General information

Reference

2025-2725  

Position description

Category

F07 Process Engineering - Engineer / Researcher

Job title

Post-doctorate position on flotation

Contract

Post-doctoral contrat

Contractual hours

Full-time

Contract duration

12 months

Context and contributions of the position

Joining the French Geological Survey (BRGM) means becoming part of France's leading public institution for Earth Science applications bringing together 1,000 wholeheartedly committed experts across 29 bases in Mainland and Overseas France. BRGM focuses on enhancing geological knowledge and understanding of surface and sub-surface-related phenomena, with a view to meeting the challenges of environmental changes through innovative projects with societal implications.

This postdoctoral position will be performed within the European project LITHOS (https://lithos-horizon.eu/).
Securing supplies of critical raw materials is a major challenge for Europe in order to support the twin transition. This is in particular the case for lithium which is widely used in Li-ion batteries. Indeed, global battery demand is expected to grow at least 30 times from 2020 to 2040, leading to an increase of the lithium supply by a factor of 42. For its domestic use, the European Union is reliant on lithium imports from Latin America, Australia, and China. The LITHOS project aims to unleash Europe's full Li-hard-rock ore potential, supporting then EU domestic processing & refining of lithium.

Job description

Concentration of lithium-bearing ores generally includes flotation steps. These steps consume large quantities of water, so it is crucial to investigate closing water loop in flotation systems in order to reduce the environmental impacts of the concentration plants while maintaining good performances in terms of recovery rate and Li2O content of the concentrate.

The objective of this postdoctoral contract is to investigate the impacts of closing water loop in flotation systems. This study will include lab-scale tests and characterization works. The research works will first be dedicated to the understanding of the effects of the physical and chemical parameters of the process water on the flotation of a lithium-bearing ore. Based on the results that will be obtained, mitigation solutions will be suggested and tested at lab-scale in order to enable the implementation of such closing water loops in an industrial circuit.

This full-time position involves short-term national and international travel in Europe.

Within an environment that promotes a healthy work/life balance, particularly thanks to remote working, BRGM prides itself on providing a friendly and caring place to work.
Awarded HRS4R certification in 2021, we are committed to supporting you throughout your career at BRGM. We provide you with a range of tools for developing your skills and expertise, with scope for career progression and geographic mobility.
At BRGM, you will gain from such benefits as a 13th month salary, days off compensating for unpaid overtime, a company canteen, sports facilities as well as holiday and leisure options.

Profile

Requested start date : 01/07/2025
Education : PhD
Experience : Junior

You will demonstrate the following skills and abilities:
- Solid basis in flotation and mineral processing
- Strong interest for experimental works
- Knowledge of characterization methods
- Ability to work in a team
- Autonomy
- Capacity for synthesis
- Communication skills, with proficiency in both written and spoken English, are required.

Working conditions

At BRGM, you are guaranteed a transparent recruitment process. It is easy to apply! Please send us your application by 13/04/2025.

The application (in the form of a single pdf file) should contain the following information:
− Resume with current situation
− Academic background and transcripts
− Download link to PhD thesis manuscript
− Cover letter demonstrating the motivation and suitability of the candidate's profile for the proposed subject

Because diversity matters to us at BRGM, all of our job vacancies are open to everyone!
We will examine your application as soon as the closing date has passed. If your application is short-listed, we will contact you for recruitment interviews during which you will have the opportunity to talk with the recruitment and HR departments as well as a cross-functional department.

Position location

Job location

France, Centre-Val de Loire, Loiret (45)

Location