The Princeton Water and Energy Technologies (WET) Lab, led by Prof. Z. Jason Ren, invites applications for a postdoctoral research position focused on developing scalable technologies for water and critical mineral extraction.
We seek a researcher who enjoys hands-on experimentation and engineering problem-solving, with an interest in translating laboratory advances into scalable systems. The research connects separation science, reactor engineering, and process integration, with opportunities to investigate fundamental questions while advancing technologies toward pilot testing and demonstration.
The successful candidate will contribute to research in areas such as:
- Interfacial evaporation and crystallization, electrochemical separations, and related recovery processes.
- Design, construction, and evaluation of experimental reactors and integrated systems.
- Process modeling and integration to guide scale-up and pilot development.
- Collaborate with industry on technology translation to real-world applications.
Qualifications
Applicants should hold, or expect to receive before starting, a PhD in chemical engineering, environmental engineering, mechanical engineering, materials science, or a related field.
Demonstrated experience with brine chemistry, process modeling, process integration, and pilot testing and demonstration is particularly valuable.
Sample research articles from our group include:
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adx3242
https://www.nature.com/articles/s44221-023-00131-3
https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.6c00735
https://www.nature.com/articles/s44359-026-00204-y
Lab website: https://ren.princeton.edu/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zjasonren/
Please apply here: https://apply.interfolio.com/181518
Feel free to contact Prof. Ren by email with any questions.