Careers

Research Program Manager/UK IDEA

 

Job title: Research Program Manager/UK IDEA
Department Name: UK IDEA
Work Location: Onsite Lexington, KY 
Salary Range: $81,640-138,798/year

Type of Position: Staff       
Position Time Status: Full-Time
Required Education: PhD 
Required Related Experience: 6 years

 

Job Summary: 

Key Responsibilities for the Research Program Manager will include but are not limited to:
 

   Project Oversight and Planning:

  • Manage multiple CO2 capture and utilization projects at the bench and pilot scale.

  • Lead large-scale projects, coordinating the work of scientists, engineers, and technicians.

  • Develop annual project plans, monitor staffing, budgets, and equipment availability.

  • Track progress, provide evaluations, and resolve project roadblocks through problem-solving to ensure compliance with funding requirements.

  • Participate in strategic planning by evaluating markets, competitors, and technologies.

  • Ensure project success by reviewing schedules, costs, and maintaining strong customer relationships.

   Leadership and Representation:

  • Deliver kickoff and closeout presentations, lead intellectual development activities, and publish peer-reviewed papers.

  • Collaborate with management to explore new research directions and secure funding.

  • Serve as a key resource for UK, IDEA, and clients by resolving challenges and identifying new research opportunities.

  • Represent UK in committees, forums, sponsor meetings, and symposia at national and international levels.

  • Interact with funding agencies, report progress, and update schedules and scopes as needed.

  • Foster relationships with industry partners, ensuring compliance with policies and agreements.

Skills/Knowledge/Abilities

  • Ability to work independently with hands-on skills, a proactive mindset, and a commitment to continuous learning.

  • Strong interpersonal skills for collaborating with colleagues and external partners.

Preferred Education/Experience

  • Strong grasp of engineering principles, including chemical kinetics, heat and mass transfer, and thermodynamics, especially in process, chemical, and mechanical engineering.

  • Experience with process integration, PFD and P&ID design, and reactor design using CAD tools (e.g., AutoCAD); mid-level skills in process automation (e.g., Raspberry Pi, Python) and data analysis (Excel, Python, MATLAB).

  • Proficiency in engineering software and process equipment (e.g., heat exchangers, pumps) and instrumentation (e.g., temperature, pressure, pH, flow).

  • Knowledge of aqueous CO2 capture chemistry and familiarity with process unit operations.

 

Apply Today!

Research Engineer Principal/UK IDEA

 

Job title: Research Engineer Principal/UK IDEA
Department Name: UK IDEA
Work Location: Onsite Lexington, KY 
Salary Range: $72,405-119,496/year

Type of Position: Staff       
Position Time Status: Full-Time
Required Education: PhD 
Required Related Experience: 7 years

 

Job Summary: 

Key Responsibilities for the Principal Research Engineer will include but are not limited to:

   

   Project Leadership:

  • Oversee project design, execution, and reporting to meet objectives and milestones.

  • Lead activities in life cycle analysis, safety, compliance, and environmental assessments.

  • Manage resource planning to ensure timely project completion within budget.

  • Review and approve P&IDs, specifications, and layouts from external partners.

  • Troubleshoot and optimize processes, resolving technical and operational issues.

  • Coordinate with subcontractors on analysis and environmental assessments.

  • Work with the PI on resource management and overall project execution.

  • Oversee process installations, troubleshoot, and perform acceptance testing.

  • Provide training and mentorship on CO2 capture and utilization techniques.

  • Assist with proposal preparation and business development efforts.

   Research and Reporting:

  • Lead author on reports, articles, and IP disclosures.

  • Present research findings at conferences and ensure data accuracy.

  • Conduct in-depth data analysis and interpretation.

Skills/Knowledge/Abilities

  • Highly organized and detail-oriented

  • Capable of handling physical demands while adhering to PPE and safety guideline

  • Effective communication, collaboration and a willingness to accept additional responsibilities, along with regular progress reporting.

  • Strong research and reporting skills

  • Ability to work on-site, travel as required and maintain a high level of professional conduct in various work environments.

Preferred Education/Experience

  • Project management, expertise (process/chemical/mechanical engineering),

  • Technical proficiency in CO2 capture

  • Adept at using engineering software and laboratory equipment, capable of data analysis, and have a solid grasp of advanced mathematical concepts.

Apply Today!

Senior Research Engineer/UK IDEA

 

Job title: Senior Research Engineer/UK IDEA
Department Name: UK IDEA
Work Location: Onsite Lexington, KY 
Salary Range: $62,941-103,834/year

Type of Position: Staff       
Position Time Status: Full-Time
Required Education: MS 
Required Related Experience: 1 Year

 

Job Summary: 

Key Responsibilities for the Senior Research Engineer will include but are not limited to:
 

   Project Management and Engineering:

  • Provide expert engineering support from project planning through to construction, operation, and testing, ensuring objectives are met.

  • Prepare Process Flow Diagrams (PFDs) for UK CO2 capture and utilization processes.

  • Review P&IDs, specifications, and layouts from external partners.

  • Coordinate with subcontractors on techno-economic analysis and safety assessments.

  • Commission processes, troubleshoot, perform acceptance testing, and ensure smooth operations.

  • Diagnose and resolve technical issues using mechanical expertise and root cause analysis.

  • Support the PI in resource planning and project execution.

   Research and Reporting:

  • Collaborate with the PI on reporting requirements, including monthly and final reports, operating plans, and gap analyses.

  • Serve as the lead author on a peer-reviewed journal paper.

  • Deliver monthly reports and presentations, and conduct data reduction and interpretation.

  • Present research findings at conferences.

Skills/Knowledge/Abilities

  • Strong interpersonal skills for collaborating with colleagues and external partners.

  • Ability to work independently with hands-on skills, a proactive mindset, and a commitment to continuous learning.

Preferred Education/Experience

  • Strong grasp of engineering principles, including chemical kinetics, heat and mass transfer, and thermodynamics, especially in process, chemical, and mechanical engineering.

  • Experience with process integration, PFD and P&ID design, and reactor design using CAD tools (e.g., AutoCAD);

  • Demonstrated skills in process automation (e.g., Raspberry Pi, Python) and data analysis (Excel, Python, MATLAB).

  • Proficiency in engineering software and process equipment (e.g., heat exchangers, pumps) and instrumentation (e.g., temperature, pressure, pH, flow).

  • Knowledge of aqueous CO2 capture chemistry and familiarity with process unit operations

Apply Today!

Associate Research Engineer/UK IDEA

 

Job title: Associate Research Engineer/UK IDEA
Department Name: UK IDEA
Work Location: Onsite Lexington, KY 
Salary Range: $52,201-$85,800/year

Type of Position: Staff       
Position Time Status: Full-Time
Required Education: MS 
Required Related Experience: None

 

Job Summary: 

Key Responsibilities for Associate Research Engineer will include but are not limited to:

   

   Bench Unit Operations:

  • Operate UK’s bench-scale or field units to conduct experiments, ensuring equipment runs smoothly and meets project goals.

  • Troubleshoot, modify, and maintain units while keeping records and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) up to date.

  • Lead technical staff in equipment assembly, calibration, and modification based on project needs.

  • Collect and analyze samples, ensuring high data quality throughout the project lifecycle

   Data and Reporting:

  • Perform data collection, reduction, and interpretation for experiments, ensuring accuracy and alignment with project objectives.

  • Contribute to scholarly publications and prepare regular reports and presentations for sponsors and stakeholders.

  • Manage inventory, procurement, and safe handling of materials and supplies, ensuring all project needs are met.

Skills/Knowledge/Abilities

A successful candidate will have a hands-on approach to experimentation and problem-solving; demonstrate experience in operating and troubleshooting lab or field-scale equipment; and work collaboratively with a multidisciplinary team while working independently to meet project milestones.

Preferred Education/Experience

  • Strong understanding of general engineering principles, including chemical kinetics, heat and mass transfer, and thermodynamics, particularly in process, chemical, and mechanical engineering.

  • Experience in process integration, designing process flow diagrams (PFDs) and piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs), and reactor design using CAD tools (e.g., AutoCAD). Entry/mid-level expertise in process automation (e.g., Raspberry Pi with Python) and data analysis/visualization tools like Excel, Python, MATLAB.

  • Proficiency in computer and engineering software.

  • Previous experience with process equipment (e.g., heat exchangers, pumps, blowers) and process instrumentation (e.g., temperature, pressure, pH, flow), as well as process controls (e.g., LabView, DeltaV, PLCs)

  • Knowledge of aqueous CO2 capture chemistry, including speciation and physical properties.

  • Familiarity with process unit operations.

Apply Today!

Multiple Postdoctoral Scholar Positions Available-Engineers

(Energy and Industry Decarbonization)

Job title: Postdoctoral Scholar
Department Name: UK IDEA
Work Location: Lexington, KY
Salary Range: Starting at $60,000/year and adjustable after 6 months upon performance review
Type of Position: Temporary
Position Time Status: Full-Time
Required Education: PhD 
Required Related Experience: N/A
Required License/Registration/Certification: N/A

Physical Requirements: Lifting, pushing, or pulling of objects, climb stairs and ladders, work outdoors, wear all PPE, sitting for long periods of time, standing, and walking.

Shift:   Typically Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, occasional evenings or weekends may be required

Job Summary: The positions at UK IDEA offer an excellent opportunity for a highly motivated individual to perform cutting edge research work in CO2 capture from point sources, CO2 removal from air and ocean, hydrogen production, material recycling from energy storage devices and intermittent renewable energy generating devices. 

Desired Skills / Knowledge / Abilities: 
Note that it is not necessary to possess all of these skills and we may also consider related skills.

  • Possess good understanding of general engineering concepts and knowledge, e.g., chemical kinetics, heat transfer and mass transfer properties, and thermodynamics particularly as related to chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, and environmental engineering.
  • Experienced in process integration, process flow diagrams and piping and instrumentation diagrams, and reactor design using computer aided designing tools, e.g., AutoCAD, execution particularly as related to integrated process units with entry/middle-level knowledge of process automation, e.g., Raspberry Pi coupled with python or equivalent, data collection, analysis, visualization using Excel, python, MATLAB, etc.
  • Be able to work both independently with brief guidance, strong hands-on ability with a “can-do” attitude, and passion for learning new things everyday. 
  • Track record in data analysis and manuscript preparation.

Does this position have supervisory responsibilities?        No

If interested please send resume and transcripts to idea.info@uky.edu.

Multiple Postdoctoral Scholar Positions Available-Scientists

(Energy and Industry Decarbonization)

Job title: Postdoctoral Scholar
Department Name: UK IDEA
Work Location: Lexington, KY
Salary Range: Starting at $60,000/year and adjustable after 6 months upon performance review
Type of Position: Temporary
Position Time Status: Full-Time
Required Education: PhD 
Required Related Experience: N/A
Required License/Registration/Certification: N/A

Physical Requirements: Lifting, pushing, or pulling of objects, climb stairs and ladders, work outdoors, wear all PPE, sitting for long periods of time, standing, and walking.

Shift:   Typically Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, occasional evenings or weekends may be required

Job Summary: The position at UK IDEA offers an excellent opportunity for a highly motivated individual to perform cutting edge research work in synthesis of organic molecules, organometallic complexes for CO2 capture and Direct Air Capture processes. The primary duty of the position is to synthesize homogeneous /heterogeneous catalyst that can increase CO2 hydration in aqueous solution. The candidate will be required to develop organic synthetic methods and perform scale up of relevant materials to use them in real system. The candidate will be required to have a PhD in Chemistry with experience in Organic/Organometallic synthesis, or related field. 

Desired Skills / Knowledge / Abilities: 
Note that it is not necessary to possess all of these skills and we may also consider related skills.

  • Conduct research based on the work of established scholars.
  • Should know basic methods of characterization of organic/inorganic complexes.
  • Identifies, research, compiles, and evaluates data sources, background information and technology related to the area of specialization.
  • Synthesizes, purifies, and characterizes compounds.
  • Provide support during testing, ensuring objectives are met during CO2 capture and/or Direct Air Capture projects.
  • Develops Structure-Activity Relationships.
  • Designs analogues for synthesis.
  • Present scholarly works at academic conferences.
  • Should serve as a lead author in peer-reviewed journals
  • Evaluate state-of-the-art research methods.
  • Implement and develop new methods in synthesis

Does this position have supervisory responsibilities?        No

If interested please send resume and transcripts to idea.info@uky.edu.