CSIRO Postdoctoral Fellowship in Methanol Dehydrogenation with Integrated Carbon Capture - CSIRO - GovernmentCareer - Federal

First listed on: 24 September 2018

CSIRO Postdoctoral Fellowship in Methanol Dehydrogenation with Integrated Carbon Capture 

  • Do you have (or will shortly obtain) a PhD in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering?
  • Research methanol for the delivery of clean hydrogen where and when it's needed
  • Join CSIRO Energy for this exciting postdoctoral fellowship

The Position:

Postdoctoral Fellows are appointed for up to three years or part time equivalent and will work closely with a leading Research Scientist or Engineer in their respective field. They carry out innovative, impactful research of strategic importance to CSIRO with the possibility of novel and important scientific outcomes. They present the findings in appropriate publications and at conferences.

Hydrogen will play a critical role in future energy systems. The ability to store and distribute hydrogen is crucially important so it can be dispatched where and when it is required. CSIRO is developing new ways to combine the control of carbon dioxide emissions with the production and use of methanol as a hydrogen carrier. This project will focus on the development of new catalysts for the dehydrogenation of aqueous methanol into hydrogen and carbon dioxide via homogeneous or heterogeneous catalysis. This will be integrated with the capture of carbon dioxide that is produced to provide both a pure stream of hydrogen and avoid the formation of unwanted by-products.

Your duties will include:

  • Under the direction of senior research scientists, carry out innovative, impactful research of strategic importance to CSIRO that will, where possible, lead to novel and important scientific outcomes.
  • Gain a detailed understanding of the chemistry and catalyst/amine systems suitable for the dehydrogenation of methanol/water mixtures into carbon dioxide and hydrogen.
  • Optimise the selection of catalyst/amine system, equipment set up, and the conditions for methanol dehydrogenation.
  • Critically evaluate all results in terms of technically and economically practical systems for scale-up.
  • Undertake regular reviews of relevant literature and patents.

Location: Newcastle, NSW
Salary: $82k to $93k plus up to 15.4% superannuation
Tenure: Specified term of up to 3 years
Job ref: 58807

To be successful you will have:

  • A doctorate (or will shortly satisfy the requirements of a PhD) in a relevant discipline area, such as Chemistry or Chemical Engineering Please note: To be eligible for this role you must have no more than 3 years of relevant postdoctoral experience.
  • High level written and oral communication skills with the ability to represent the research team effectively internally and externally, including at national and international conferences.
  • The ability to investigate, understand, and optimise chemical reaction mechanisms.
  • Catalyst synthesis and characterisation.
  • Familiarity with techniques such as IR spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy, and chromatography to identify and characterise chemical species.
  • Experience with the development and characterisation of gas-liquid reactions

Before applying please view the full position details and selection criteria here: Position Details

About Us

We imagine. We collaborate. We innovate. At CSIRO, we do the extraordinary every day. We innovate for tomorrow and help improve today – for our customers, all Australians and the world. We do this by using science and technology to solve real issues. Diversity is the compass that navigates our innovation. We provide an inclusive workplace that respects, values and actively pursues the benefits of a diverse workforce.

We work flexibly at CSIRO, offering a range of options for how, when and where you work. Talk to us about how this role could be flexible for you. Find out more Balance

How to Apply: Please provide enough information relevant to the selection criteria for this position to enable the assessment panel to determine your suitability, and upload one document containing your CV/resume and cover letter.  

Applications Close: 10:59pm AEDT, 31 October 2018.