A position is available in the Office of Research and Development
at the U.S. EPA in Cincinnati.  Please apply as soon as possible,
and let me know that you've applied as a decision could otherwise
be made while your application is in transit.  Applications are directed
to the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) and may
not show up here for weeks.  A choice could be made in the mean time
if no one knows your application has been sent to ORISE.

Please forward to potential candidates and have them apply as soon
as possible.

Thanks,

Ray




Research Participation Program U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development National Risk Management Research
Laboratory Cincinnati, Ohio
EPA-ORD/NRMRL-STD-2009-01

A postdoctoral research project in the area of Chemical Process
Sustainability Metrics is available at the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency’s (EPA) National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL) in
Cincinnati, Ohio.

Project Description: In the initial stages of this work chemical process
sustainability metrics have been developed to provide a description of
the sustainability of a process in four indicator areas: environment,
efficiency, energy and economics. While full scale processes can be
described with metrics in these areas, the intention of this research is
to develop a suite of indicators that can predict full scale
sustainability performance based on bench-scale information. The idea is
that the bench scale allows for process changes and research
opportunities that are not available in most full scale processes, where
many elements have been locked into place. Within the calculations for
the sustainability metrics are steps involving data collection,
engineering approximations and assumptions regarding process parameters.
In the four areas described above, indicators will be developed for
environmental friendliness, such as amounts released, global warming
potential, toxicity, acidification, resource use, etc. Efficiency
indicators will include conversion, atom economy, product selectivity,
and others. Indicators for energy use can include amount, type, and
cumulative exergy. Finally, economics of processes can be described by a
number of indicators such as payback period, annualized profit, etc. The
research will entail both using existing indicators and developing new
or modified ones. A future result of this research will be a software
tool that can aid laboratory researchers in developing more sustainable
processes. The research participant will be mentored by Dr. Raymond
Smith of NRMRL’s Sustainable Technologies Division (STD).

Qualifications and Skills: Applicants should have received a doctoral
degree in chemical engineering or a related discipline within five years
of the starting date, or completion of all requirements for the degree
should be expected prior to the starting date.

The program is open to all qualified individuals without regard to race,
sex, religion, color, age, physical or mental disability, national
origin, or status as a Vietnam era or disabled veteran. U.S. citizenship
or lawful permanent resident status is preferred (but can hold an
appropriate visa status, however, an H1B visa is not appropriate).

The participant will be selected based on academic records,
recommendations, research interests, compatibility of background and
interests with research programs and projects at NRMRL, and the
availability of funds, staff, programs, and equipment. The appointment
is full time for one year and may be renewed upon recommendation of
NRMRL and subject to availability of funds for up to two additional
years. The participant will receive a monthly stipend up to $5,853,
depending on background and experience. The participant must show proof
of health and medical insurance. The participant does not become an EPA
employee.

Funding may be made available to reimburse the participant's travel
expenses to present the results of his/her research at scientific
conferences. No funding will be made available to cover travel costs for
interviews, relocation costs, costs of tuition/school fees, or a
participant's health insurance.

The Research Participation Program for EPA is administered by the Oak
Ridge Institute for Science and Education. Please reference Project #
EPA-ORD/NRMRL-STD-2009-01 when calling or writing for information. For
additional information and application materials contact: Research
Participation Program/NRMRL, Attn: Betty Bowling, Oak Ridge Institute
for Science and Education, P.O. Box 117, Oak Ridge, Tennessee
37831-0117, Phone: (865) 576-8503 FAX: (865) 241-5219 e-mail:
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An application can be found at
www.orau.gov/orise/edu/EPA/app-gugrgpd.pdf.


(See attached file: PostdocPositionDescriptionORISE2009.pdf)


Raymond Smith
PhD Chemical Engineer
Lead, Design of Sustainable Biofuel Supply Chains
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
26 W. Martin Luther King Drive
Cincinnati, OH  45268
(513)569-7161