post doctoral associate

Company Description

CarboMat is looking for a Post-Doctoral Associate to support our anode material synthesis activities in all the ongoing projects. The successful candidate will be a core member of a small but quickly growing talented group of engineers, researchers, and scientists. The candidate will report directly to the founders of the company.

Duration: Full-Time, 2 years (Possibility of Extension)

Starting Date: February 1, 2026

Location: Calgary, AB

Salary: $60,000-$75,000 annually, which is subject to statutory deductions (i.e., CPP, EI, Income Tax)

Benefit: Comprehensive health and dental coverage

Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop end-to-end synthesis routes for both synthetic graphite and hard carbon using carbon-rich and amorphous carbon precursors, respectively, ensuring consistency, reproducibility, and high-quality outputs
• Design and execute prototype to pilot-scale production to optimize each stage of the synthetic graphite production process including feedstock pre-treatment, milling, shaping, particle engineering, binding, agglomeration, carbonization, graphitization, coating, spheroidization, etc.
• Develop and refine all processing steps for hard carbon synthesis including pre-treatment and precursor modification, functionalization, surface modification, pre-oxidation, carbonization, post-processing, etc.
• Produce, isolate, and characterize mesophase pitch via thermal polycondensation of pre-treated precursors and study how mesophase type, texture, and morphology influence final synthetic graphite quality.
• Evaluate and compare diverse precursor materials for suitability, processability, cost, and performance in synthetic graphite and hard carbon production.
• Scale up synthetic graphite and hard carbon production processes from bench-scale to pilot-scale and eventually to pre-commercial or industrial scale, ensuring process reliability and cost-effectiveness.
• Design, fabricate, or modify reactors, furnaces, and processing setups required for large-scale carbonization, graphitization, mesophase synthesis, and various processing operations.
• Conduct extensive material characterization including XRD, SEM, TEM, Raman, TGA, DSC, XPS, BET, CHNS, FTIR, ICP-OES, XRF, etc. to evaluate anode material quality
• Collaborate with multiple project partners and strategic stakeholders (e.g., potential customers) for design and testing of various anode materials in different battery system verticals
• Prepare milestone reports regularly with key findings for ongoing projects, outlining progress, challenges, and future objectives
• Assist other researchers within the team in preparing scientific manuscripts for publications
• Lead patent preparation activities to protect innovative technologies and developments ensuring compliance with intellectual property laws and regulations
• Conduct regular experimental analysis, quantification, and validation of results including troubleshooting and optimizing experimental conditions
• Foster laboratory and plant safety protocols and maintain best practices
• Travel occasionally to partner sites for R&D testing, product demonstration, and scale-up implementation

Skills and Qualities

• PhD in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Materials Science, Physics, Electrochemistry, Mechanical Engineering, or related disciplines
• 1-3+ years of experience synthesizing synthetic graphite and hard carbon from various precursors
• 1-3 years of experience working with high-temperature carbonization and graphitization systems
• 1-3 years of experience in glovebox operations and scale-up of bench-scale processes
• Advanced knowledge of electrochemistry fundamentals and material design to achieve higher process yields and optimized efficiency
• 1+ years of experience designing chemical purification techniques to remove various contaminants from carbon-rich materials and inducing changes in particle morphology
• Advanced laboratory skills with wet chemistry techniques and material characterization techniques (e.g., FTIR, XRD, CHNS, TGA, TG-MS, XPS, Raman, SEM, TEM, BET, rheology, cross polarized microscopy, softening point measurement, etc.) following laboratory safety and hazard.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills and ability to lead and collaborate with internal and external teams; ability to multi-task and have a strong focused mindset.
• Outstanding technical writer (protocols, reports, investigations, etc.)
• Willing to grow with the company and contribute towards technology development
• The candidate needs to be a Canadian PR, Citizen, or have a valid work permit to work for this role

CarboMat is deeply committed to fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment. Our core values, including integrity, innovation, accountability, inclusivity, adaptability, and teamwork, guide our daily interactions and decision-making. We believe that by embracing these values, our employees contribute not only to the success of our organization but also to their own personal and professional growth. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and are dedicated to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. We invite you to explore how your skills and values align with our company, and we look forward to discussing how you can make a meaningful impact as a valued member of our team.

If you are passionate about this opportunity and believe that you have the skills to excel in this role, please apply and we look forward to reviewing your application. Only candidates considered for an interview will be contacted. Position will remain open until the ideal candidate is found.