Post-Doctoral Fellow, Civil and Environmental Engineering at Colorado School of Mines

Job description

Engineering a world of possibilities We are seeking three postdoctoral researchers to support research projects focused on developing sustainable cementitious materials, lightweight aggregates and geopolymers from red mud and residual materials such as mine tailings generated following critical mineral recovery. These are one-year positions with the possibility of extension for a second year. The anticipated start date is November 1, 2026, or shortly thereafter. The postdoctoral researchers will conduct laboratory investigations to characterize and evaluate untreated red mud and treated residual powder for use as supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) and other value-added construction materials such as lightweight aggregates and geopolymer bricks. Each postdoctoral researcher, while focusing on one product track (i.e., SCM and concrete, Lightweight aggregate and concrete, and geopolymer brick), will join a vibrant team of researchers and will collaborate on a variety of production processes as potential reuse pathways for the mine tailings. Research activities will include physical, chemical, mineralogical, and microstructural characterization of feedstocks; evaluation and optimization of pretreatment and activation methods; production and testing of mortar and concrete mixtures containing materials; and assessment of mechanical properties, durability, environmental performance, and microstructural development of concrete, geopolymer brick, and aggregates. Additional responsibilities include analyzing and interpreting experimental data, preparing project reports and scholarly publications, contributing to intellectual property development, mentoring graduate and undergraduate researchers, and assisting with related research activities. PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES Conduct laboratory research on the utilization of untreated red mud and residual powder from critical mineral recovery and mine tailings as SCMs and other construction materials Perform physical, chemical, mineralogical, and microstructural characterization using techniques such as XRF, XRD, SEM/EDS, particle-size analysis, FTIR, TGA/DSC, and related methods Evaluate pretreatment and activation methods, including mechanical treatment, thermal activation, dealkalization, and other approaches for improving SCM performance Design, produce, and test mortar and concrete mixtures containing mine tailing derived SCMs and evaluate their fresh, mechanical, microstructural, and durability properties Develop and evaluate alkali-activated or geopolymer bricks, lightweight aggregates, and ceramic tiles using laboratory and continuous or semi-continuous processes such as extrusion, pelletization or granulation, pressing, curing, and sintering Conduct durability and environmental testing, including freeze-thaw resistance, alkali-silica reactivity, and leaching evaluations, as appropriate Support optimization and scale-up by relating feedstock characteristics and processing conditions to product performance, energy use, cost, and manufacturability Analyze experimental results and prepare technical reports, peer-reviewed research manuscripts, presentations, and materials supporting intellectual property development Assist with mentoring graduate and undergraduate researchers and coordinating laboratory research activities Communicate research findings and participate in project meetings and travel to collaborator, industrial, mine, or conference locations Perform other duties as assigned Minimum Qualifications Education and Experience: PhD in a related field (civil engineering, materials engineering, geological engineering, mining engineering, chemical engineering, physics, chemistry, or other related fields) Research experience in cementitious materials, concrete, supplementary cementitious materials, ceramics, alkali-activated materials, industrial byproducts, mine waste, or closely related materials Strong publication record in high-quality peer-reviewed journals Currently in th