Job Description
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.
Key responsibilities include:
- 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.
Job Requirements
- 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.
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