Postdoctoral Position in Computational Catalysis at the University of Calgary
 
In 2016, the University of Calgary was awarded $75 million, over seven years, from the Canada
First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) for its initiative entitled: “Global Research
Initiative in Sustainable Low Carbon Unconventional Resources”. The goal of this research
is to dramatically reduce the impact of energy extraction and energy use on the environment.

As part of the implementation of its GRI scientific strategy and to improve hydrocarbon recovery,
while reducing emissions and energy intensity, Dr. Siahrostami’s group is looking to fill a
Postdoctoral position for atom by atom design of catalysts for application in renewable energy
technologies and environmental protection.

Catalysis is a well-established scientific discipline dealing with fundamental principles and
mechanisms of reactions. Computational simulation provides a straightforward and powerful
technique to model reactions at catalyst surfaces and investigate reaction mechanisms at the atomic scale. This understanding leads to designing more efficient catalyst materials for reactions of interest. Our interest is in the area of Catalysis for Energy Transformation Reactions. We aim to
use quantum mechanical calculations in particular density functional theory for atom-by-atom
design of efficient catalysts for application in renewable energy technologies such as metal-air
batteries, fuel cells and electrolyzers. For more information about our research visit our website: https://www.siahrostamilab.com/.

We seek applications from qualified and motivated scientists with a passion for clean energy and
interdisciplinary research. Successful candidates will be required to work within a team
environment and so excellent communication skills and the ability to work effectively with a
diverse group of interdisciplinary researchers is a must.

Qualifications:

1. A PhD degree in Chemistry, Physics, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science or related
fields.
2. Previous experience in python programming and doing surface calculations with periodic
computational codes such as VASP and Quantum Espresso is required.
3. Good communication skills, ability to work independently and in a team environment, and
strong interest in computational catalysis are essential

Postdoctoral position offers a stipend of $55,000 CAD/year for 2 years, plus benefits, travel and
computer allowance, and operating budgets. Postdoctoral fellow are encouraged to apply for major
funding opportunities they are eligible for (e.g. NSERC, Killam, AITF, Banting).

 
To be eligible as a Postdoctoral scholar at the University of Calgary, the candidate must have been
awarded a PhD or equivalent within the five (5) years immediately preceding the appointment.
Please review the Eligibility page for more information prior to applying for this position.


Application details:

Applications should consist of a current CV, a list of 3 referees with contact information and a
cover letter indicating your research interests, as well as your availability. Documents should be
emailed in a single PDF file to Prof. Samira Siahrostami at [email protected]
The position is available immediately and the search will continue until the team is assembled.

In assembling the CFREF research teams, aggressive diversity and equity targets are in place
and so applications from under-represented groups are especially encouraged.