A Postdoctoral Researcher position is available for 7.5 months from September 15 to April 30, 2023 for an NSF Partnerships for Innovation project. The postdoc will take over tasks from the outgoing postdoc for 2.5 months in the City of San Luis Obispo, California to 1) perform batch tests of the vacuum stripping and absorption (VaSA) process with dairy manure and manure digestate (12 L per batch) while supervising Cal Poly undergraduate students operating and monitoring four 18-L anaerobic digesters receiving dairy manure and manure pretreated by VaSA; 2) develop the VaSA technology with an alternative absorption process to produce ammonium bicarbonate instead of ammonium sulfate, in Syracuse, New York for 2 months; and 3) undertake pilot VaSA tests with leachate (250 L per batch) at a landfill (30-40 minutes of driving from Campus) for 3 months. The postdoctoral associate will work closely with an academic collaborator at California Polytechnic State University on anaerobic digestion of dairy manure coupled with pretreatment of dairy manure by VaSA. The postdoc is also expected to participate in application for VaSA-related R&D funding (e.g., SBIR/STTR proposal) and manuscript preparation. A Tech Commercialization Expert and I will mentor the postdoc for advancing entrepreneurial and technology transfer capabilities.
Required qualifications:
- PhD in environmental/chemical/mechanical engineering, or PhD in a closely related program with undergraduate and/or master's in engineering;
- Driver's license and ability to comfortably drive a pickup in the U.S.;
- Be willing and capable to load up/down wastewater in 20-L carboys/buckets;
- Capability to solve problems immediately, independently in the field;
- Ability to communicate and collaborate with industry and academic partners.
Preferred qualifications:
- Experience in anaerobic digestion and/or liquid-gas sorption/desorption and knowledge base for scale-up design of VaSA that deals with vacuum;
- Passion for technology transfer; and
- Skills to use/maintain portable meters and hand tools and do wet chemistry lab analysis.
This position is expected to start in mid-September or shortly after that. It's anticipated to be renewed for at least 6 more months pending on the success of our technology development proposals and satisfactory performance. The postdoc may also lead further tech development and commercialization efforts in a long run. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, though preference is given to candidates who are eligible to start immediately. Short-listed candidates will be Zoom-interviewed. Interested candidates please email me (https://watertao.wixsite.com/wastewater) at wtao@esf.edu in a single pdf file including (1) a brief cover letter, (2) a CV, and (3) contact information of at least 2 references (must include PhD supervisor). There is no need to send me the full text of your publications.