USDA-ARS Postdoctoral Fellow in Chemistry

Research Project

This research primarily focuses on developing value-added products from low value biomass. Biomass can include plant or animal residues or any other waste materials such as food or municipal waste. The research involves extraction and modification of low value waste materials and their derivatives. Physical, chemical and instrumental analysis of raw materials and finished products are used to determine the structural characteristic and properties of the compounds. Under the guidance of a mentor, you will be involved in identification and quantification of the extracted and/or synthesis of modified products with the determination of structural integrity of the compounds. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), GC-MS, HPLC will be used as the primary tools for structure determination and quantitative analysis of the compounds. In collaboration with the mentor, you will have considerable input on how the project goals will be achieved. The research is primarily laboratory based, but pilot plant experiments are also conducted.

Learning Objectives

• Learn to conduct research focused on developing value-added products from low-value biomass, including plant and animal residues, food waste, and municipal waste.
• Gain experience in extracting and modifying biomass-derived materials to create functional derivatives and new products.
• Develop skills in performing physical, chemical, and instrumental analyses to characterize raw materials and finished products.
• Gain hands-on experience with advanced analytical techniques, including Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), GC-MS, and HPLC for structural determination and quantitative analysis.
• Participate in both laboratory-scale and pilot plant experiments.

Mentor(s)

The mentor for this opportunity is Majher Sarker (majher.sarker@usda.gov).

Citizenship Requirements

This opportunity is available to U.S. citizens only.

Qualifications

• The qualified candidate should have received a doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields.
• Preferred Skills:
  • Chemical Synthesis
  • Experience with NMR analysis
  • Other analytical skills such as GC-MS, HPLC, FTIR, DSC, TGA

Benefits

• Monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. The anticipated stipend range is $6,000 - $6,500 monthly.
• Full-time participation.

Contact Information

Please visit our Program Website for more information. After reading, if you have additional questions about the application process, please email ORISE.ARS.Northeast@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.