Grant-Funded Researcher (A/B) - AlumiNEXT™ High-Temperature Reactor Development

(Level A) $98,574 - $105,611 or (Level B) $111,031 – $131,335 per annum plus an employer contribution of 17% superannuation applies.

A full-time, fixed term position available for 24 months.

Build your research career at the School of Chemical Engineering and contribute to a research program.

About the Project:

Join an innovative project funded through the HILT CRC, focusing on transforming the Australian heavy industry, particularly alumina production. The Alumina Refineries’ Next Generation Transition (AlumiNEXT™) Project seeks to address immediate and long-term challenges in alumina refinery operations. The project aims to de-risk high TRL technologies for retrofitting existing refineries, enabling significant emissions reductions, while also advancing the development of novel technologies for next-generation, net-zero refineries.

Key areas of focus include:

• Developing process models for refinery-specific evaluations of low-carbon heat supply to calciners and the Bayer process.
• Designing novel steam integration strategies to recover and reuse steam or waste heat currently vented or lost.
• Exploring technologies and pathways for emissions mitigation and promoting a circular economy.

About the Workplace:

You will be part of a dynamic and multi-institutional team. This environment offers unique collaboration opportunities with local and international researchers and industry leaders. You will work closely with experts in clean energy technologies and gain access to a diverse range of academic and industry insights.

This role provides an exceptional opportunity to contribute to transformative advancements in heavy industry decarbonization, while building meaningful partnerships with key stakeholders in the alumina sector.

To be successful you will need:

Level A:

• A PhD degree in Chemical Engineering or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience in conducting and managing experiments involving high-temperature processes, including familiarity with equipment, safety protocols, and troubleshooting high-temperature reactors.
• Experience with simulation software or tools for kinetic modelling.
• Demonstrated experience in the design, modelling, and scale-up of chemical reactors, with a focus on high-temperature applications. This includes familiarity with pilot-scale and lab-scale experimental work.
• Strong technical writing skills for high quality scientific journals, as well as verbal communication skills suited to academia settings.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to work in a team, interact effectively with colleagues and external collaborators.

Level B:

• A PhD degree in Chemical Engineering or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated competence in conducting and managing experiments involving high-temperature processes, including familiarity with equipment, safety protocols, and troubleshooting high-temperature reactors.
• Demonstrated experience with simulation software or tools for kinetic modelling.
• Proven experience in the design, modelling, and scale-up of chemical reactors, with a focus on high-temperature applications. This includes familiarity with pilot-scale and lab-scale experimental work.
• High level technical writing skills for high quality scientific journals, as well as verbal communication skills suited to academia settings.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to work in a team, interact effectively with colleagues and external collaborators.

Enjoy an outstanding career environment

The University of Adelaide is a uniquely rewarding workplace. The size, breadth and quality of our education and research programs - including significant industry, government and community collaborations - offers you vast scope and opportunity for a long, fulfilling career.

It also enables us to attract high-calibre people in all facets of our operations, ensuring you will be surrounded by talented colleagues, many world-leading. Our work's cutting-edge nature - not just in your own area, but across virtually the full spectrum of human endeavour - provides a constant source of inspiration.

Our culture is one that welcomes all and embraces diversity consistent with our Staff Values and Behaviour Framework and our Values of integrity, respect, collegiality, excellence and discovery. We firmly believe that our people are our most valuable asset, so we work to grow and diversify the skills, knowledge and capability of all our staff.

We embrace flexibility as a key principle to allow our people to manage the changing demands of work, personal and family life.

In addition, we offer a wide range of attractive staff benefits. These include: salary packaging; flexible work arrangements; high-quality professional development programs and activities; and an on-campus health clinic, gym and other fitness facilities.

Learn more at: adelaide.edu.au/jobs

Your faculty's broader role

The Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology is a multidisciplinary hub of cutting-edge teaching and research. Many of its academic staff are world leaders in their fields and graduates are highly regarded by employers. The Faculty actively partners with innovative industries to solve problems of global significance.

Learn more at: set.adelaide.edu.au

If you have the talent, we'll give you the opportunity. Together, let's make history.

Click on the ‘Apply Now’ button to be taken through to the online application form. Please ensure you submit a cover letter, resume, and upload a document that includes your responses to all of the selection criteria for the position as contained in the position description or selection criteria document.

Applications close 11:55pm, 12^th of January 2025.

For further information

For a confidential discussion regarding this position, contact:

Dr Woei Saw
Associate Professor, School of Chemical Engineering
P: +61 (8) 8313 1182
E: [email protected]

You'll find a full selection criteria below: (If no links appear, try viewing on another device)

The University reserves the right to close this advertisement before the closing date if a suitable candidate is identified

The University of Adelaide is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer committed to providing a working environment that embraces and values diversity and inclusion. Female applicants, people with a disability and/or and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who meet the requirements of this position are strongly encouraged to apply. If you have any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at time of application.