Demo

Postdoctoral Researcher – Process modeling and sustainability analysis for plastics upcycling & biorefining

National Laboratory of the Rockies
Golden, CO Full Time
POSTED ON 2/8/2026 CLOSED ON 4/2/2026

What are the responsibilities and job description for the Postdoctoral Researcher – Process modeling and sustainability analysis for plastics upcycling & biorefining position at National Laboratory of the Rockies?

Posting Title

Postdoctoral Researcher – Process modeling and sustainability analysis for plastics upcycling & biorefining

Location

CO - Golden

Position Type

Postdoc (Fixed Term)

Hours Per Week

40

Working at NLR

Join the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), where world-class scientists, engineers, and experts are accelerating energy innovation through breakthrough research and systems integration. From our mission to our collaborative culture, NLR stands out in the research community for its commitment to an affordable and secure energy future. Spanning foundational science to applied systems engineering and analysis, we focus on solving complex challenges to deliver advanced, secure, reliable, and cost-effective energy solutions. Our work helps strengthen U.S. industries, support job creation, and promote national economic growth.

At NLR, you’ll find a mission-driven environment supported by state-of-the-art facilities, multidisciplinary research teams, and strong collaborations with industry, academia, and other national laboratories. We offer robust professional development opportunities, and a competitive benefits package designed to support your career and well-being.

Job Description

The Catalytic Carbon Transformation & Scale-Up Center at NLR has an opening for a full time Postdoctoral Researcher within the Economic, Sustainability, and Market Analysis group. The initial appointment is for one year, with possible renewal up to three years.

The successful candidate will support several DOE-funded consortia efforts including the Bioprocessing Separations Consortium, BOTTLE consortium, and the Agile BioFoundry.

https://bioesep.org/

http://bottle.org/

https://agilebiofoundry.org/

This position will work with a dynamic, multi-disciplinary experimental team and analysis will be expected to guide experimental research efforts. The candidate will work with Aspen Plus and other process modeling tools.

The Successful Candidate Will Be Able To

  • assimilate a wide variety of information into assessments
  • contribute to the planning and execution of research and analysis
  • communicate scientific results effectively, both written and oral
  • author peer-reviewed publications, and
  • work effectively in a large, multidisciplinary team of engineers, chemists, and biologists.

Basic Qualifications

Must be a recent PhD graduate within the last three years.

  • Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

Additional Required Qualifications

  • Research experience with an emphasis on chemical process development
  • Demonstrated experience with process modeling with Aspen Plus
  • Demonstrated experience with statistical analysis (i.e. sensitivity or uncertainty)
  • PhD degree in chemical engineering or related field

Preferred Qualifications

  • Demonstrated experience with programming languages, such as Python or R
  • Demonstrated experience with LCA tools, such as openLCA or SimaPro
  • Understanding of biomass conversion research and processes
  • Relevant experience with sustainable materials and green chemistry practices

Job Application Submission Window

The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.

Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week)

Job Profile: Postdoctoral Researcher / Annual Salary Range: $74,900 - $123,600

NLR takes into consideration a candidate’s education, training, and experience, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees. In compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a potential new employee’s salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.

Benefits Summary

Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; short-term disability insurance*; pension benefits*; 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match*; life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance; personal time off (PTO) and sick leave; and paid holidays. NLR employees may be eligible for, but are not guaranteed, performance-, merit-, and achievement- based awards that include a monetary component. Some positions may be eligible for relocation expense reimbursement.

  • Based on eligibility rules

Badging Requirement

NLR is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), which includes a favorable background investigation.

Drug Free Workplace

NLR is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace in accordance with the federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug.

If you are offered employment at NLR, you must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment. Unless prohibited by state or local law, the pre-employment drug test will include marijuana. If you test positive on the pre-employment drug test, your offer of employment may be withdrawn.

Submission Guidelines

Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any position at NLR you must submit an application form for each position for which you believe you are qualified. Applications are not kept on file for future positions. Please include a cover letter and resume with each position application.

Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard basis of age (40 and over), color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic partner status, military or veteran status, national origin/ancestry, race, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding), sexual orientation, and any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Reasonable Accommodations

E-Verify www.dhs.gov/E-Verify For information about right to work, click here for English or here for Spanish.

E-Verify is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This business uses E-Verify in its hiring practices to achieve a lawful workforce.

Salary : $74,900 - $123,600

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution. Compensation Planning
Enhance your organization's compensation strategy with salary data sets that HR and team managers can use to pay your staff right. Surveys & Data Sets

What is the career path for a Postdoctoral Researcher – Process modeling and sustainability analysis for plastics upcycling & biorefining?

Sign up to receive alerts about other jobs on the Postdoctoral Researcher – Process modeling and sustainability analysis for plastics upcycling & biorefining career path by checking the boxes next to the positions that interest you.
Income Estimation: 
$102,775 - $137,396
Income Estimation: 
$153,127 - $203,425
Income Estimation: 
$139,626 - $193,276
Income Estimation: 
$164,650 - $211,440
Income Estimation: 
$130,030 - $173,363
Income Estimation: 
$87,704 - $110,366
Income Estimation: 
$120,989 - $162,093
Income Estimation: 
$74,806 - $91,633
Income Estimation: 
$71,928 - $87,026
Income Estimation: 
$145,337 - $174,569
Income Estimation: 
$112,363 - $146,135
Income Estimation: 
$153,127 - $203,425
Income Estimation: 
$139,626 - $193,276
Income Estimation: 
$164,650 - $211,440
Income Estimation: 
$130,030 - $173,363
Income Estimation: 
$274,110 - $349,046
Income Estimation: 
$309,148 - $425,307
Income Estimation: 
$319,578 - $425,885
Income Estimation: 
$72,001 - $91,803
Income Estimation: 
$88,975 - $120,741
Income Estimation: 
$68,121 - $81,836
Income Estimation: 
$71,928 - $87,026
Income Estimation: 
$125,958 - $157,570
This job has expired.
Employees: Get a Salary Increase
View Core, Job Family, and Industry Job Skills and Competency Data for more than 15,000 Job Titles Skills Library

Job openings at National Laboratory of the Rockies

  • National Laboratory of the Rockies Golden, CO
  • Posting Title Graduate (Summer) Intern – Modeling, Real-Time Simulation, and Analysis of Distribution Systems Location CO - Golden Position Type Intern (Fi... more
  • 13 Days Ago

  • National Laboratory of the Rockies Golden, CO
  • Posting Title Postdoctoral Researcher – Separations Engineering Location CO - Golden Position Type Postdoc (Fixed Term) Hours Per Week 40 Working at NLR NL... more
  • 15 Days Ago

  • National Laboratory of the Rockies Golden, CO
  • Posting Title Graduate Summer Intern – Readiness for quantum computing in materials science Location CO - Golden Position Type Intern (Fixed Term) Hours Pe... more
  • 16 Days Ago

  • National Laboratory of the Rockies Golden, CO
  • Posting Title Deputy Laboratory Director - Science and Technology Location CO - Golden Position Type Regular Hours Per Week 40 Working at NLR NLR is locate... more
  • 1 Day Ago


Not the job you're looking for? Here are some other Postdoctoral Researcher – Process modeling and sustainability analysis for plastics upcycling & biorefining jobs in the Golden, CO area that may be a better fit.

  • CHEManager International Golden, CO
  • Posting Title Postdoctoral Researcher - Process modeling and sustainability analysis for plastics upcycling & biorefining Location CO - Golden Position Typ... more
  • 17 Days Ago

  • National Laboratory of the Rockies Golden, CO
  • Posting Title Postdoctoral Researcher – Process modeling and sustainability analysis for lignin valorization Location CO - Golden Position Type Postdoc (Fi... more
  • 6 Days Ago

AI Assistant is available now!

Feel free to start your new journey!