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Postdoctoral Fellow Developing Strategic Simulation Tools for Lithium-ion Battery Recycling

Employer
NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY - NTNU
Location
Trondheim, Norway
Closing date
16 Aug 2020

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Academic Discipline
Engineering & Technology, General Engineering
Job Type
Academic Posts, Postdocs
Contract Type
Fixed Term
Hours
Full Time

About the position

We are seeking a Postdoc for developing a data infrastructure and simulation tools for identifying resource efficiency options and business opportunities related to lithium-ion battery (LIB) reuse and recycling.

The expected increase of electro-mobility and transition to renewable energy will lead to an exponential growth of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). This has significant impacts for global battery raw material cycles: While demand for these materials is expected to rise considerably resulting in concerns for the security of supply, potentials for reuse and recycling of LIBs will eventually also grow and create opportunities for increasing resource efficiency and mitigating supply risks.

Norway is both a large producer of battery raw materials and a first mover within the electromobility sphere. This opens up new opportunities for Norwegian companies to take business positions in the battery supply chain. In order to do so, they depend on a robust understanding of the battery supply chains, the relevant material cycles, and the factors influencing them. The BATMAN project, which is coordinated by the Eyde Cluster, aims at developing a strategic tool based on Material Flow Analysis (MFA) to enable companies to position themselves within the LIB value chain.

The BATMAN project uses a transdisciplinary approach and analyses LIB recycling from different complementary perspectives: Analysis of material cycles and development of the dynamic simulation tool and scenarios (PhD student and Postdoc at NTNU), analysis of trends in mobility and the vehicle fleet (TØI), in battery chemistry (IfE), in legal conditions (UiA), and identification of opportunities for new business models (UiA).

The project has an advisory board constituted of several global metal associations (Nickel Institute, Cobalt Institute, International Aluminium Institute). Their interest in the project is to better understand how different scenarios for LIBs penetration, reuse, and recycling may affect the global metal cycles. At the same time, NTNU is working with the Nickel Institute and Yale Unversity on the development of a strategic tool for monitoring and visualizing the global nickel cycle.

The Head of the Department of Energy and Process Engineering is Professor Terese Løvås. The position's supervisor is Professor Daniel B. Müller.

Duties of the position

Duties include:

  • to develop a data infrastructure for Norwegian, European, and global LIB production, use, and end-of-life management
  • to map the global cycles of key battery materials
  • to develop dynamic simulation tools and scenarios for LIB reuse and recycling

All of the tasks are developed in close cooperation with a PhD student at NTNU involved in BATMAN, as well as the other partners.

Selection criteria

A postdoctoral research fellowship is a qualification position in which the main objective is qualification for work in academic positions.

Essential Qualifications:

  • You must have completed a Norwegian doctoral degree in natural science or engineering or corresponding foreign doctoral degree recognized as equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree.
  • strong modelling competency, if possible with background in MFA
  • strong competency and documented experience in programming (including Python and SQL)
  • excellent communication skills
  • high level of written and oral English language skills

Desirable Qualifications:

  • Norwegian language skills are an advantage
  • experience in working with industry
  • familiarity with the topic of batteries, reuse, and recycling

The appointment is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants and national guidelines for appointment as PhD, post doctor and research assistant.

If, for any reason, you have taken a career break or have had an atypical career and wish to disclose this in your application, the selection committee will take this into account, recognizing that the quantity of your research may be reduced as a result.

Personal characteristics

  • Strong analytical skills
  • Creativity
  • Critical thinking
  • Confidence in working independently
  • Ability and willingness to work in inter- and transdisciplinary teams

We offer

Salary and conditions

The employment period is 2 - 4 years.

Postdoctoral candidates are placed in code 1352, and are normally remunerated at gross from NOK 542 400 per annum before tax, depending on qualifications and seniority. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.

The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants, and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Candidates who by assessment of the application and attachment are seen to conflict with the criteria in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to NTNU. After the appointment you must assume that there may be changes in the area of work.

The position is subject to external funding.

It is a prerequisite you can be present at and accessible to the institution daily.

About the application

The application and supporting documentation to be used as the basis for the assessment must be in English.

Publications and other scientific work must accompany the application. Please note that applications are only evaluated based on the information available on the application deadline. You should ensure that your application shows clearly how your skills and experience meet the criteria which are set out above. 

The application must include:

  • CV, certificates and diplomas
  • Academic works - published or unpublished - that you would like to be considered in the assessment
  • Name and address of three referees

Joint works will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint works, you must attach a brief description of your participation.

Please submit your application electronically via jobbnorge.no with your CV, diplomas and certificates. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered. Applicants with European Master`s qualifications from outside Norway are required to include a Diploma Supplement. Applicants with Master`s qualifications from China are required to include confirmation of Master`s Diplomas from China Credentials Verification (CHSI): http://www.chsi.com.cn/en/

Applicants invited for interview must include certified copies of transcripts and reference letters. 

In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal suitability.

NTNU is committed to following evaluation criteria for research quality according to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment - DORA.

General information

Working at NTNU

A good work environment is characterized by diversity. We encourage qualified candidates to apply, regardless of their gender, functional capacity or cultural background. 

The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the innovation capital of Norway with a population of 200,000. The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world. Professional subsidized day-care for children is easily available. Furthermore, Trondheim offers great opportunities for education (including international schools) and possibilities to enjoy nature, culture and family life and has low crime rates and clean air quality.

As an employee at NTNU, you must at all times adhere to the changes that the development in the subject entails and the organizational changes that are adopted.

Information Act (Offentleglova), your name, age, position and municipality may be made public even if you have requested not to have your name entered on the list of applicants.

Questions about the position should be directed to Professor Daniel B. Müller, +47 91897755, daniel.mueller@ntnu.no. Questions about the recruitment process should be directed to Megan Norris megan.norris@ntnu.no

Please refer to the application number IV-160/20 when applying.

Application deadline: 16.08.2020

NTNU - knowledge for a better world

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) creates knowledge for a better world and solutions that can change everyday life.

Department of Energy and Process Engineering

We conduct research and teaching covering the entire energy chain, from resources to the end-user. We look at how energy is produced and used by humans and machines in a sustainable way with regard to health, climate change and the resource base. The Department of Energy and Process Engineering is one of eight departments in the Faculty of Engineering.

Deadline 16th August 2020
Employer NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Municipality Trondheim
Scope Fulltime
Duration Fixed Term
Jobbnorge ID 189996

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