and purification of critical materials, including rare-earth elements and materials used in semiconductor and battery technologies; or
  • separation technologies for bioenergy applications.
• A record of productive and creative research demonstrated through peer-reviewed publications, presentations, patents, or other relevant research outputs.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Motivated self-starter with the 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.

Special Requirements:

For employment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), a Real ID compliant form of identification will be required. Additionally, ORNL 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 mandated by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) and Department of Energy (DOE) Order 473.1A, which requires a favorable post-employment background investigation.

To obtain this credential, new employees must successfully complete and pass a Federal Tier 1 background check investigation. This investigation includes a declaration of illegal drug activities, including use, supply, possession, or manufacture within the last year. This includes marijuana and cannabis derivatives, which are still considered illegal under federal law, regardless of state laws.

For foreign national candidates:
If you have not resided in the U.S. for three consecutive years, you are not eligible for the PIV credential and instead will need to obtain a favorable Local Site Specific Only (LSSO) risk determination to maintain employment. Once you meet the three-year residency requirement, you will be required to obtain a PIV credential to maintain employment.

Postdocs:

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 up to 24 months with the potential for extension. Initial appointments and extensions are subject to performance and availability of funding.

Letters of Recommendation:

Please submit three letters of reference when applying for this position. You can upload these directly to your application or have them sent to View email address on us.fitly.work 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

About ORNL:

As a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national laboratory, ORNL has an impressive 80-year legacy of addressing the nation’s most pressing challenges. Our team is made up of over 7,000 dedicated and innovative individuals! Our goal is to create an environment where a variety of perspectives and backgrounds are valued, ensuring ORNL is known as a top choice for employment. These principles are essential for supporting our broader mission to drive scientific breakthroughs and translate them into solutions for energy, environmental, and security challenges facing the nation.

ORNL offers competitive pay and benefits programs to attract and retain individuals who demonstrate exceptional work behaviors. The laboratory provides a range of employee benefits, including medical and retirement plans and flexible work hours, to support the well-being of you and your family. Employee amenities such as on-site fitness, banking, and cafeteria facilities are also available for added convenience.

Other benefits include the following: Prescription Drug Plan, Dental Plan, Vision Plan, 401(k) Retirement Plan, Contributory Pension Plan, Life Insurance, Disability Benefits, Generous Vacation and Holidays, Parental Leave, Legal Insurance with Identity Theft Protection, Employee Assistance Plan, Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Accounts, Wellness Programs, Educational Assistance, Relocation Assistance, and Employee Discounts.

If you have difficulty using the online application system or need an accommodation to apply due to a disability, please email: View email address on us.fitly.work .

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.

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.