Postdoctoral Research Fellow Opportunities: Geometallurgy  [November 10, 2022]

Location: Departments of Process Engineering and Earth Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa

Three postdoctoral researcher positions linked to the new African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) Chair in Geometallurgy at SU

Hosts: Dr Margreth Tadie & Dr Bjorn von der Heyden

The African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) Chair in Geometallurgy, housed at the Department of Earth Sciences and the Department of Process Engineering (Stellenbosch University), invites applications for the position of Postdoctoral Researcher in this exciting and interdisciplinary research field. The Research Chair, sponsored by the minerals industry, represents a new research unit at Stellenbosch University that focusses on understanding and modelling ore deposits from their discovery, through mining, to ultimately their beneficiation response. This collaborative research partnership couples geological and minerals processing skillsets with world-class analytical facilities, all housed at Stellenbosch University. With support from postdoctoral researcher appointees, the Research Chair seeks to unlock significant value in the mine-value chain and to become renowned and competitive within both the national- and international research arenas.

Success of the Chair is planned to hinge on three pillars viz. 1. Geology and geological modelling; 2. Process Engineering and flowsheet modelling; and 3. Big Data/Engineering. As such, three postdoctoral researcher positions are currently being offered with each beginning in January 2023. Research contracts will be for one year (12 months), with an option for annual renewal up to a maximum of five years (subject to performance and to the year in which Ph.D. was obtained). The fellowship is a tax-free award, and postdoctoral researchers will not be eligible for employee benefits.

Requirements: Applicants should hold a PhD degree (obtained within the last five years) in one of the following fields: Geology, Earth Sciences, Chemical Engineering, Extractive Metallurgy, Mining Engineering, Mathematics, Data Science, or a related field. Applicants must be fluent in English and possess excellent written communication skills.

Advantageous attributes include:

• Experience in using modelling software;
• A publication track record of scholarly articles relevant to this position;
• Previous postdoctoral experience or work experience in the minerals sector.

Duties: Postdoctoral researchers will be directly involved in developing optimized geometallurgical models and workflows for the minerals sector. Research foci include both theoretical and applied components of this field, and there will be strong emphasis on data management protocols and integration of emerging technologies. Postdoctoral researchers will also be expected to assist with post-graduate student management, teaching of geometallurgy-, geology- and chemical engineering-related subject matter, and preparation of funding proposals (for which the postdoctoral researcher may be the PI). Postdoctoral researchers are expected to produce at least two journal articles per year.

How to apply: Applicants must submit a single PDF document, comprising a cover/motivation letter, a comprehensive CV (including publication list) and the names and contact details of three contactable professional references. Applications should be emailed to both Dr Bjorn von der Heyden and Dr Margreth Tadie by 15 November 2022. For more information related to the positions, please contact either Dr von der Heyden or Dr Tadie via email.

Stellenbosch University reserves the right not to fill the position.