GRA Photocapacitative/Electrocatalytic Nitrate Removal System (PENRS) Research Associate (RA)

Job Posting Title:

GRA Photocapacitative/Electrocatalytic Nitrate Removal System (PENRS) Research Associate (RA)

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Hiring Department:

Lyndon B Johnson School of Public Affairs

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Position Open To:

All Applicants

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Weekly Scheduled Hours:

20

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FLSA Status:

Exempt

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Earliest Start Date:

Aug 16, 2025

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Position Duration:

Expected to Continue Until Dec 31, 2025

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Location:

UT MAIN CAMPUS

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Job Details:

About The University of Texas at Austin

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The University of Texas at Austin, founded in 1883, ranks among the 40 best universities in the world with top national programs across 19 colleges and schools. By creating educational opportunities for all and leading cutting-edge research at scale, the University fosters positive social change, technological advancement, and economic progress showing the world that change really does start here.

An organizational priority is to successfully make UT the world’s highest-impact public research university, unleashing knowledge, opportunity and innovation from the heart of Texas.

Learn more about UT’s mission and values, and leadership.

About The LBJ School of Public Affairs

The Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin is one of the nation’s premier public policy schools. As Texas’ top-ranked policy school for over five decades, the LBJ School provides unmatched opportunities for students to engage with policymakers, industry leaders and innovators in Austin and beyond. The school is committed to improving the quality of public service in the United States and abroad at all levels of governance and civic engagement. Our goals are to prepare students and professionals for leadership positions in public service, produce interdisciplinary research to advance our understanding of complex societal problems and create solutions, promote effective public policy and management practice and foster civic engagement on issues of public concern.

Committed to advancing the quality of public service, the LBJ School continues to drive education, research and civic engagement at all levels of governance. 

Purpose

Professor David Eaton of the LBJ School of Public Affairs is recruiting either an Undergraduate Research Assistant and/or a Graduate Research Assistant for the remainder of the 2024-2025 academic year to conduct research to develop, test and evaluate a novel, renewable-energy-powered device that not only captures nitrate from waste streams but also converts it into nitrogen and valuable chemicals such as ammonia. The research integrates two complementary technologies—photocapacitive concentration and electrocatalytic conversion—to create an efficient, low-cost nitrate treatment platform. This dual approach aims to overcome socioeconomic barriers to the adoption of nitrogen management technologies in industries and resource-limited communities.

Responsibilities

• The Photocapacitative/Electrocatalytic Nitrate Removal System (PENRS) Research Associate (RA) position will be involved in three types of research.
• The PENRS RA will review literature on the potential benefits and barriers regarding the environmental, social, economic, risk and community impacts of conventional nitrate treatment systems. The PENRS RA will work with other research staff at UT-Austin to identify the opportunities and risks of the novel PENRS system. The PENRS RA will visit US communities with severe nitrate pollution problems to understand the potential for implementation of PENRS systems in the field and assess the sustainability and scalability of the system for real-world applications.
• Information will be obtained via stakeholder interviews, focus groups, surveys and video documentaries that allow diverse interests to express their perspectives and concerns. The PENRS RA will be trained to accomplish these tasks.

Required Qualifications

Current UT student obtaining an undergraduate or graduate/master’s degree. 1 year of experience in conducting research, writing reports, and copyediting.

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

Current Graduate Student at UT Austin.

Salary Range<