Chemistry Specialist

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Work type: Staff
Senior management: College of Engineering
Department: Mining and Minerals Engineering
Location: Blacksburg, Virginia
Categories: Engineering, Research / Scientific, Natural Resources

The Department of Mining & Minerals Engineering at Virginia Tech seeks a qualified, highly motivated individual for a unique research position in chemical separations of rare earth elements. The successful candidate will work closely with faculty, staff, graduate students, undergraduate students, and outside collaborators and is expected to play an active role in the research conducted in Dr. Aaron Noble’s group, which focuses on critical material recovery from unconventional sources.

The Chemical Specialist will be responsible for developing and performing rare earth separation tests utilizing standard procedures and methods. The successful candidate will maintain a detailed experimental notebook and perform quality assurance and quality control testing to verify the suitability of various procedures. The Chemical Specialist will develop standard operating procedures for new testing protocols and train new users as needed.

The successful candidate will also have the opportunity to co‑author products that emerge from these efforts including sponsor reports and peer reviewed manuscripts.

• BS in chemistry, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience working in a chemical or mineral processing testing laboratory.
• Demonstrated organizational, communication, and collaborative research skills.
• Experience working independently with little direct supervision.
• A demonstrated commitment to safe work practices in the laboratory.
• Ability to obtain and maintain work approval from the research sponsor.

• Previous research/university experience.
• Prior experience with hydrometallurgical processes, including leaching, liquid-liquid extraction, adsorption, and/or related methods.
• Prior experience in rare earth element or critical mineral processing.
• Prior experience with mineral digestions, including strong acid digestions, fusions, and/or microwave-assisted digestions.

3

Non-Exempt:
Eligible for overtime

Restricted

Commensurate with experience up to budget maximum.

40

Jan 19, 2026

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check. The candidate must also be eligible to work on federally sponsored project.

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands‑on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land‑grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College.

The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including Blacksburg, the greater Washington, D.C. area, the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke, sites in Newport News and Richmond, and numerous Extension offices and research institutes. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $650 million in research annually.

Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance. These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective, along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.

Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, ethnicity or national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.

If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Annie Lawrence rence during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.

Advertised: January 4, 2026
Applications close: Open until filled