Postdoctoral Research Scholar

The Postdoctoral Research Scholar will be taking a role in sustainable energy and food projects involving redox metal oxide thermochemical water and carbon dioxide splitting (solar and e-fuels), thermochemical energy storage, chemical looping, chemical production, and biochemical fermentation, and encompassing activities such as detailed engineering modeling and analysis of unit operations including chemical reaction, heat and mass transfer, and separations; thermodynamic analyses of chemical systems; techno-economic and scenario analyses; reactor and system design, construction, and characterization of novel thermochemical systems; and redox active materials development including synthesis, characterization, and evaluation of chemically reactive behavior and biomass.

This is a benefits-eligible, full-time, 12-month position, with no tenure implications. The anticipated start date is April 2025.

Essential Duties

• Experimental or analytical design and implementation, data analysis, report/manuscript preparation, and mentorship of graduate and undergraduate students.
• Assisting in writing research proposals and seeking future funding.
• Coordinating among team members, which will be essential for achieving project milestones.

Required Qualifications:

• Applicants must have a recent Ph.D. (within the past four years) in chemical, materials, or mechanical engineering or a closely related discipline.

Desired Qualifications:

• Practical experience in at least one of the following, solar thermochemistry and concentrating solar power technology, construction and operation of high temperature systems including heterogeneous reactor systems, fermentation and bioreactors, systems modeling and engineering, and computational fluid dynamics, or thermodynamics, is highly desired;
• Familiarity with and competence in the design, assembly, and operation of laboratory reactor systems, and the synthesis of metal oxides and/or metal nitrides and with standard materials characterization techniques including thermogravimetric analysis, gas chemisorption, surface area analysis, gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, and x-ray diffraction, and nutrient composition analysis;
• Experience with the development and/or optimization of new redox active materials or processes will also be considered an asset;
• Demonstrated motivation and aptitude for learning and taking on new challenges, collaboration, and clearly and carefully documenting results in the scientific literature is desired;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills;
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment, and effectively balance parallel work on several different projects.

Working Environment

• Climate-controlled office setting subject to extended periods of being in a stationary position.
• Constantly detects and operates a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a calculator, copy machine and computer printer.
• Ability to clearly communicate and exchange accurate information to perform essential duties.
• Expected to be responsive to customers, engaged in work production, resourceful, flexible, and respectful of others.

Only electronic submissions will be reviewed. Incomplete applications will not be considered. To apply for this position, submit the following required application materials:

• A detailed cover letter that includes a description of applicant’s research interests and relevant experience and vision related to the position.
• Current curriculum vitae.
• Contact information for three professional references (include name, title, affiliation, email address, phone number).

Review of applications will begin April 7, 2025. If not filled, applications will be evaluated weekly thereafter until the search is closed.

Department Statement

Arizona State University is a new model for American higher education, an unprecedented combination of academic excellence, entrepreneurial energy and broad access. This New American University is a single, unified institution comprising four differentiated campuses positively impacting the economic, social, cultural and environmental health of the communities it serves. Its research is inspired by real world application blurring the boundaries that traditionally separate academic disciplines. ASU serves more than 100,000 students in metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona, the nation’s fifth largest city. ASU champions intellectual and cultural inclusivity, and it welcomes students from all fifty states and more than one hundred nations across the globe. ASU is in the Phoenix metropolitan area in Tempe, Arizona, and is one of the largest universities in the U.S. The Academic Rankings of World Universities has included ASU in the top-100 list of research universities and ASU tops the 2015-2021 U.S. News & World Report list of most innovative schools in the US. ASU has recently passed the $600 million mark in annual research expenditures.

ASU LightWorks places light-inspired and renewable energy research at the University under one strategic framework. ASU LightWorks is a multidisciplinary effort to leverage the University's unique strengths in a broad set of emerging technologies, including energy efficiency, artificial photosynthesis, biofuels, and next-generation photovoltaics. ASU LightWorks operates within the Office of Knowledge Enterprise (KE) and the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory, which seeks research funding, supports faculty researchers, nurtures partnerships with external partners, promotes innovation and entrepreneurship and shares what we learn with the community and the world.