Postdoctoral Researcher on CO2 Solid Adsorbent Shaping and Degradation — Empa

Full description

Materials science and technology are our passion. With our cutting-edge research, Empa's around 1,100 employees make essential contributions to the well-being of society for a future worth living. Empa is a research institution of the ETH Domain.

Postdoctoral Researcher on CO2 Solid Adsorbent Shaping and Degradation

The Laboratory for Building Energy Materials and Components develops advanced and/or low eco-impact, porous materials for insulation, sorption, and energy-related applications. Our research portfolio spans fundamental materials chemistry, process–structure–property relationships, and application-driven R&D, in close collaboration with academic and industrial partners.

To strengthen our team, we are seeking a highly motivated researcher with a strong background in solid adsorbents/gas adsorption/separation.

Project Focus The project builds on Empa’s expertise in the field of sorbents and carbon capture. The position is part of the National Center of Competence in Research (NCCR) "Separations", a collaborative project lead by EPFL (Prof. Wendy Queen) and further involving ETH Zurich, University of Fribourg, HES-SO, Northwestern University (USA) and University of Alberta (Canada).

The NCCR focuses on three key challenges

• CO2 capture from air: Developing scalable, cost-effective processes to efficiently remove atmospheric CO2.
• High-temperature ammonia separation: Creating novel high temperature separation technologies to make ammonia synthesis significantly more energy-efficient.
• Recovery of critical metals: Developing processes to recover valuable metals such as lithium and cobalt from waste streams, enabling secure and sustainable material cycles.

Your tasks

As part of the NCCR-Network, you will contribute to the project aims in the areas of shaped CO2 adsorbents and sorbent ageing. Within the framework of the NCCR project with well-defined objectives, you will be encouraged to develop independent ideas, propose new concepts, and test them experimentally and/or computationally. The role is ideally suited to strengthen your pre-existing expertise and enhance your academic track record.

Your responsibilities will include

• Help coordinate project activities and develop synergies within the team and between project partners.
• Supervise intern students contributing to the project.
• Elucidate chemical as well as structural ageing mechanisms of structured and pure solid sorbents under different ageing conditions.
• Develop accelerated and high throughput sorbent ageing protocols.
• Help define mitigation strategies for sorbent ageing.
• Develop versatile, upscalable sorbent shaping/coating procedures.
• Help shape new, emerging scientific research lines within the project scope and publish/communicate your scientific results

Your profile

• A high level of curiosity, independence, teamwork skills and motivation
• Doctoral degree or equivalent research experience in porous materials, surface or adsorption/separation science or a closely related field
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English

Experience or familiarity with one of the following topics

• Characterization of sorbent/porous materials characterization e.g. nitrogen sorption (BET, BJH, NLDFT), breakthrough measurements, SEM, TEM, TGA, FTIR, NMR, thermal conductivity measurements
• Synthesis and/or shaping of solid sorbents.
• Sorbent modelling and prediction of performance or ageing.

Our offer

We offer a stimulating, international, and collaborative research environment at a leading research institution with state-of-the-art infrastructure. The laboratory and supervisors provide a supportive and safe-to-fail work environment. As part of the ETH Domain, we offer attractive employment conditions and excellent opportunities for professional and personal development. Start date is upon agreement for a duration of 2 years.

We live a culture of inclusion and respect. We welcome all people who are interested in innovative, sustainable and meaningful activities - that's what counts.

We look forward to receiving your complete online application including a letter of motivation, CV, certificates, diplomas and contact details of two reference persons. Please submit these exclusively via our job portal. Applications by e-mail and by post will not be considered.