Post-Doctoral Research Associate, Department of Biosystems Engineering & Soil Science: UTIA

University of Tennessee • Knoxville, TN

10h • Onsite

About The Position

This position is part of a cutting-edge project investigating the conversion of nitrogen in air to nitrogen fertilizer using plasma technologies, and the practical applications. The successful candidate will contribute to multiple aspects of the project, including: Thermodynamic and kinetic analysis of chemical reactions in plasma environments Development of catalysts tailored for plasma-assisted processes System integration and performance optimization Techno-economic analysis of the developed systems

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Agricultural/Biosystems Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related field.
• Solid understanding of plasma physics and chemistry.
• Demonstrated experience in applied chemical catalysis.
• Hands-on experience with high-voltage plasma technologies.
• Excellent written and spoken English.
• Strong motivation, independence, and the ability to work effectively in a collaborative team environment.

Nice To Haves

• Applicants with experience in one or more of the following areas will be strongly preferred:
• Electrical characterization of plasma discharges.
• Plasma diagnostics via optical emission or Raman spectroscopy.
• Chemical product analysis (e.g., GC, UV-Vis, FTIR).
• Application of AI or machine learning techniques to reaction system optimization.
• Techno-economic analysis.

Responsibilities

• The successful candidate is expected to conduct experiments outlined in the job description, to analyze data, and to write project reports and manuscripts for peer-reviewed publications.
• They will also contribute to multiple aspects of the project, including: Thermodynamic and kinetic analysis of chemical reactions in plasma environments Development of catalysts tailored for plasma-assisted processes System integration and performance optimization Techno-economic analysis of the developed systems

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree