Postdoctoral Fellow in Ion-Exchange Membranes and Electrodialysis

This is NTNU NTNU is a broad-based university with a technical-scientific profile and a focus in professional education. The university is located in three cities with headquarters in Trondheim. At NTNU, 9,000 employees and 43,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world. You can find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here . Video: https://youtu.be/Xt-yHCN5QS0 About the position The Department of Chemical Engineering (IKP), Faculty of Natural Sciences (NV), at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) has a vacancy for a Postdoctoral Fellow in ion-exchange membranes and electrodialysis. The position is associated with BrinE-loop, a Horizon Europe EIC Pathfinder project developing an integrated electrochemical approach for valorization of desalination brines and recycling of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery materials. Are you ready to take your research career to the next level? We offer an exciting 3-year/4-year (select employment period) postdoctoral position that gives you the opportunity to develop a strong profile as researcher. You will also gain valuable experience that might be relevant for your further career. The purpose of a postdoctoral position is to build up a researcher profile that qualifies for a position as associate professor. The position may also offer additional skills that are relevant to the postdoctoral fellow's future career. Apply for this position to become part of our research environment and take the next step in your career with us. The desired starting date is as soon as possible, and no later than 1 December. Your immediate leader will be the Head of Department. About the project BrinE-loop is funded under the Horizon Europe EIC Pathfinder Challenges programme and aims to develop a disruptive, integrated electrochemical process that combines desalination-brine valorization with recovery and recycling of critical materials. Instead of treating concentrated desalination brines as waste, the project aims to convert them into valuable products and process streams while integrating lithium recovery from LFP battery waste. The integrated process targets recovery or production of lithium carbonate, magnesium chloride, calcium carbonate and deionized water, while internally generating and recycling important chemical streams. NTNU leads WP1, Electrified Mono/Di-valent Stream Separation, which develops a membrane-based electrodialysis process for separating monovalent ions from divalent ions. The Postdoctoral Fellow will have a central role in NTNU's activities, particularly in the design, fabrication, functionalization, characterization and performance evaluation of monovalent-selective ion-exchange membranes. The developed membranes will subsequently be incorporated into electrodialysis modules and ultimately into the integrated BrinE-loop process. NTNU's membrane laboratories provide facilities for membrane fabrication and characterization and advanced electrodialysis performance evaluation. Duties of the position - Carry out high-quality, independent research within the BrinE-loop project on selective ion-exchange membranes and electrodialysis. - Collaborate with project partners on membrane/process integration, modelling and optimization, and participate in consortium meetings and project reporting. - Publish and disseminate research results in high-quality scientific journals and at international conferences. - Contribute to mentoring of students, research proposals and other career-promoting activities where relevant. Required selection criteria Applicants must - Have completed a doctoral degree in membrane science and technology, chemical engineering, materials science, polymer science, chemistry, electrochemistry, or another closely related discipline. - Have a strong experimental research background in membrane science and membrane-based separation, including hands-on experience in membrane fabrication and physicochemical characterization. - Have very good oral and written communication skills in English. If you are in the final phase of your doctorate and can document that the thesis has been submitted or that the defence date has been confirmed, your application can be considered even if you have not yet defended. Documentation of the obtained doctorate must be presented before you can take up the position. PLEASE NOTE: For detailed information about what the application must contain, see paragraph “About the application”. If you do not already have educational competence that meets the requirements for a position as associate professor in Norway, NTNU will arrange for you to acquire such competence during the employment period. In such cases, you will also be assigned relevant teaching as part of the career-promoting work. The appointment is to be made in accordance with NTNUs guidelines for recruitment positions and for general criteria for the position. Preferred selection criteria The following qualifications will be considered an advantage - Research experience with ion-exchange membranes, particularly monovalent-selective membranes and selective transport in charged or multi-ion systems. - Experimental experience with electrodialysis or related electrochemical membrane separation processes. - Experience with membrane functionalization strategies for controlling ion selectivity and transport. - A strong publication record in relevant international peer-reviewed journals and experience with interdisciplinary and/or international collaborative research. Personal characteristics Working as a Postdoctoral fellow requires that you - Work independently and in a structured manner, setting research goals and developing plans to achieve them. - Have strong analytical and problem-solving skills and the ability to draw well-founded conclusions from experimental data. - Show curiosity, creativity and strong motivation for membrane science, electrochemical separa