Postdoctoral Appointee – Hydrometallurgical Process Engineering and Chemical Separations

Argonne National Laboratory’s Chemical and Fuel Cycle Technologies Division is seeking a Postdoctoral Appointee to conduct research in chemical process engineering, separations, and process intensification for recovery of critical materials from primary and secondary feedstocks.

About the role

The successful candidate will work closely with staff researchers and technical teams in a safe, collaborative, and results-oriented research environment. The work emphasizes process engineering, experimental systems, and data-driven evaluation of process performance, with opportunities to collaborate with scientists, engineers, and external partners across national laboratory, university, and industrial settings.

Responsibilities

• Design, assemble, operate, and troubleshoot bench- and pilot-scale chemical process equipment
• Plan and execute experiments related to separation processes, fluid handling, and process intensification
• Collect, analyze, and interpret experimental data to assess process performance, stability, and scale-up considerations
• Support development of process documentation, including test plans, operating procedures, and technical reports
• Contribute to integration of instrumentation, controls, and data acquisition systems for experimental platforms
• Work with aqueous and organic chemical systems and support characterization of process streams
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, including chemists, engineers, data scientists, and external project partners
• Present results in internal reviews, sponsor meetings, conference presentations, and peer-reviewed publications
• Maintain a strong commitment to safe work practices and compliance with laboratory requirements
• Contribute to the development of white papers and proposals seeking support from existing and new research sponsors

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mining Engineering, or a closely related discipline completed in the past 5 years or soon-to-be completed
• Knowledge and experience in experimental research involving chemical or process systems
• Familiarity with process instrumentation, sensors, controls, or data acquisition systems
• Experience with one or more programming or analysis tools such as Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW, or similar platforms
• Demonstrated ability to design and execute independent research
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Record of publications, presentations, or other technical outputs commensurate with career stage
• Ability to model Argonne’s core values of impact, safety, respect, integrity, and teamwork

Skills

• Experience with inorganic chemical separation processes such as solvent extraction, adsorption, ion exchange, or related unit operations (preferred but not required)
• Knowledge and experience in aqueous lanthanide/rare earth chemistry (preferred but not required)
• Experience with rotating mechanical equipment (preferred but not required)

Pay

The expected hiring range for this position is $72,879.00 - $121,465.00. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, business considerations, internal equity, and external market pay for comparable jobs.

Benefits

Comprehensive benefits are part of the total rewards package. View Argonne employee benefits.