PostDoc in Biochar Science at Ithaka

(1) The impact on plastic impurities in biomass on resulting biochar properties, including method development on the quantification of plastic in biochar feedstock
(2) Biochar-based fertilization, i.e., combined application of biochars (both commercial and experimental biochars) and fertilizers under various strategies (co-application, coating of biochar, biochar fertilizer pellets, etc.)

Experimental work will include, but is not limited to, sampling of plastic contaminated biomass at full-scale waste treatment facilities, pyrolysis on a PYREKA research pyrolysis unit, characterization of biochar in collaboration with our partners at Agroscope and Eawag (may include TG-DSC, FTIR, PyGC/MS, CT), and greenhouse experiments.

The workplace is at our partner Agroscope in Zurich-Reckenholz within the research group Environmental Analytics of Dr. Thomas Bucheli. Agroscope is the Swiss center of excellence for agricultural research and is affiliated with the Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG). The employment contract is made with the Ithaka Institute.

We expect:
• PhD in (bio)geochemistry, geoecology, environmental science, environmental engineering or similar disciplines, or equivalent research experience.
• Relevant experience in at least one of the above research topics
• German language skills and car driving license (sampling) are useful, but not required.

Please submit your application by Nov 30, 2021, to info(at)ithaka-institute.org and include a CV, a list of publications, 2-3 references that we may contact, and a list of methods applied in previous research. We will be happy to answer any questions about this job posting in advance.

The Ithaka Institute is an international open-source network for carbon strategies. In the last decade, Ithaka became a leading research collaboration for carbon sequestration and cycling through agronomic methods. The Institute is known for its expertise in production, post-production treatment, and use of biochar. Ithaka established the European Biochar Certificate and developed numerous biochar-based products. We are engaged in food security, soil fertility, and reforestation projects in Eastern Asia and Latin America.