Postdoctoral Researcher – Protein Engineering Critical Mineral Recovery

Posting Title Postdoctoral Researcher – Protein Engineering for Critical Mineral Recovery.

Location CO - Golden.

Position Type Postdoc (Fixed Term).Hours Per Week
40.Working at NLRNLR is located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado 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.

Job Description 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.

The successful candidate will be able to:

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.

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 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

Preferred Qualifications

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.

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: $76,600 - $126,400

NLR 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 employer match*; life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance; personal time off (PTO) and sick leave; and paid holidays. NLR employees may be eligible for, but are not guaranteed,…