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JOB DESCRIPTION AND POSITION REQUIREMENTS

The Aquametallurgy Lab is seeking two motivated Graduate Student Assistants to support research in sustainable mineral processing and extractive metallurgy. These roles combine hands-on laboratory operations with high-level technical analysis to advance projects in metal recovery and waste valorization.

Technical & Laboratory Support

Operations: Assist in the assembly and monitoring of leaching columns and batch reactors.
Safety & Maintenance: Adhere to EHS protocols; manage hazardous waste, and oversee the cleaning, archiving, and cataloging of reagents and equipment.
Sample Prep: Prepare mineral samples through crushing, grinding, and sieving for experimental runs.
Analysis, Synthesis & Reporting
Data Analysis: Process raw experimental data using statistical tools to identify trends in leaching kinetics and metal recovery rates.
Synthesis: Synthesize complex data sets into actionable insights to guide daily experimental adjustments.
Technical Writing: Draft internal laboratory reports, update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and document experimental findings.
Strategic Research Support
Literature Studies: Conduct comprehensive literature reviews to identify gaps in current hydrometallurgical research.
Proposal Development: Assist in the technical writing and background research required for new project proposals and grant applications

Compensation:

The starting rate for this job is $20.00.

BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES

Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.

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Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review here.

EEO IS THE LAW

Penn State is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814-865-1473.

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