Postdoctoral Researcher – Protein Engineering Critical Mineral Recovery

Postdoctoral Researcher – Protein Engineering for Critical Mineral Recovery

Location:

CO - Golden. Position Type:
Postdoc (Fixed Term). Hours Per Week: 40. Working at NLR.

NLR is located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado. It is the nation's primary laboratory for energy systems research and development. Join the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), where world‑class scientists, engineers, and experts are accelerating energy innovation through breakthrough research and systems integration. From our mission to our collaborative culture, NLR stands out in the research community for its commitment to an affordable and secure energy future.

Spanning foundational science to applied systems engineering and analysis, we focus on solving complex challenges to deliver advanced, secure, reliable, and cost‑effective energy solutions. Our work helps strengthen U.S. industries, support job creation, and promote national economic growth. At NLR, you'll find a mission‑driven environment supported by state‑of‑the‑art facilities, multidisciplinary research teams, and strong collaborations with industry, academia, and other national laboratories.

We offer robust professional development opportunities, and a competitive benefits package designed to support your career and well‑being.

The RRES Center is a talented team of scientists and technicians working in biological, chemical, and catalytic research approaches to renewable energy and materials for a circular economy. The center has strong thrusts in polymer design and upcycling, separations, synthetic biology and bioconversion, analytical sciences, computational modeling, and lignocellulosic chemistry and catalysis. The center at NLR has an opening for a full time Postdoctoral Researcher within the Synthetic Biology and Bioconversion group.

The initial appointment is for one year, with possible renewal up to three years. The successful candidate will utilize biochemistry and enzyme/protein engineering approaches to develop enzyme- and protein‑based systems for critical mineral recovery. The scientitic scope of this position will span from foundational discoveries to industry‑led scale‑up.

• Work safely and independently in a laboratory setting
• Plan, execute, and troubleshoot research
• Collaborate effectively with others within and across disciplines
• Communicate scientific results effectively, both in written and oral formats
• Author peer‑reviewed publications

• Must be a recent PhD graduate within the last three years.
• Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

• Strong understanding of bioinorganic chemistry
• Robust experience with cloning, expression, and purification of proteins
• Experience in enzyme/protein engineering or evolution
• Strong safety record
• Ability to deliver high‑quality results within aggressive timelines
• Strong communication skills
• Strong creative and critical thinking skills to problem solve
• Strong organizational skills

• PhD in Biochemistry, Biological Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Molecular Biology, or closely related field
• Experience programming and utilizing automated liquid handlers
• Experience working with metalloproteins
• Experience programming in R or Python
• Experience working successfully in multi‑disciplinary teams.

The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.

Job Profile:
Postdoctoral Researcher / Annual Salary Range: $76,600 - $126,400

• medical, dental, and vision insurance
• short-term disability insurance*
• pension benefits*
• 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match*
• life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance
• personal time off (PTO) and sick leave
• paid holidays

* Based on eligibility rules

NLR employees may be eligible for, but are not guaranteed, performance-, merit-, and achievement- based awards that include a monetary component.

Some positions may be eligible for relocation expense reimbursement.

NLR is subject to Department of…