Postdoctoral Research Associate

A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation's top public universities and is among is the top ten research universities in the nation for federal research expenditures as well as for federally funded social and behavioral sciences research and development.

Here at Carolina, our highly skilled postdocs play a vital role in our research enterprise and towards our overall commitment to research excellence. Across many disciplines, postdocs contribute to the intellectual vitality of the University. They provide innovative ideas and perspectives, foster a stimulating research environment and advance knowledge within their fields. Postdocs are crucial members of our scientific research workforce, contributors to our research outputs and an important reason why Carolina is one of the leading public research institutions in the country.

UNC-Chapel Hill offers postdocs comprehensive medical and vision coverage, paid leave, and benefits and services that support professional development and a healthy work/life balance. Chapel Hill regularly ranks as one of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, a reputation guided by the diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

The Chemistry Department is one of the largest and most complex departments in the College of Arts and Sciences. There are 50 faculty members, 44 SHRA and 37 EHRA staff positions, 260 graduate students, 37 postdoctoral research associates, 700 undergraduate majors, and an annual total of approximately 10,000 registrations by all students in classroom and laboratory courses. The Department is housed in five buildings with over 580,000 sq. feet of space. The faculty participate in teaching assignments which involve an average of 200 students per faculty member per semester. The majority of faculty are research active and supervise graduate students working on their Masters or Ph.D. degrees, undergraduate students carrying out independent research and honors programs, research technicians and postdoctoral research associates. Primarily the research is funded by federal and private agencies such as NSF, NIH, Army, Navy, DOE, PRF and involves expenditures of more than nineteen million dollars annually. A total of over thirty-two million dollars from all sources is expended annually in the Department.

The successful candidate will perform research on the development, modification, characterization, and testing of granular sorbent-based separation systems for the recovery and purification of critical minerals from a variety of feedstocks. The systems will use novel and off-the-shelf sorbents. The candidate will work closely with an interdisciplinary team of chemists, engineers, and materials scientists to identify sorbent properties, optimize formulations, and test operating conditions for separations. The candidate will also model system performance using existing mathematical models. Specific activities by the postdoctoral researcher will include, but are not limited to, the characterization of granular sorbents for their physical and chemical properties; testing of the sorbents in batch and packed-bed configurations for the removal and separation of critical minerals; modeling of sorbent and system performance; and writing reports and peer-reviewed publications. In addition to research activities, the successful candidate is expected to contribute to mentoring graduate and undergraduate students, proposal writing, coordination with project collaborators, and other related academic activities as part of their postdoctoral training. The position is anticipated to begin in July 2026, for duration of one year, with possibility of extension depending on satisfactory performance and availability of funds. This position may involve occasional travel between the off-campus laboratory and the UNC-Chapel Hill campus (approximately a 25-minute commute) to conduct experiments, utilize shared instrumentation, and coordinate project activities.

Required qualifications for this position are a Ph.D. in environmental engineering, environmental, science, chemical engineering, civil engineering, or a closely related field.

Required qualifications for this position are a Ph.D. in environmental engineering, environmental, science, chemical engineering, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, or a closely related field.

Preferred qualifications include: An established record of research productivity is highly desired. Preference will be given to candidates with experience on granular sorbent technology, chromatographic separations, critical minerals recovery, or separations technologies broadly speaking. Experience with batch adsorption experiments, packed-bed column testing, sorbent regeneration and mathematical modeling of separation systems is also desirable.

Please include example publications along with your CV, Cover Letter, and List of References for consideration.

For information on UNC Postdoctoral Benefits and Services click here

If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the University's Office of Postdoctoral Affairs at (919) 962-9982 or send an email to opahr@unc.edu.

Please note: The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs will not be able to provide specific updates regarding position or application status.

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.