Temp Research Associate, School of Natural Resources - UTIA

University of Tennessee•Knoxville, TN

11d•Onsite

About The Position

The research associate will work on a project focused on non-thermal plasma-assisted methane partial oxidation to methanol. The position will involve experimental reactor operation, product analysis, catalyst/material characterization, data organization, and coordination with graduate and undergraduate students in the research group.

Requirements

Master or Ph.D. degree in Chemical Engineering or related fields.
No working experience required.
Prior research experience in catalysis, reaction engineering, plasma-assisted chemical conversion, materials characterization, electrochemistry, or a related field.
Comfortable working in a laboratory environment, following safety protocols, maintaining detailed records, and communicating research progress clearly.

Nice To Haves

Ph.D. degree in Chemical Engineering or related fields.
Research experience with gas chromatography, plasma reactors, heterogeneous catalysis, methane conversion, catalyst synthesis, and materials characterization techniques such as XRD, TEM, DRIFTS, XPS, XAS, or chemisorption.
Experience at synchrotron facilities with in situ/operando characterization.

Responsibilities

Assist with the design, operation, and optimization of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma reactors for methane partial oxidation studies.
Prepare and test catalyst/material samples.
Conduct plasma reaction experiments, monitor reaction conditions, and analyze gas and liquid products using gas chromatography and related analytical methods.
Support catalyst and material characterization using facilities available at the University of Tennessee and collaborating institutions. Relevant techniques may include X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier-transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS), chemisorption, and other surface or structural characterization methods such as XPS and XAS as needed.
Assist with synchrotron-based measurements at national user facilities, such as NSLS-II or SSRL, including sample preparation, travel for beamtime experiments, data collection, and preliminary data analysis.
Maintain accurate laboratory records, organize experimental data, and prepare figures and summaries for group discussions.
Contribute to manuscripts or reports when appropriate.
Help maintain safe and organized laboratory operations.
Work collaboratively with Ph.D. and undergraduate students in the group, including providing technical guidance and assisting with experimental training as needed.