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JOB DESCRIPTION AND POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

Two Postdoctoral Scholar research positions are available in the Department of Chemical Engineering (https://www.che.psu.edu/) (ChE) and the Institute of Energy and the Environment (https://iee.psu.edu/) (IEE) at the Pennsylvania State University in the research group of Dr. Rui Shi. We are seeking qualified and motivated Postdoctoral Scholars to advance the sustainable production of building block chemicals, advanced materials, and consumer products from various biomass feedstocks and wastes. The successful candidates will integrate process modeling with life cycle assessment (LCA) and techno-economic analysis (TEA) under uncertainty to prioritize research and development pathways. The Postdoctoral Scholars will be in Dr. Shi's research group and will collaborate with a strong cohort of faculty, postdocs, and graduate students in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Materials Research Institute, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Computer Engineering, and other disciplines.

The duties of the Postdoctoral Scholars will focus on modeling the energy and environmental systems, including waste valorization, plastics upcycling, and bioproducts conversion. In addition to holistic sustainability evaluations of technologies under development, a target outcome of the work is to develop accessible modeling tools for agile LCA and TEA of candidate products and processes.

Required qualifications include :

• A Ph.D. in chemical and biomolecular engineering, environmental engineering, systems engineering, or other relevant fields by the start date.

• Ability to work in a collaborative environment.

• Evidence of scientific impact of their Ph.D. (e.g. published papers).

• Expertise in life cycle assessment, techno-economic analysis, separations, Aspen Plus® / SuperPro Designer®, or programming in Python is highly desired.

Postdoctoral Scholars should submit an online application and email the following materials to Prof. Shi: brief cover letter, curriculum vitae, names and contact information for three references, and up to two examples of scholarly output (e.g., published or submitted manuscripts).

This position is for one year with additional years of funding available if there is mutual interest. Annual renewal is dependent on funding, progress made by the individual, and career goals of the individual (postdoc mentoring plans will be tailored to meet the individual's goals).

Chemical Engineering at Penn State is consistently ranked as one of the top graduate programs in the country by U.S. News & World Report, and all positions include competitive salary and benefits. More information may be found on relevant websites for the Shi Research Group, Institute of Energy and the Environment, and the Dept. of Chemical Engineering, or by contacting Prof. Shi (rms6987 @psu.edu).

Penn State is committed to and accountable for advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in all of its forms. We embrace individual uniqueness, foster a culture of inclusion that supports both broad and specific diversity initiatives, leverage the educational and institutional benefits of diversity, and engage all individuals to help them thrive. We value inclusion as a core strength and an essential element of our public service mission.

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Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.

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