Postdoctoral Appointee - Energy Systems Life Cycle Analysis

Job Description

The announced position is in the Fuels and Chemicals Group of the Systems Assessment Center (SAC). SC belongs to the Energy Systems and Infrastructure Analysis (ESIA) Division of the Argonne National Laboratory. The SAC continues a 30-year history of leadership in the field of life cycle assessment. The SAC develops and maintains the GREET model which is widely used by government, industry, and academic stakeholders to provide objective and rigorous results (see greet.es.anl.gov).

The Fuels and Chemicals Group supports DOE and other sponsors to assess the energy and environmental outcomes associated with fuels, products, and integrated systems in order to guide R&D efforts, identify improvement opportunities, and to create new approaches for LCA/sustainability analysis to address emerging issues.

We are currently seeking a postdoctoral researcher in life cycle assessment (LCA), with experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Transportation energy systems
• Biomass feedstock production and logistics
• Conversion processes for production of fuels and products from biomass and waste feedstocks (e.g., plastics, manure, or CO2)
• Emerging biofuel production pathways including sustainable aviation fuels and marine fuels.
• Petroleum refining and coprocessing biobased feedstocks
• Bioplastics production
• Recycling technologies.

Postdoctoral Researchers collect and synthesize information to conduct LCA studies in the Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Technologies (GREET) modeling platform, manipulate large datasets to extract meaningful results, communicate results through well-designed presentations, publish journal articles and reports, and present results at conferences, workshops, and project meetings. Results from the Postdoctoral Researchers' work may be incorporated in the annual GREET updates. Postdoctoral Researchers will join project teams including experts in a variety of topics relevant to their work and will regularly collaborate with experts from Argonne as well as with industry and at other national laboratories.

Position Requirements

• Ph.D. degree in engineering (mechanical, chemical, civil), environmental science, or other related field with coursework and/or research experience in life cycle analysis and technoeconomic analysis.
• Expertise in topics related to sustainable transportation fuels including aviation and marine fuels, conversion of biomass or waste feedstocks to chemicals, and/or plastics.
• Demonstrated ability to perform life cycle assessment and technoeconomic analysis and to write related scientific reports.
• Written and oral communication skills
• The ability to model Argonne's Core Values: Impact, Safety, Respect, Integrity, and Teamwork.

Preferred Qualifications

• Passion for and experience in data-driven sustainability analysis.
• Well-developed problem-solving, systems thinking, quantitative, and critical thinking skills; intellectual curiosity. Able to structure and formulate solutions to complex problems.
• Highly motivated and detail oriented with the ability to work independently and in close collaboration with team members. Energized by working as part of a high functioning team and demonstrates a professional attitude.
• Skilled written and verbal communicator, including the ability to present complex information so that it is understandable to a broad audience.
• Record of peer-reviewed publications addressing the energy and emissions impacts of biomass or waste feedstock conversion technologies.
• Experience using process modeling tools such as Aspen Plus, CHEMCAD, and/or SuperPro to perform technoeconomic analysis.
• Experience using software for life cycle assessment such as GREET, openLCA, SimaPro, or GaBi.
• Strong computer skills relevant for data manipulation and analysis including experience with creating and using complex models in Excel. Experience with Excel VBA scripting, Python, R, and/or Matlab preferred.
• Expertise relevant for analysis of one or more of the following: the transportation sector, biomass conversion or other chemical processes, agricultural or forestry systems, sustainable aviation fuels, alternative fuels for marine applications, and biopower.

Job Family

Postdoctoral Family

Job Profile

Postdoctoral Appointee

Worker Type

Long-Term (Fixed Term)

Time Type

Full time

As an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer, and in accordance with our core values of impact, safety, respect, integrity and teamwork, Argonne National Laboratory is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace that fosters collaborative scientific discovery and innovation. In support of this commitment, Argonne encourages minorities, women, veterans and individuals with disabilities to apply for employment. Argonne considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship status, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.

Argonne employees, and certain guest researchers and contractors, are subject to particular restrictions related to participation in Foreign Government Sponsored or Affiliated Activities, as defined and detailed in United States Department of Energy Order 486.1A. You will be asked to disclose any such participation in the application phase for review by Argonne's Legal Department.

All Argonne offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes an assessment of criminal conviction history conducted on an individualized and case-by-case basis. Please be advised that Argonne positions require upon hire (or may require in the future) for the individual be to obtain a government access authorization that involves additional background check requirements. Failure to obtain or maintain such government access authorization could result in the withdrawal of a job offer or future termination of employment.

Please note that all Argonne employees are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19. All successful applicants will be required to provide their COVID-19 vaccination verification as a condition of employment, subject to limited legally recognized exemptions to COVID-19 vaccination.