Student Research Assistant Project Plastics

Position Overview

Student Research Assistant will work in the Wonderful Institute for Sustainable Engineering on Project Plastics-CO2:
Use of high-pressure CO2 as a reaction medium for the conversion of waste plastics into valuable products. The project’s initiative is to develop environmentally friendly technologies for the chemical conversion of waste plastics.

• Performing reactions with varying plastic substrates and catalysts and optimization of reaction conditions.
• Quantification of products using GC-MS/FID/TCD and other methods. Characterization of catalysts using XRD, NH3-TPD, pyr-FTIR, etc.
• Data processing and analysis.
• Work with a graduate student to write sections of a manuscript for publication, prepare weekly reports for the supervisor to review progress, and give a summer oral presentation or poster to summarize the work.

• B.S. in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or related field.

• Basic knowledge of lab safety and use of basic laboratory equipment.

During the semester term of the appointment, the student hourly must be enrolled in no fewer than six credit hours. For summer periods, the student hourly must: (1) have been enrolled in no less than six hours in the past spring semester; (2) be pre‑enrolled in the upcoming fall semester in no less than six hours; (3) be enrolled in the summer session;

or (4) be admitted to study in the upcoming fall semester. Student Hourlies may be undergraduate or graduate students. (Exceptions granted for GRA/GTA/GA appointments do not apply to Student Hourly appointments).

Student employees are not eligible for remote work arrangements unless an exception is approved by the unit leadership and HR. This is an hourly/non‑exempt position. A student employee cannot hold an hourly/non‑exempt position and a salaried/exempt graduate or undergraduate position (GRA/GTA/GA/RUA/RGA) concurrently.

Advertised Salary Range: $15.00 Hourly. Anticipated

Start Date:

Monday, June 8, 2026.