Postdoctoral Fellowship in Direct Ammonia Fuel Cells - CSIRO - GovernmentCareer - Federal

First listed on: 25 September 2018

Postdoctoral Fellowship in Direct Ammonia Fuel Cells

  • Interested in converting renewable ammonia to electricity?
  • Do you have a good understanding of supported metal catalysis related to oxidation or cracking of ammonia?
  • Join CSIRO Energy for this exciting postdoctoral fellowship opportunity

The Position:

Postdoctoral Fellows are appointed for up to three years 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.

The aim of the Postdoctoral Fellowship is to develop electrode and associated materials for solid oxide electrolyte based Direct Ammonia Fuel Cells to convert renewable ammonia directly into electricity without external cracking, and thus boost overall system efficiency. A successful outcome would greatly enhance the prospective role of ammonia as a vector for renewable energy by allowing conversion of ammonia back to electricity at the point of utilisation.

Your duties will include:

  • Under the direction of senior research scientists, carrying out innovative, impactful research of strategic importance to CSIRO that will, where possible, lead to novel and important scientific outcomes.
  • Conducting comprehensive studies on the fundamental reaction mechanism/s of electrochemical ammonia oxidation in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs).
  • Designing and synthesizing new electrodes and electrode-catalysts for SOFCs, fabricating partial and complete cells, and testing the cells using state of the art electrochemical and analytical techniques.
  • Conducting microstructural characterisation and cell post-mortem analysis to understand the mechanism of degradation phenomenon to improve cell materials performance.
  • Undertaking regular reviews of relevant literature and patents.

Location: Clayton, Victoria
Salary: $82k to $93k plus up to 15.4% superannuation
Tenure: Specified term of up to 3 years
Job ref: 58728

To be successful you will have:

  • A doctorate (or will shortly satisfy the requirements of a PhD) in a relevant discipline area, such as Materials Science and Engineering, Ceramic Engineering, Electrochemical Engineering. Please note: To be eligible for this role you must have no more than 3 years of relevant postdoctoral experience.
  • Experience with solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) materials processing and cell testing using various electrochemical techniques such as impedance spectroscopy, current-voltage characterisation and steady-state polarisation techniques along with related instrumentation.
  • Hands on experience with ceramics or inorganic catalyst synthesis using different synthesis routes such as sol-gel , solid state synthesis, wet impregnation and co-precipitation
  • Fundamental understanding of inorganic materials phase assemblage and evolution, and materials characterisation techniques such as SEM, TPR, XRD, TEM and BET as applied to phase studies
  • Good understanding of supported metal catalysis related to oxidation or cracking of ammonia.

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.