Location
Tempe, Arizona – Arizona State University: Biodesign Institute
Open Date
Dec 16, 2019
Description
The Biodesign Swette Center for Environmental Biotechnology at Arizona State University is seeking a highly-skilled Postdoctoral Research Scholar to join a project sponsored by the Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technology Office. This project is to dramatically increase the efficiency of delivering waste CO2 from industrial sources to microalgae, such as flue gas from power plants and biogas from anaerobic digesters. This will improve the economics for producing advanced biofuels and bioproducts, including transportation fuels, animal and fish feed, and nutritional products (see project summary below).
As the Postdoc, you will be responsible for developing and improving mathematical models describing the transfer of a range of gases in mixed industrial waste sources (e.g., N2, O2, CH4, H2O, and H2S) across hollow fiber membranes using excel, COMSOL or similar tool. Each gas will change along the length of the fiber-based on its lumen partial pressure, water-phase concentration (determined by a sink, such as for CO2 uptake for photosynthesis), and membrane diffusion. The model will include the transfer and concentration of all gases along the length of the fiber lumen into the algae culture medium to close the mass balance, including advection of bulk gas flow in the lumen and diffusion across the membrane wall. You will also assist other team members with cultivating microalgae in laboratory-scale reactors and outdoor raceway ponds.
You will work with a dynamic team led by ASU Regents’ Professor, Dr. Bruce Rittmann, a member of the National Academy of Engineering, American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow, and recipient of the 2018 Stockholm Water Prize. Dr. Rittmann directs the Biodesign Swette Center for Environmental Biotechnology (BSCEB). The BSCEB vision is to manage microbial communities that provide services to society to make our society more environmentally sustainable and make humans healthier – directly or indirectly.
Essential Duties:
- Developing and utilize a mechanistic mathematical model describing mass transfer kinetics within hollow fiber gas transfer membranes.
- Evaluating the model against experimental data and refining it to ensure a difference of less than 5% between the model and experimental data.
- Optimizing the model for delivery strategies in outdoor experiments that balances CO2-delivery efficiency and the minimum required surface area of the membrane modules without causing carbon limitation.
- Optimizing the model for biogas for achieving >97% CH4 purity exiting the fibers.
- Working with team members developing techno-economic and life cycle analysis building on this model to improve economic feasibility and environmental sustainability.
- Working in multidisciplinary research team specializing in cultivating microalgae at the laboratory and outdoor facilities, gas transfer membranes, microbial community diversity, techno-economics, life cycle analysis, and project management
- Reviewing the scientific literature to develop sound research plans and interpreting results.
- Communicating results to the research team and the scientific and engineering community.
- Training and supervising undergraduate students.
- Developing innovative methods to improve existing or create new products.
- Devising or helping to draw up new research proposals and applying for funding and grants.
- Keeping abreast of the work of other scientists and engineers both within the field and in the wider scientific and engineering community.
- Preparing and filing results with commercial potential as invention disclosures.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications:
- Applicants must have a recent Ph.D. (within the past four years) in Environmental engineering, chemical engineering or related field.
Desired Qualifications:
- Proficient modeling with Excel, COMSOL, or other relevant platforms.
- Experience with gas transfer and separation membranes.
- Experience cultivating biological organisms and/or microalgae
- Proficient with MS office (e.g., Outlook, Word, and Powerpoint), MS Windows, audio/video equipment, and online collaboration tools (e.g., Google Docs, Dropbox, Onedrive).
- Self-motivated and ability to meet deadlines.
- Proactive problem solver.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Good interpersonal skills in a team setting.
- Adept at working in interdisciplinary scientific teams.
Application Instructions
Applicants are responsible for including a cover letter, CV, and the names of three professional references in their application through the Interfolio website. Emailed applications will not be accepted.
The application deadline is January 16, 2020. Applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis for a reserve pool. Applications in the reserve pool may then be reviewed in the order in which they were received until the position is filled.
For the fifth year in a row, ASU has been named the most innovative school in the nation, recognizing the university’s culture of groundbreaking research and partnerships, as well as its commitment to helping students thrive in college and beyond. U.S. News and World Report has named ASU as the most innovative university all five years the category has existed.
ASU Knowledge Enterprise advances research, innovation, strategic partnerships, entrepreneurship, and international development. Our success arises from solutions-focused, interdisciplinary research; an entrepreneurial approach that is embedded in every school and department; and a commitment to transform society in a positive way. http://research.asu.edu/
Application Process
This institution is using Interfolio’s Faculty Search to conduct this search. Applicants to this position receive a free Dossier account and can send all application materials, including confidential letters of recommendation, free of charge. JOB POSTING – Apply Now
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
A background check is required for employment. Arizona State University is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor and an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by law.
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