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Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants.

This is a term position; length of the term will be discussed during the interview process. Continuation past the term length discussed will be based on university need, performance, and/or availability of funding.

 

POSITION SPECIFICS

Dr. Mohammad Rezaee is seeking highly motivated Postdoctoral Researchers to join a newly funded, NSF-supported project under the Tech Metal Transformation Challenge (STRIDE Ventures). The project focuses on developing architecture-specific, modular technologies to transform electronic waste into manufacturing-ready critical materials, including but not limited to precious metals, rare earth elements.

This effort is led by Intel-E-Waste, a startup translating research into deployable infrastructure, with Penn State as a key research partner. The selected candidate will work at the interface of mechanical processing, chemical separation, and system integration for next-generation recycling technologies.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and execute experiments in metal recovery and separation

• Utilize advanced characterization techniques

• Develop and optimize process flows for targeted material streams

• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams (engineering, chemistry, industry partners)

• Support scale-up activities and prototype development

• Publish high-impact research in peer-reviewed journals and contribute to technical reports

Qualifications

Required:

• Ph.D. in Mineral Processing, Metallurgical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or related field by the start date.

• Experience in physical separation, hydrometallurgy, separations, or recycling technologies

• Strong experimental and analytical skills

• Proficiency in data analysis and scientific writing (evidenced by publication record)

• Available to start immediately

• Creative problem-solving skills and ability to work independently.

Preferred:

• Experience with critical materials (including rare earth and precious metal) recovery and separation

• Ability to work in interdisciplinary and applied research environments

Start Date

• The position is available immediately, and an early start is preferred.