Postdoctoral Research Associate – Engineering

About the role

The School of Engineering at Macquarie University is seeking a motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to contribute to an Australian Research Council funded project on up‑cycling waste plastics. The role involves experimental work on catalyst design, spectroscopy and process optimisation within a collaborative, interdisciplinary team.

Key responsibilities

• Design, build and operate catalytic reactors for waste‑plastic up‑cycling experiments.
• Conduct catalyst synthesis, characterisation and performance testing using advanced spectroscopy techniques.
• Analyse process data, optimise reaction conditions and troubleshoot experimental setups.

Required profile

• PhD in Materials Engineering, Chemical Engineering or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated research expertise in catalyst design, spectroscopy or process optimisation.
• Strong oral and written communication skills and ability to work collaboratively across disciplines.

Required skills

• Catalysis engineering
• Reactor system design
• Catalyst synthesis and characterisation
• Spectroscopy techniques
• Process optimisation and data analysis

What we offer

• Salary $112,550 – $120,621 per annum (AUD) plus 17% superannuation and annual leave loading.
• One‑year fixed‑term contract with potential for extension.
• Flexible working options, onsite parking, subsidised health insurance and childcare facilities.
• Professional development, training and access to on‑site GP, imaging and physiotherapy clinics.