Funder: NRC Research Associateship Programs
Due Dates: May 1, 2025 (Next deadline)
Funding Amounts: Stipend approximately $99,200 per year plus $3,000 travel allowance; relocation assistance available. Typical fellowship duration 2-3 years.
Summary: Postdoctoral fellowship opportunity at Naval Research Laboratory to develop and demonstrate technologies for CO2 capture from seawater, hydrogen production, and synthesis of carbon-neutral fuels to support Navy operational endurance and sustainability goals.
Key Information: Open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents; requires Ph.D. earned within last 5 years; research aligned with Navy Climate Action 2030 goals; mentorship and access to federal lab facilities provided.
Description
The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) offers a postdoctoral research opportunity focused on developing and demonstrating novel technologies for environmental carbon capture and hydrogen production from seawater. The program aims to recover CO2 and produce hydrogen (H2), which are then combined in an innovative gas-to-liquids (GTL) process to synthesize value-added hydrocarbons. These synthetic fuels (e.g., LNG, CNG, F-76, JP-5) are envisioned to be produced at or near the point of use, reducing the Navy's fuel logistics tail, enhancing combat capabilities, and improving energy security by stabilizing fuel cost and availability.
From an environmental standpoint, the integrated technologies are designed to be CO2 neutral, as the CO2 emitted from fuel combustion re-equilibrates with the ocean, completing the natural carbon cycle. This approach supports the Navy's Climate Action 2030 initiative to achieve net-zero carbon emissions.
Current carbon capture and utilization technologies lack the modularity, scalability, size, weight, footprint, field deployability, and energy/mechanical efficiencies required for near-point-of-use deployment. This research opportunity seeks candidates to contribute to scaling, integrating, prototyping, and demonstrating these systems in relevant marine environments.
Research Areas of Interest Include:
- Design and evaluation of chemical systems (electrochemical, thermochemical, plasma) for hydrogenation of CO2 to syngas.
- Development and characterization of stable catalyst materials for converting CO2-derived intermediates to aromatic hydrocarbons.
- Catalyst synthesis, analytical characterization, and efficiency testing.
- Direct air and/or ocean capture of CO2.
- Computational modeling of catalyst environments to elucidate mechanisms and guide experiments.
- Computational fluid dynamics and transport modeling for electrochemical systems.
- Engineering design, fabrication, and evaluation of systems using CAD.
- Scaling, integration, and automation of complex system components.
Keywords
Catalyst, carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrogen, fuel, seawater, gas-to-liquids, carbon capture, synthetic fuel, Navy sustainability.
Due Dates
- Next application deadline: May 1, 2025 (5:00 PM ET)
- Subsequent deadlines occur quarterly: August 1, November 1, February 1, etc.
- If a deadline falls on a weekend or federal holiday, it is moved to the next business day.
Funding Amount
- Base stipend: Approximately $99,200 per year
- Travel allowance: $3,000 annually
- Relocation assistance available for awardees moving more than 50 miles to the host lab.
- Health insurance available for awardees and qualifying dependents in the U.S.
- Typical fellowship duration: 2-3 years.
Eligibility
- Citizenship: U.S. citizens and permanent residents only.
- Education: Applicants must have earned a Ph.D., Sc.D., M.D., D.V.M., or equivalent research doctorate before starting tenure.
- Experience: Postdoctoral applicants must have held their doctorate for less than five years as of the application deadline.
- Affiliation: Applicants with current or recent prior affiliation with the Naval Research Laboratory (e.g., employment or previous NRC fellowship) may be ineligible.
- Other: Candidates must be able to pass any required security clearance or background checks.
Application Process
Steps to Apply:
- Review eligibility on the NRC RAP website and confirm suitability for this opportunity.
- Identify the research opportunity by its number (64.15.85.C0936) and contact the Research Adviser, Heather D. Willauer (heather.d.willauer.civ@us.navy.mil), to discuss research interests and funding availability.
- Prepare application materials including:
- Research proposal (max 10 pages) with clear problem statement, background, methodology, expected results, and significance.
- Curriculum vitae and transcripts (postdocs only).
- Letters of recommendation (minimum 3, including dissertation adviser for postdocs).
- Submit application online via the NRC RAP portal before the deadline.
- Monitor application status and ensure all letters of recommendation are submitted on time.
Application Components:
- Profile information (contact, education, employment, honors).
- Research proposal aligned with NRL’s program goals.
- Letters of recommendation uploaded by referees via the online system.
- Transcripts (postdoctoral applicants only).
Review Process:
- Applications are reviewed by expert panels in relevant scientific disciplines.
- The proposed Research Adviser and NRL program representatives review and endorse applications before panel review.
- Scores are assigned on a 100-point scale; scores above 70 are recommended for awards.
- Funding decisions are made based on rank and available slots.
Additional Information
- Awardees receive mentorship and access to state-of-the-art federal laboratory facilities.
- The research supports Navy operational endurance and sustainability, contributing to net-zero carbon emission goals by 2030.
- The program encourages innovative, technically sound, and feasible research projects that can be completed within the fellowship period.
- Applicants should ensure compliance with all application instructions and deadlines to be considered.
- For questions about eligibility or application details, contact the NRC RAP office at rap@nas.edu or call 202-334-2760.
External Links
Contact Information