Working Title: Postdoctoral Researcher in Socially Engaged Biotechnology for Waste Conversion and Circular Economy
Departments: Civil and Environmental Engineering and Mechanical Engineering
Title/University Classification: Research Fellow (134120)
How to Apply. Please apply via this SUBMISSION FORM:
The application must include, in a single pdf (1GB max size), (1) A cover letter outlining your research experience, qualifications, and interest in the position, and (2) Curriculum vitae (CV) including a list of publications.
Please also submit contact information for three references.
Review of applications will begin on Sept 15 2023 and will continue until the position is filled. The anticipated start date for this position is January 1, 2024. Salary and benefits are competitive and commensurate with experience.
Questions may be directed to Dr. Raskin at raskin@umich.edu or Dr. Skerlos at skerlos@umich.edu. Applications will be reviewed as they are received and only applications that follow the submission guidelines will be considered.
Job Summary. The University of Michigan Departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, in coordination with the School of Environment and Sustainability and the Center for Socially Engaged Design, are seeking two highly motivated and talented individuals for postdoctoral researcher positions in environmental biotechnology, circular economy, and applicable social science fields. The postdoctoral researchers will support the development of an emerging research center to advance anaerobic biotechnology research, sociotechnical education, and community-led circular economy social structures and infrastructure facilities powered by emerging anaerobic biotechnology capabilities.
Background. We intend to establish a global research center focused on the biotechnological recovery of chemicals and fuels from waste. While anaerobic digestion produces biogas, its conversion to renewable natural gas isn't economically viable without subsidies. However, deriving high-value chemicals and biopolymers from waste can be more cost-effective and aids in decarbonizing challenging industries. Our center will explore barriers in science, technology, and policy to optimize waste-to-energy processes with attention to the equity, justice, and wellbeing effects of technologies and policies. The envisioned Center will offer educational programs for students and early-career researchers, emphasizing the importance of renewable energy and circular economy sectors. Additionally, the Center will develop empirical, computational, and simulation techniques to assess the social and economic impacts of technological innovations. Social scientific analyses are vital to realizing this vision, as efforts to sustainably produce waste, renewable energy, and a circular economy are also efforts at commoning that generate common resources to be managed by societal actors for broader benefit. .
Seeking Technical and Sociotechnical Candidates to Advance Anaerobic Technologies. The selected candidates will join a research team dedicated to transforming waste into fuels and energy using anaerobic biotechnologies, emphasizing sustainable circular economy practices and the equity and justice impacts of new innovations. At least one candidate will have depth in the application of anaerobic biotechnologies for circular economy outcomes. Both selected candidates should be willing to engage in interdisciplinary collaboration, address challenges of energy security and waste management at the community level, and develop expertise in sustainability analyses. Responsibilities include stakeholder engagement, applying advanced tools such as AI and machine learning for data analysis, and promoting circular economy solutions. Both social science scholars and engineering experts with an interest in anaerobic biotechnologies, computational methods, and data analytics are encouraged to apply, with an emphasis on holistic systems and socially engaged technology applications.
Position Overview. As a postdoctoral researcher, your primary role will be to investigate sustainable strategies for converting waste into value-added products. You will collaborate with a team of scholars to develop a proposal for a research center achieving circular economy goals. Since you will be advancing knowledge and addressing global challenges related to climate change and clean energy, you will need to have the ability or willingness to incorporate social science insights, community engagement, and broad sociotechnical education into your work. The successful candidates will help create a bold vision for high-impact, use-inspired research and will leverage international partnerships to foster breakthroughs, influence policy, and create lasting research excellence embodied in the research center envisioned above. Selected candidates will be expected to collaborate actively in writing and publishing research papers and preparing grant proposal applications.
Responsibilities:
- Conduct empirical research to develop innovative and sustainable strategies for converting waste into fuels, industrial feedstocks, and energy.
- Collaborate with a team of scholars to develop a comprehensive research center proposal that will lead to novel research and education programs centered around a novel community pilot project to convert waste into sustainable fuels and chemicals..
- Leverage diverse perspectives from different disciplines, international partners, and stakeholder groups to ensure a holistic approach to the research.
- Foster international collaborations and partnerships that enhance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) in both research and education.
- Engage with multiple partners and stakeholders through team science, engaged scholarship, and knowledge-to-action frameworks to address urgent societal challenges at a regional scale
- Prepare grant proposal applications and write and publish research papers.
Qualifications:
- A Ph.D. in environmental engineering, environmental biotechnology, bioengineering, chemical engineering, environmental microbiology, geography, environmental science, or a related field.
- Strong background and expertise in anaerobic biotechnology, waste conversion, and circular economy principles.
- Experience conducting empirical research in the field of waste conversion, with a focus on sustainable strategies and value product development.
- Hands-on experience building and operating bioreactor systems, and knowledge of anaerobic biotechnology and microbiology.
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively within interdisciplinary teams and collaborate with international partners.
- Excellent communication and scientific writing skills.
- Track record of publication in peer-reviewed journals is highly desirable.
Term Appointment Language. This position will be a one (1) year full-time term limited appointment with the possibility of renewal.
Additional Information. Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience and qualifications. Benefits include employee health and dental insurance.
Mission. The University of Michigan Departments of Civil & Environmental Engineering and Mechanical Engineering (https://www.engin.umich.edu/) provide scientific and technological leadership to the people of the world. We seek to improve the quality of life by developing intellectually curious and socially conscious minds, creating collaborative solutions to societal problems, and promoting an inclusive and innovative community of service for the common good. Our vision, mission and values guide us as we work hard to lead change. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive research community and encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including those traditionally underrepresented in academia.
The School for Environment and Sustainability (https://seas.umich.edu/) is a collaborative and interdisciplinary school. Our mission includes contributing to the protection of environmental resources and the achievement of a sustainable society. We accomplish this by generating and sharing knowledge, contributing to policy and engaging managers and stakeholders. SEAS is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and equitable environment that respects diverse experiences, promotes generous listening and communications, and discourages and restoratively respond to acts of discrimination, harassment, or injustice. Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is deeply rooted in our values for a sustainable and just society.
The Center for Socially Engaged Design (https://csed.engin.umich.edu/) believes Socially Engaged Design is human(ity) centered – not just user centered. We consider broad contexts through an equity-centered lens that impact the practice of engineering, including social, cultural, political, economic, and environmental factors that can completely change the design of solutions. At C-SED we believe that designing and building toward sustainable solutions necessitates human engagement, contextual understanding, and reflection. We aspire to uphold the following values with each other and our broader communities of higher education and design: Reciprocal Relationships, Diverse Perspectives, Balance Power Asymmetries, Justice-Oriented (https://csed.engin.umich.edu/values/). These values are not exclusive nor inclusive of all we hold as important in our work, and we continually seek opportunities for growth and learning. These values and our understanding of them will evolve as we continually learn and grow through each experience.