Postdoctoral Position in Electrochemical Engineering
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
United States

Postdoctoral Position in Electrochemical Engineering

Lawrence Berkeley National Lab’s (LBNL) Energy Storage & Distributed Resources Division has an opening for an Electrochemical Engineering Postdoctoral Scholar to join the team.

The Electrochemical Engineering Postdoctoral Scholar Employee will conduct experimental work on CO2 electrolyzers and/or other related electrochemical devices and their components in The Energy Conversion Group in the Energy Storage and Distributed Resources Division of the Energy Technologies Area.  The work will entail membrane-electrode assembly device fabrication, testing and associated electrochemical and physical diagnostics, component characterization and integration. You will collaborate with research partners to develop and utilize novel characterization and diagnostic methods to identify critical performance and durability barriers for CO2 electrolyzers and provide and validate strategies to overcome them. In addition to cell level testing and integration, particular emphasis will be on understanding electrochemistry and homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions and component material properties including structure/function relationships across multiple time and length scales.

What You Will Do:

• Develop testing protocols to validate and examine performance and degradation behavior of CO2 electrolyzer components (e.g. ionomer, catalyst and membrane degradation, flooding and salting issues and carbon crossover).
• Develop experiments and protocols to identify limiting factors in the performance and durability of CO2 electrolyzers and their components and propose novel mitigation strategies.
• Rational design of heterogeneous reaction environment to tune selectivity of CO2 reduction under conditions where cations are limited (for instance, pure water-fed conditions).
• Develop coating strategies to fabricate CO2 electrolyzer components (e.g. catalyst coated substrates or bipolar membrane). 
• Publish original research in peer-reviewed journals; contribute to scientific publications; present research through talks and posters at conferences, workshops, and multi-investigator meetings.
• Adhere with the Berkeley Lab and ETA safety requirements.
• Work on meeting milestones and reporting them to DOE and industrial sponsors.
• Collaborate and work with a team of researchers from diverse backgrounds, and interface with research teams across industry, academia, and national laboratories.

Additional Responsibilities as needed:

• Work on in-situ and operando cell designs including synchrotron-based techniques for CO2 electrolysis materials and cells. 
• Interact with the LBNL electrolysis, fuel cell and electrochemistry community (with extensive experience in batteries, electrolyzers and fuel cells, electrode material synthesis, spectroscopy, detailed diagnostics, and cell design) to aid in electrochemistry research.    

What is Required:

• PhD in chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, applied physics, materials science or closely related field.  
• Hands-on experience with electrochemical devices such as PEM, AEM or BPM CO2 electrolyzers or related devices. 
• Proficient in conducting experiments using gas and ion chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance and high-performance liquid chromatography for product and degradation analysis. 
• Strong background in electrochemistry and chemical engineering fundamentals.  
• Strong background in material science with experience in using physical characterization tools and data analysis.
• Self-motived and milestones driven.
• Familiarity with data and image processing.  
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written as well as technical writing.  
• Ability to learn rapidly and integrate new fields to demonstrate creative problem-solving skills.
• Ability and willingness to work in a team environment and collaborate with researchers from various backgrounds.
• Ability to work as an independent researcher with a high level of scientific judgment and initiative. 

Desired Qualifications:

• Demonstrated ability to take initiative for tackling cross-disciplinary research problems from initiation to meaningful conclusion.
• Experience with simulation, water splitting, and transport phenomena.
• Familiarity with catalyst synthesis.
• Good data etiquette and management skills.

For consideration, please apply with the following application materials:

• Cover Letter - Describe your interest in this position and the relevance of your background.
• Curriculum Vitae (CV) or Resume.

Notes:

• This is a full-time, 2 years, postdoctoral appointment with the possibility of renewal based upon satisfactory job performance, continuing availability of funds and ongoing operational needs. You must have less than 3 years of paid postdoctoral experience. Salary for Postdoctoral positions depends on years of experience post-degree.
• This position is represented by a union for collective bargaining purposes.
• The monthly salary range for this position is $5,374.00 / mo - $7,316.00 / mo and is expected to start at $6,626.00 / mo or above. Postdoctoral positions are paid on a step schedule per union contract and salaries will be predetermined based on postdoctoral step rates. Each step represents one full year of completed post-Ph.D. postdoctoral and/or related research experience.
• This position may be subject to a background check. Any convictions will be evaluated to determine if they directly relate to the responsibilities and requirements of the position. Having a conviction history will not automatically disqualify an applicant from being considered for employment.
• This position is eligible for a flexible work mode, with onsite or hybrid work being the preferred modes. Hybrid work is a combination of teleworking and performing work on-site at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA. Individuals working a hybrid schedule must reside within 150 miles of Berkeley Lab. Work schedules are dependent on business needs.

Want to learn more about working at Berkeley Lab? Please visit: careers.lbl.gov

Berkeley Lab is committed to inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility and strives to continue building community with these shared values and commitments. Berkeley Lab is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. We heartily welcome applications from women, minorities, veterans, and all who would contribute to the Lab's mission of leading scientific discovery, inclusion, and professionalism. In support of our diverse global community, all qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status.

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