MSN - Postdoctoral Position in Vanadium Redox Flow Battery Recycling: Process Optimization and Environmental Impact Assessment

Expected Start Date: October 2025

Job Description

We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher with expertise in vanadium and rare-earth element (REE) recovery, thermodynamic modeling, and materials characterization to join a cutting-edge research team. The project focuses on developing sustainable and optimized processes for vanadium extraction and purification, with the goal of enabling large-scale redox flow battery deployment for energy storage.

Scope of Work

The successful candidate will work on:

• Designing and optimizing extraction processes for vanadium from primary and secondary sources (e.g., slags and industrial wastes).
• Developing purification pathways to produce battery-grade vanadium for energy storage applications.
• Applying thermodynamic modeling tools (CALPHAD, FactSage) to simulate vanadium phase behavior and guide process improvements.
• Performing advanced characterization of vanadium-bearing materials to understand their transformation and recovery mechanisms.
• Evaluating environmental sustainability via Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and techno-economic analysis.
• Contributing to the integration of vanadium flows within a circular economy model for battery materials.

Key Responsibilities

• Development and optimization of hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical vanadium recovery strategies.
• Advanced thermodynamic simulation using CALPHAD-based methods, including phase equilibrium modeling in multi-component systems.
• Comprehensive use of characterization tools, including:
  • SEM, TEM, HAADF-STEM, XRD, and EDS for micro- and nano-scale phase analysis.
  • LA-ICP-MS for ultra-trace elemental quantification.
• Investigation of impurity phase removal (e.g., Fe, P, Si, REEs).
• Environmental and economic evaluation of processes via LCA and techno-economic models.
• Preparation of high-impact publications and contribution to collaborative proposals.
• Support of graduate student mentorship and lab coordination.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• PhD in Materials Chemistry, Extractive Metallurgy, or Chemical Engineering with a focus on resource recovery or battery materials.
• Research experience in metal recovery from slags or mineral concentrates, including both experimental and computational methodologies.
• Proven proficiency in thermodynamic modeling using FactSage, CALPHAD, and complementary simulation platforms like Aspen Plus.
• In-depth knowledge of electron microscopy, spectroscopy, and structural analysis methods for complex materials.
• Familiarity with REE and vanadium chemistry, oxidation states, and redox equilibria.

Desirable Competences

• Prior research on critical metals (e.g., V, Ce, La, Nd) in slag systems.
• Simulation of monazite and rare-earth phosphate precipitation from multi-component melts.
• Strong background in slag thermochemistry, particularly oxygen fugacity control and partition coefficient modeling.
• Experience in integrating modeling with leaching and separation processes for scale-up.
• Advanced data interpretation using electron diffraction, dendritic growth modeling, and REE behavior in Fe-rich matrices.

Competences & Personal Qualities

• Excellent English communication skills (oral and written).
• Strong publication record in peer-reviewed journals.
• Capable of both independent and collaborative interdisciplinary research.
• Demonstrated ability to lead sub-projects, mentor students, and contribute to scientific dissemination.