Job Summary:
A Postdoctoral Scholar position is available for 3 years to work on a collaborative project on decarbonization. The position will be hired at Berkeley Education Alliance for Research in Singapore (BEARS) under Prof. Matthew Sherburne (Director, BEARS) and will be based at A.STAR's Institute of Sustainability for Chemicals, Energy and Environment (ISCE2) to work closely with Dr. Shashi Dighe and co-supervised by Prof. Matthew Sherburne and Prof. Kedar Hippalgaonkar (Nanyang Technological University, NTU). The multi-institutional project involves AI, Machine Learning, high-throughput experimentation, and automation, with participants and collaborators from BEARS, NTU, ISCE2, NUS, and UC Berkeley. This project offers an exciting opportunity to work with international experts in the field, develop advanced research skills, and build an international network.
Duties & Responsibilities:
- Contribute to developing efficient homogeneous catalysts for alcohols and olefins valorization into high-value chemicals and fuels.
- Conduct synthesis and characterization of homogeneous catalysts and organic intermediates using advanced spectroscopic and analytical methods.
- Develop catalytic routes for the thermocatalytic upgradation of ethanol and olefins to high-value chemicals and fuels.
- Operate and maintain Par-high-throughput catalytic reactor systems, perform data analysis, and optimize reaction conditions.
- Perform mechanistic investigations to understand reaction pathways and catalyst behavior.
- Draft manuscripts and research progress reports for publication and project deliverables.
- Present research outcomes at internal and external project meetings and conferences.
Qualifications and Experiences:
- PhD degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a related field.
- Strong background in organic synthesis, organometallic chemistry, and homogeneous catalysis.
- Experience in catalyst design for organic synthesis, ethanol conversion or related thermocatalytic processes is an advantage.
- Proficiency in analytical techniques such as NMR, GC-MS, LC-MS, and FTIR.
- Strong problem-solving skills and enthusiasm for experimental research.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills for scientific reporting and presentation.
