Postdoctoral Research Associate in Electrochemical Engineering

About the job

Position Title:
Postdoctoral Research Associate in Electrochemical Engineering

Appointment Type:
Post Doc/Trainee

Job Description:
Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:
We are seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to support research focused on NOx electrooxidation and electrolyzer development as part of the DARPA program. The successful candidate will advance innovative electrochemical technologies through catalyst and electrode development, reactor design and optimization, and analytical evaluation of reaction products to enhance nitrate and nitric acid production processes.

The research will involve synthesizing and characterizing carbon-based electrodes and catalysts, evaluating electrochemical reactions in flow-cell systems, optimizing electrode structure and reaction environments to improve product yield, and performing product quantification using analytical techniques such as NMR, UV-Vis, HPLC-MS, GC-MS, and DEMS.

The successful candidate will be a self-motivated researcher with a strong desire to pursue scientific and technical breakthroughs, possess excellent written and verbal communication skills, and demonstrate the ability to work effectively in a collaborative research environment.

Required Minimum Qualifications:
Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or a closely related field.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Strong background in electrochemistry, electrocatalysis, materials synthesis, and characterization.
• Experience synthesizing and characterizing carbon-based electrodes and catalysts.
• Experience evaluating electrochemical reactions in flow-cell systems.
• Ability to optimize electrode structure and reaction environments to improve product yield.
• Experience with analytical techniques such as NMR, UV-Vis, HPLC-MS, GC-MS, and/or DEMS.

Department/Program & College Description:
This is where you can impact the world in countless ways – because chemical engineering is involved with nearly every aspect of your life. Foods. Fuels. Renewable energy. Consumer products of all kinds. Medical and health care technology, and more. Discover how many ways your career in the making can start here!

Department Unit/Website:
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering – College of Engineering, Iowa State University

• Application Instructions:
• To apply for this position, please click on “Apply” and complete the Employment Application. Please be prepared to enter or attach the following:
• Resume/Curriculum Vitae
• Letter of Application/Cover Letter

• Why Choose Iowa State University?
• Iowa State Employees enjoy comprehensive health and work-life benefits, including medical and dental, as well as:
• Retirement benefits including defined benefit and defined contribution plans
• Generous vacation, holiday, and sick time and leave plans
• Onsite childcare (Ames, Iowa)
• Life insurance and long-term disability
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Various voluntary benefits and discounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• Wellbeing program
• Iowa State offers WorkFlex options for some positions. WorkFlex offers flexibility on when, where, and how you do your work. For more information, please speak with the Hiring Manager.

If you have questions regarding this application process, please email employment@iastate.edu, or call 515-294-4800 or Toll Free: 1-877-477-7485.

Proposed Start Date:
January 1, 2027

Number of Months Employed Per Year:
12 Month Work Period

Time Type:
Full time

Pay Grade:
Post Docs

Original Posting Date:
October 6, 2026

Posting Close Date:
October 20, 2026

Job Requisition Number:
R20055

Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, ethnicity, religion, national origin, pregnancy, sexual orientation, genetic information, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. Veteran. Inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies may be directed to Office of Equal Opportunity, 2680 Beardshear Hall, 515 Morrill Road, Ames, Iowa 50011, Tel. 515-294-7612, email eooffice@iastate.edu .

General ISU compensation information can be found on the University Human Resources website. Please note that this is only a list of ranges and individuals will be paid commensurate with qualifications.