Postdoctoral Researcher or Staff Research Scientist, Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) @ Desert Research Institute

The Desert Research Institute’s (DRI’s) Division of Atmospheric Sciences is accepting applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher or Staff Research Scientist in the area of life-cycle assessment (LCA) of energy and environmental impacts of various systems and processes. This position is located at DRI’s Northern Nevada Science Center in Reno, NV. While housed within DRI’s Division of Atmospheric Sciences, this position is intended to interact and collaborate across all three of DRI’s science divisions (including Hydrologic Sciences, Atmospheric Sciences, and Earth and Ecosystem Sciences), as well as with appropriate research groups within the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). We seek an individual with a strong research background and a passion for advancing sustainability and environmental impact assessments.

The successful candidate will become involved in an existing research project investigating environmental issues related to lithium in Nevada. The overall concept of the “lithium loop” is to position Nevada as a leader in the mining, processing, manufacturing, and recycling of lithium used in advanced battery technologies. At each step of this loop, LCA tools will be used to assess energy and environmental impacts. The successful candidate will have a strong background in LCA methodologies and will have experience in applying LCA tools to similar, multi-step industrial processes.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS FOR BOTH LEVELS

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field from an accredited institution plus three years’ experience in environmental research, or a Master’s degree in a relevant field.
• Familiarity with common LCA software (e.g., SimaPro, GaBi, OpenLCA) and databases.
• Experience with modern programming and data analysis languages (e.g., Python, R, or Matlab)
• Demonstrated experience in conducting LCA research.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in the English language.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively in diverse research teams.
• Commitment to academic integrity and ethics.

In addition, candidates for Postdoctoral Researcher are required to have the following:

• Ph.D. from an accredited institution in Environmental Science and Engineering, Materials Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, Industrial Ecology, or a related field.
• Potential to publish research in high-impact journals related to LCA and sustainability.
• Ability to effectively analyze and report research findings to sponsors, at conferences, and during professional meetings.
• Ability to collaboratively develop research proposals and participate in grant writing to obtain research funding.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS FOR BOTH LEVELS

• Existing research network within the mining and mineral industry.
• Experience with environmental impact assessment, battery materials production and manufacturing, resource efficiency, and sustainability metrics.
• Familiarity with the unique environmental challenges and opportunities in arid regions such as Nevada.
• Potential to contribute to grant writing efforts to secure research funding.
• Willingness to engage in community outreach and institutional service activities.

Organizational Summary

For more than 60 years, the Desert Research Institute has functioned as the nonprofit, non-degree-granting environmental research arm of the Nevada System of Higher Education. Focused on basic and applied research, the Institute’s unique model blends academia with entrepreneurship to deliver a wide variety of scientific services and research-generated knowledge to its sponsors and clients.

DRI faculty are nontenured and responsible for generating their own salaries and Institute operating revenues through external funding. DRI also receives a portion of its annual operating revenues from the State of Nevada. As an autonomous organization in NSHE, DRI maintains financial and personnel policies and procedures that differ from other NSHE institutions.

The position will be based in Reno situated in northwestern Nevada at the base of the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains, 25 minutes from Lake Tahoe. Reno boasts 300+ days of sunshine and offers unparalleled opportunities for outdoor activities ranging from mountain biking, hiking, fishing, hunting, whitewater paddling, and golfing in the summer and fall to alpine skiing, snowboarding, and cross-country skiing in the winter.