Postdoctoral Research Associate - Partial Oxidation Copper Catalysts

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The Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN) at Brookhaven is a DOE-funded national scientific user facility, offering users a supported research experience with top-caliber scientists and access to state-of-the-art instrumentation. The CFN mission is advancing nanoscience through frontier fundamental research and technique development and is the nexus of a broad collaboration network. Each year, CFN staff members support the research of nearly 600 external facility users.

Three strategic nanoscience themes underlie the CFN scientific facilities:
The CFN conducts research on nanomaterial synthesis by assembly designing precise architectures with targeted functionality by organizing nanoscale components. The CFN researches and applies platforms for state-of-the-art techniques for Accelerated Nanomaterial Discovery, integrating synthesis, advanced characterization, physical modeling, and computer science to iteratively explore a wide range of material parameters. The CFN develops and utilizes advanced capabilities for studies of Nanomaterials in Operando Conditions for characterizing materials and reactions at the atomic scale in real-world environments.

The CFN is seeking an exceptional Postdoctoral Research Associate to conduct research directed towards the production of fuels & products from partial oxidation of hydrocarbons on copper based catalysts. Coinage metals are used in the industry for a number of catalytic reactions, but due to the facility of their compounds to rapidly change oxidation, in particular for copper, there is no agreement about their active phase and related reaction mechanisms, and thus no clear path about how to realize their full potential.

In this role, you will develop methodology for multimodal operando spectroscopy and microscopy characterization of key functional properties on well-defined thin-film oxide heterogeneous catalysts, coupling with spatially resolved probes. You will be a member of the Interface Science and Catalysis group working under the supervision of Dario Stacchiola.

As the Postdoctoral Research Associate, you will have these roles and responsibilities:

• You will integrate a workflow of operando spectroscopy and microscopy methods to determine thin-film model catalyst's structure-function correlations, including: i) growth of well-defined mixed-oxide thin films ii) spatially resolved methods for measuring activity; iii) correlation with existing multimodal operando vibrational microscopy and X-ray spectroscopy and iv) Machine Learning aided multimodal data analysis and reaction mechanism determination.

• You will contribute to the synthesis of thin-film and nanoparticle model catalyst libraries in collaboration with other members at the CFN.

• You will collaborate with scientific staff with diverse backgrounds including surface science, condensed matter physics, synchrotron X-ray science, material synthesis, data analytics, electron microscopy, physical modeling, and materials theory.

• You will disseminate research findings via paper publications and external presentations.

• Ph.D. in Materials Science, Physics, Chemistry, or a related engineering discipline, conferred within the past five (5) years or to be completed prior to the starting date.

• Demonstrated experimental expertise in scanning probe microscopy.

• Demonstrated experience in characterization (in-situ and/or ex-situ) and data analysis for materials and/or surface science. You communicate effectively, verbally and in writing, evidenced by peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations/proceedings.

• Committed to creative and independent research, teamwork, and fostering an environment of safe scientific work practices.

• Committed to cultivating an inclusive and respectful workplace environment.

• You have experience in surface…