Research Fellow (Transforming Waste into Carbon Sinks in Soil)

Interested applicants are invited to apply directly at the NUS Career Portal. Please note your application will only be processed if you apply via NUS Career Portal.

NUS Career Portal link: https://careers.nus.edu.sg/job/Research-Fellow-(Transforming-Waste-into-Carbon-Sinks-in-Soil)/33738-en_GB/

We regret that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

The National University of Singapore is seeking a highly motivated Research Fellow to join an interdisciplinary research project on Transforming Waste into Carbon Sinks – The Future of CO₂ Capture in Soil.

Why Join Us?

This is an opportunity to contribute to a pioneering research programme that combines carbon capture, circular economy, sustainable construction materials, and geotechnical engineering to create permanent carbon sinks from waste. You will work with a multidisciplinary research team on cutting-edge technologies that have the potential to reshape the future of land reclamation, earthworks, and carbon-negative infrastructure. The project offers excellent opportunities to collaborate with leading researchers, government agencies, and industry partners while contributing to net zero ambitions and the development of next-generation carbon capture and utilization technologies.

The project aims to develop innovative engineered soil materials that permanently capture atmospheric CO₂ through mineral carbonation while transforming waste into high-value, low-carbon materials for land reclamation and earthwork applications. By integrating circular economy principles, advanced material processing, geotechnical engineering, and carbon capture and utilization (CCU), the project seeks to establish a new class of carbon-negative construction materials that support Singapore's decarbonisation and resource circularity ambitions.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to contribute to a nationally significant research programme addressing climate change mitigation, sustainable construction, and long-term carbon storage through innovative reuse of construction waste.

• Conducting material characterization using chemical, mineralogical, physical, and microstructural techniques to understand carbonation mechanisms and material reactivity.

• Designing and performing laboratory studies on accelerated and natural carbonation under varying environmental conditions to quantify carbon sequestration capacity.

• Investigating the influence of particle size, moisture content, curing conditions, and material composition on carbonation efficiency and long-term carbon storage.

• Evaluating the engineering performance of carbonated soil mixtures, including strength, stiffness, compressibility, permeability, durability, and bearing capacity for land reclamation and earthwork applications.

• Developing predictive models for carbonation kinetics and long-term carbon sequestration under Singapore's climatic conditions.

• Performing life-cycle assessment (LCA), embodied carbon assessment, and techno-economic evaluation of the proposed carbon-negative engineered soil systems.

• Possess a PhD in Civil Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, or a closely related discipline.

• Strong background in one or more of the following areas:

• Cementitious materials and concrete technology.

• Mineral carbonation with solid waste.

• Sustainable and low-carbon construction materials.

• Soil mechanics and geotechnical engineering.

• Material characterization and durability.

• Experience in laboratory testing of cementitious materials, recycled materials, soils, or geotechnical materials.

• Familiarity with characterization techniques such as XRD, XRF, TGA, SEM, FTIR, particle size analysis, thermal analysis, or similar material characterization methods would be advantageous.

• Ability to conduct independent research, analyze data rigorously, and prepare high-quality technical reports and publications.

• Good writing and spoken communication skills.

• Ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team involving university researchers and industry partners.

• Open to fixed-term contract.