Life Cycle and Techno-economic Assessment of Carbon Dioxide Removal Technologies

Position Description

Postdoctoral Scholar position

Area: Life Cycle and Techno-economic Assessment of Carbon Dioxide Removal Technologies
Duration: One year, with possibility of renewal
Start date: Immediate
Salary: $60,000 CAD per year, plus a comprehensive benefits package

The Schulich School of Engineering at the University of Calgary is accepting applications for multiple Postdoctoral Scholars focusing on design and Assessment of Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) technologies. They will be part of the CanCO2Re project (https://www.canco2re.ca/), which represents an interdisciplinary team of researchers assessing the potential of CDR technologies to meet Canada's 2050 net-zero goal and to identify policy options that could enable sustainable, equitable, and rapid deployment of CDR in appropriate contexts.

Job Description:
The successful applicants will work closely with Canadian technology developers, including Deep Sky (https://www.deepskyclimate.com/), to produce high quality state-of-the-art Life Cycle and techno-economic assessments (TEA and LCA, respectively) of direct air capture (DAC) and geologic sequestration systems based on lab and pilot plant data. This could include, for example, technologies being demonstrated at the Deep Sky Alpha facility that is in construction. They will work closely with project investigators, who have expertise in the science and engineering of DAC and enhanced mineralization (EM) technologies to assess the prospective environmental performance of such systems. In addition, they will have the opportunity to mentor graduate (PhD and MSc) students working on related projects.

The initial appointment is for one year and may be renewable for a second year, contingent on satisfactory performance and availability of funding.

Qualifications:
The successful candidate will have a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering or another relevant engineering discipline and will have demonstrated skills in system-level modeling and analysis (i.e., LCA or TEA) through publication of peer-reviewed research. The candidate should be able to show a clear interest in innovation and interdisciplinary research. Preference will be given to applicants who can start immediately.

In addition, the candidate:
• Must have been awarded a PhD or equivalent within the five years immediately preceding the job posting date.
• Should have knowledge of Carbon Dioxide Removal Technologies, in particular direct air CO2 capture (DAC) technologies or enhanced CO2 mineralization (EM) processes.
• Should have demonstrated experience with Life Cycle assessment tools (e.g., OpenLCA, Brightway2), databases (e.g., ecoinvent).
• Would benefit from familiarity with process simulation (e.g., Aspen Plus/HYSYS, Symmetry) tools and programming languages used in engineering analysis (e.g., MATLAB, Python, or C variants).
• Must have strong written communication skills, preferably demonstrated in writing peer-review publications and technical reports.
• Must have the ability to work both independently and collaboratively with an interdisciplinary group involving students and faculty from a range of backgrounds, as well as external stakeholders.
• Must have excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to interact with internal and external stakeholders.
• Should have advanced skills in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Should have effective organizational and time management skills in setting priorities and accomplishing tasks within deadlines.

Application details:
Apply via the UCalgary Careers web portal before April 12, 2024 at 11:59 pm (MDT). All applications must include:
• A cover letter explaining your motivation and fit for the role, including a brief summary of past, current and future research interests and accomplishments, and a firm date of availability.
• Your current curriculum vitae (CV).
• An official (or unofficial) copy of diploma(s)/university certificate(s).
• The name and contact information including email addresses for at least two (2) referees who have knowledge of your research and academic experience.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

Only those applicants selected for interviews will be contacted further. In accordance with Canadian Immigration requirements, priority will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada, although others are encouraged to apply.

Please review the Postdoc Eligibility Guidelines for more information prior to applying for this position.

About the University of Calgary

The University of Calgary is Canada's leading next-generation university - a living, growing and youthful institution that embraces change and opportunity with a can-do attitude. Located in the nation's most enterprising city, the university has reached its Eyes High goal to be recognized as one of Canada's top five research universities, grounded in innovative learning and teaching and fully integrated with the community it both serves and leads. The University of Calgary inspires and supports discovery, creativity and innovation across all disciplines. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.

Additional information

The terms and conditions of employment are covered under the UCalgary and PDAC Collective Agreement. To find out more about postdoctoral scholar program at the University of Calgary visit our Postdocs website.

About Calgary, Alberta

Calgary is one of the world's cleanest cities and has been named one of the world's most livable cities for years. Calgary is a city of leaders - in business, community, philanthropy and volunteerism. Calgarians benefit from the strongest economy in the nation and enjoy more days of sunshine per year than any other major Canadian city. Calgary is less than an hour's drive from the Rocky Mountains and boasts the most extensive urban pathway and bikeway network in North America.

The University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their professional success while they are here. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, however preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.