Postdoctoral Appointee – Bioprocesses and Separation Technologies

Postdoctoral Appointee – Separations and Bioprocessing Group

We invite applications for a Postdoctoral Appointee position in the Separations and Bioprocessing Group within the Applied Materials Division at Argonne National Laboratory.

The successful applicant will conduct advanced research to develop, evaluate, and scale efficient and cost-effective bioprocess technologies that improve resource and energy utilization, reduce dependence on imported materials, and strengthen national energy security.

Responsibilities include:

• Optimize and scale up arrested methanogenesis systems (0.5 to 400L) to convert diverse low-value organic waste streams into value-added products (e.g., carboxylic acids).
• Support development and scale-up of advanced bioleaching processes for recovery of critical minerals from secondary materials.
• Design and execute experiments; operate, monitor, and troubleshoot bench- and pilot-scale bioreactors.
• Collect, analyze, and interpret biological, chemical, and microbial omics data; integrate results to evaluate process performance and scalability.
• Contribute to process modeling and techno-economic assessment as appropriate.
• Work independently under general guidance, collaborate effectively within a multidisciplinary team environment.
• Prepare technical reports, publish findings in peer-reviewed journals, and present results at scientific conferences.

• Recent or soon-to-be completed PhD (typically completed within the last 0-5 years) in Chemical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Bioengineering, or a closely related field.
• 0 to 5 years of experience in bioprocess development and scale-up, including installation, modification, commissioning, operation, and maintenance of bench- and pilot-scale bioreactor systems.
• Hands-on experience with analytical characterization of bioprocess samples using HPLC, GC, ICP-OES/MS.
• Experience in microbiological techniques (aerobic/anaerobic cultivation, strain maintenance, aseptic technique, BSL-1/BSL-2 containment).
• Experience with microbial molecular biology (DNA/RNA extraction and sequencing-based omics data analysis).
• Experience in bioreactor configuration, inline/online sensor integration, PID-based process control; familiarity with bioreactor automation systems and troubleshooting.
• Experience handling hazardous chemicals and operating laboratory and pilot-scale systems in compliance with safety protocols.
• Familiarity with process modeling (e.g., Aspen Plus, Super Pro Designer) and techno-economic analysis of biofuels, bioproducts, and biomaterials.
• Strong publication record in peer-reviewed journals.
• Ability to work independently on a day-to-day basis; willingness to work a non-standard schedule to accommodate testing needs (including occasional afternoons and weekends).
• Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary environment.
• Alignment with Argonne’s Core Values:
  Impact, Safety, Respect, Integrity, and Teamwork.

Type:
Long-Term (Fixed Term), Full time

Compensation:
Expected hiring range $72,879.00 – $. Final pay will be determined by scope and responsibilities, qualifications, business considerations, internal equity, and external market pay for comparable jobs.

Benefits:
Comprehensive benefits are part of the total rewards package.

Location:

On-site at Argonne campus in Lemont, Illinois, five days per week.

As an equal employment opportunity employer, and in accordance with our core values of impact, safety, respect, integrity and teamwork, Argonne National Laboratory is committed to a safe and welcoming workplace that fosters collaborative scientific discovery and innovation. Argonne encourages everyone to apply for employment. Argonne is committed to nondiscrimination and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to any characteristic protected by law.

Applicant privacy and background checks:
All Argonne offers of employment are contingent upon a background check including an assessment of criminal conviction history. In addition, positions require obtaining a government access authorization that involves additional background check requirements. Failure to obtain or maintain such authorization could result in withdrawal of a job offer or future termination of employment.