Postdoctoral Researcher – Process modeling and sustainability analysis lignin valorization

Position: Postdoctoral Researcher – Process modeling and sustainability analysis for lignin valorization

Postdoctoral Researcher – Process modeling and sustainability analysis for lignin valorization Location

CO - Golden

Position Type

Postdoc (Fixed Term)

Hours Per Week

40

Working at NREL

NREL is located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado and is the nation's primary laboratory for energy systems research and development.

Join NREL, where world‑class scientists, engineers, and experts are accelerating energy innovation through breakthrough research and systems integration. From our mission to our collaborative culture, NREL 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 NREL, 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.

Job Description

The Catalytic Carbon Transformation & Scale‑Up Center at NREL has an opening for a full‑time Postdoctoral Researcher within the Economic, Sustainability, and Market Analysis group. The initial appointment is for one year, with possible renewal up to three years.

This position will work primarily on a Center for Bioenergy Innovation (CBI) project, in which we are developing new approaches to cost‑effectively convert biomass into realistic biofuels.

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The successful candidate will work closely with the CBI Lignin Valorization team to conduct biorefinery analyses related to lignin valorization to fuels and chemicals. Analyses will be used to guide experimental R&D, and thus a close connection to experimental efforts will be critical. The candidate will work with both Aspen Plus and other process modeling tools.

The successful candidate will be able to:

• Assimilate a wide variety of information into assessments
• Contribute to the planning and execution of research and analysis
• Communicate scientific results effectively, both written and oral
• Author peer‑reviewed publications
• Work effectively in a large, multidisciplinary team of engineers, chemists, and biologists

Basic Qualifications

Must be a recent PhD graduate within the last three years.

* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

Additional

Required Qualifications

• Research experience with an emphasis on chemical process development
• Demonstrated experience with process modeling with Aspen Plus
• Demonstrated experience with doing statistical analysis (e.g., sensitivity or uncertainty)
• PhD degree in chemical engineering or related field

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience with programming codes such as Python or R
• Demonstrated experience with LCA tools such as Brightway, open
  
  LCA or Sima Pro
• Understanding of biomass conversion research and knowledge of lignin deconstruction chemistries
• Relevant experience with sustainable materials and green chemistry practices

Job Application Submission Window

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

Annual Salary Range (based on full‑time 40 hours per week)

Job Profile:
Postdoctoral Researcher / Annual Salary Range: $74,900 – $123,600

NREL takes into consideration a candidate’s education, training, and experience, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees. In compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a potential new employee’s salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.

Benefits

Summary

Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; short‑term disability insurance*; pension benefits*; 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with…