Postdoctoral Fellow - Drinking Water Ultrafiltration

Postdoctoral Fellow - Drinking Water Ultrafiltration

Job Type

Post-Doc

Job Institution

University of Toronto

Job Description

Description:

The Drinking Water Research Group (DWRG) at the University of Toronto, Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering, is seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow to conduct bench- and pilot-scale research related to ultrafiltration process optimization for municipal drinking water treatment facilities. The position will involve a combination of lab work at the University of Toronto as well as design, construction, installation, and operation of pilot-scale equipment on-site at multiple partner facilities located in southern Ontario.

The successful candidate will have an opportunity to work with graduate students and oversee experimental work to address ultrafiltration-related research questions. Opportunities to participate in the preparation of manuscripts as well as present findings at national and international conferences will be provided as appropriate. The candidate will report directly to Prof. Robert Andrews and Dr. Husein Almuhtaram.

This position is based on a 12-month contract with the possibility for renewal. Starting salary will range from $65,000 - $70,000 (+ benefits), based on qualifications and previous related experience.

Requirements:

Applicants must have a doctoral degree in a related engineering discipline (e.g. Environmental, Civil, Chemical), along with hands-on research experience with hollow fiber ultrafiltration membranes as demonstrated by previous publications. Experience in a drinking water context (where coagulation and flocculation are employed for pre-treatment) will be considered a major asset. The position will involve the use of a wide range of analytical tools and methodologies for characterization of water quality and ultrafiltration performance, as well as hardware and software for control and data collection related to permeation, backwash, and chemical cleaning cycles for bench- and pilot-scale equipment.

Specific skills desired for this position include:

• Familiarity with coagulation/flocculation theory as it applies to drinking water treatment,
• Ability to characterize reversible and irreversible membrane fouling; familiarity with ultrafiltration fouling theory,
• Analysis of floc particles using microscopy, laser diffraction, or nano-particle tracking analysis techniques,
• Membrane surface analysis techniques including FTIR and contact angle, as well as integrity assessment including tensile strength and pore size distribution,
• Use of analytical techniques for quantification of TOC/DOC, NOM fractions, pH, turbidity, and chlorine,
• Programming skills in Python and R; experience with Raspberry Pi or similar computing platforms,
• Familiarity with experimental design principles including factorial designs and response surface methodologies,
• Ability to apply appropriate statistical techniques to analyze experimental data.

Applicants must have excellent written and verbal English communication skills, as well as a proven ability to prepare manuscripts for publication in high-impact factor journals.

Possession of a valid driver’s license is a necessity as travel to municipal facilities will be routinely required.

This competition will remain open until a suitable candidate is identified. Please note that only applicants who will receive an interview will be contacted.