Post Doct-Environmental Engineering

Overview

Fraunhofer USA, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization focused on applied research that bridges the gap between basic science and industry to accelerate technology development and market adoption. Located on the Michigan State University campus in East Lansing, the Fraunhofer USA Center Midwest (CMW) specializes in next-generation materials for sectors such as automotive, energy, environment, and health, with expertise in additive manufacturing, coatings, plasma sources, diamond materials, water treatment, and laser applications.

Fraunhofer USA Center Midwest is seeking highly motivated, reliable, and technically competent individual to join our team as a Postdoctoral Fellow. You will conduct research and development under the supervision of Dr. Ibrahim Abusallout. Dr. Abusallout is the Water Treatment Lead at Fraunhofer USA CMW and adjunct professor at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Michigan State University.

The postdoc fellow will have the opportunity to lead and/or support development of many of novel water treatment and analysis systems for detection and removal of contaminants of concern (CoCs) in water and wastewater. The Postdoctoral Fellow will specifically lead funded EPA research project in collaboration with University of Maine, centered around the removal of per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) from contaminated agriculture runoffs through adsorption using waste materials.

This is a salaried position offering benefits that include health, dental and vision insurance, life insurance, paid vacation, and a pension plan. The appointment will be for 1 year with the possibility of renewal based on performance and availability of funding. The preferred start date is scheduled for September 2025, however, we remain open to accommodating flexibility as needed.

Responsibilities

The Postdoctoral Fellow will primarily lead research endeavors, conducting experiments, analytical chemical measurements, and data analytics. You will also be tasked with preparing manuscripts for publication, presenting findings at conferences, and writing research proposals. A key part of your role as a Postdoctoral Fellow will be the mentoring and training of interns to support the environmental and water treatment research conducted at the Center.

Required Qualifications

• PhD in Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related field
• Experience working in a chemical laboratory setting
• Knowledge in Environmental and Analytical Chemistry
• Excellent technical writing and oral communication skills
• Keen attention to details
• Able to multitask, work and lead in multiple projects as needed
• Able to work in an interdisciplinary, diverse, and international team
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office software (Excel, Word, and PowerPoint)

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced technical and experimental knowledge in batch and column adsorption studies for water treatment (e.g., GAC for PFAS removal, rapid small scale column test [RSSCT])
• Advanced experience in operation and analysis of GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS is highly favorable
• Advanced technical knowledge in chemical interactions, surface composition and removal rates of CoCs with adsorbents
• Experience in DM, SEM with EDS detector, XRD, FTIR and XPS are highly desirable
• Experience in preparing manuscripts for publication in peer reviewed journals desired
• Leadership skills
• Communication and mentoring skills since the Postdoctoral Fellow will help advising graduate and undergraduate interns

Fraunhofer USA is an equal employment opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, military and veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other classification protected by applicable laws.