Postdoctoral Appointee - Separation Sciences

The Heavy Element Chemistry and Separation Sciences group in the Chemical Science and Engineering Division of Argonne National Laboratory is seeking applications for a postdoctoral research associate to conduct fundamental research in chemical separations with green solvents, including room temperature ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents, with application to critical materials, including rare earths and lithium.

The successful candidate will join a diverse team of experts to address challenging, fundamental questions in chemical separations, the answers to which will inform a more energy efficient and environmentally aware nation. The team includes staff and postdoctoral fellows with diverse backgrounds in inorganic, analytical and physical chemistry, as well as condensed matter physics. They will have the opportunity to work with the computational facilities and advanced instrumentation available at Argonne National Laboratory, including the Advanced Photon Source.

The candidate will be expected to contribute experimental insights to the group's efforts to understand the physical and chemical factors enabling low-energy separations, focusing on liquid-liquid extraction using nanostructured green solvents. As a contributor to a group effort, the candidate will have the opportunity to lead studies, including the preparation of manuscripts and the presentation of their research in a national forum.

Position Requirements

• A Ph.D. with 0 to 3 years of experience or equivalent in chemistry, chemical engineering, physics or a related field at the time of start date
• Interest in the design and execution of all aspects of research addressing fundamental scientific questions, with accompanying excellent oral and written communication skills
• Significant research experience with ionic liquids, deep eutectic solvents or chemical separations
• Ability to model Argonne's Core Values: Impact, Safety, Respect, Integrity, and Teamwork

Preferred Qualifications Include:

• Knowledge of solution thermodynamics
• Experience with experimental characterization techniques applied to liquids and/or their interfaces, such as x-ray scattering and spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy, absorbance spectroscopy, tensiometry of liquid interfaces, or Langmuir trough techniques
• Experience with structural investigation of liquid interfaces, or ion adsorption at liquid interfaces
• A basic understanding of chemical separations of metal ions

Job Family
Postdoctoral Family

Job Profile
Postdoctoral Appointee

Worker Type
Long-Term (Fixed Term)

Time Type
Full time

As an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer, and in accordance with our core values of impact, safety, respect, integrity and teamwork, Argonne National Laboratory is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace that fosters collaborative scientific discovery and innovation. In support of this commitment, Argonne encourages minorities, women, veterans and individuals with disabilities to apply for employment. Argonne considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship status, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.

Argonne employees, and certain guest researchers and contractors, are subject to particular restrictions related to participation in Foreign Government Sponsored or Affiliated Activities, as defined and detailed in United States Department of Energy Order 486.1A. You will be asked to disclose any such participation in the application phase for review by Argonne's Legal Department.

All Argonne offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes an assessment of criminal conviction history conducted on an individualized and case-by-case basis. Please be advised that Argonne positions require upon hire (or may require in the future) for the individual be to obtain a government access authorization that involves additional background check requirements. Failure to obtain or maintain such government access authorization could result in the withdrawal of a job offer or future termination of employment.