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Postdoctoral Appointee: Hydrometallurgy

Argonne National Laboratory · Lemont, IL · $72,879–$121,465 a year · Full time

Posted Sep 24, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a materials recovery system you built or operated. What went wrong and how did you fix it?

What they are checking: Whether they have hands-on experience building and running recovery systems.

How do you take detailed observations during an experiment so the data is useful later?

What they are checking: Whether they keep careful records, which the posting specifically calls out.

Tell me about a proposal or report you helped write. What was your part?

What they are checking: Whether they can contribute to proposals and reports, which help fund future work.

What would you do

Your process recovers the target metal well but also pulls in an impurity. What would you try?

What they are checking: Whether they can think about selectivity problems from chemistry and process angles.

How would you work with an industry partner who wants faster results than your data supports?

What they are checking: Whether they can communicate honestly with partners while keeping the work credible.

About the work

How would you set up a continuous hydrometallurgical process for recovering critical materials from an unconventional source?

What they are checking: Whether they can think beyond batch experiments to continuous processing, the focus of this role.

What challenges come with slurry-based processing, and how would you handle them?

What they are checking: Whether they understand solids handling, settling, viscosity and mass transfer in slurries.

How would you study material transport and reaction behavior during leaching?

What they are checking: Whether they can design experiments to understand kinetics and transport, not just measure yield.

What makes a feedstock unconventional, and how does that change your process design?

What they are checking: Whether they can adapt to variable, low-grade or waste feedstocks.

What role do heating and conversion steps play before leaching, and how would you study them?

What they are checking: Whether they understand pretreatment steps like roasting and how they affect recovery.

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The full job description

As published by Argonne National Laboratory.

Argonne National Laboratory in the Applied Materials Division (AMD) is seeking a Postdoctoral candidate to support development of advanced processes for critical materials recovery from unconventional sources. The successful candidate will work on continuous hydrometallurgical processing approaches for selective and efficient recovery of critical materials relevant to energy innovation. The postdoctoral researcher will work within a multidisciplinary team at the Materials Engineering Research Facility (MERF) and collaborate with researchers across Argonne as well as external academic and industry partners. Responsibilities will include designing and conducting experiments, developing slurry-based processing methods, building and operating materials recovery systems, analyzing material transport and reaction behavior, taking detailed observations, gathering and analyzing data and contributing to technical reports, publications, presentations, and future proposals. Position Requirements • Recent or soon-to-be-completed PhD (typically completed within the last 0-5 years) in chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science or related field. • Knowledge and hands-on experience in the following areas: hydrometallurgical chemistry, critical materials recovery, separations science, heating and conversion studies and wet-chemistry processing techniques. • Demonstrated ability to conduct both independent and collaborative research in a multidisciplinary environment. • Experience with analytical tools such as X-ray diffraction, SEM/TEM, FTIR, and Raman spectroscopy. • Ability to communicate effectively and on a timely basis with the laboratory supervisory personnel on all developments or matters resulting from laboratory work activities. • Ability to maintain organized notebooks and project files. • Proven ability to be an excellent team player. • A high commitment to safety. • Ability to model Argonne’s Core Values: Impact, Safety, Respect, Integrity, and Teamwork. • This position requires an on-site presence at the Argonne campus in Lemont, Illinois, five days per week. Job Family Postdoctoral Job Profile Postdoctoral Appointee Worker Type Long-Term (Fixed Term) Time Type Full time The expected hiring range for this position is $72,879.00-$121,465.00. Please note that the pay range information is a general guideline only. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as, but not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, business considerations, internal equity, and external market pay for comparable jobs. Additionally, comprehensive benefits are part of the total rewards package. Click here to view Argonne employee benefits! As an equal employment opportunity employer, and in accordance with our core values of impact, safety, respect, integrity and teamwork, Argonne National Laboratory is committed to a safe and welcoming workplace that fosters collaborative scientific discovery and innovation. Argonne encourages everyone to apply for employment. Argonne is committed to nondiscrimination and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to any characteristic protected by law. Argonne employees, and certain guest researchers and contractors, are subject to particular restrictions related to participation in Foreign Government Sponsored or Affiliated Activities, as defined and detailed in United States Department of Energy Order 486.1A. You will be asked to disclose any such participation in the application phase for review by Argonne's Legal Department. All Argonne offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes an assessment of criminal conviction history conducted on an individualized and case-by-case basis. Please be advised that Argonne positions require upon hire (or may require in the future) for the individual be to obtain a government access authorization that involves additional background check requirements. Failure to obtain or maintain such government access authorization could result in the withdrawal of a job offer or future termination of employment.

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