Job Description

Organometallic Research Chemist

Job no: 494235
Work Type: Staff full-time
Location: Abilene
Categories: Staff, NEXT Lab

About ACU

ACU is affiliated with the fellowship of the Church of Christ. All applicants must be professing Christians and willing to support the Christian mission and purpose of Abilene Christian University while employed by the university.

Organometallic Research Chemist

Abilene, Texas 

NEXT

Exempt Full-time

• Organometallic Synthesis
• Molten Salt Research
• Chemical Separations and Purification
• Safety, Compliance, and Environmental Monitoring
• Research, Development, and Technical Support
• Documentation, Reporting, and Collaboration

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions.

Organometallic Synthesis

• Develop various organic and metal-organic molecular/supramolecular systems and nanostructured materials.
• Characterize synthesized materials using XRD, DSC, FTIR, Raman, etc.
• Determine compatibility of synthesized materials with molten salts.

Molten Salt Research

• Design and execute experiments to determine the effectiveness of materials for extraction of species from molten salts.
• Design material forms that are compatible with insertion and removal from a molten salt reactor.
• Demonstrate the effectiveness of materials for the extraction of species from a molten salt reactor.

Chemical Separations and Purification

• Design and execute experiments to determine the ability to remove species from extraction materials.
• Implement processes to separate and purify fission products after removal from a molten salt reactor.
• Optimize separation and purification procedures to maximize product yield.

Safety, Compliance, and Environmental Monitoring

• Ensure compliance with nuclear regulatory requirements and university safety protocols.
• Support radiation licensing and hazardous chemical safety, including beryllium exposure control.
• Participate in environmental monitoring and waste management related to chemical processes.

Research, Development, and Technical Support

• Contribute to ongoing R&D projects supporting a molten salt research reactor’s scientific surveillance layer (SSL).
• Provide chemical expertise to reactor operations, simulation teams, and cross-disciplinary projects.
• Mentor students and junior staff in chemical techniques and laboratory practices.

Documentation, Reporting, and Collaboration

• Maintain accurate laboratory records, sample logs, and analysis reports.
• Support preparation of technical publications, safety analysis reports, grant proposals, and regulatory submissions.
• Collaborate across disciplines (nuclear engineering, physics, materials science) to advance NEXT Lab’s mission.

Skills

• Strong foundation in synthetic organometallic chemistry.
• Experience with reticular chemistry.
• Knowledge of crystallography.
• Proficiency with laboratory instrumentation (XRD, DSC, FTIR, Raman, etc.).
• Knowledge of molten salt chemistry and solid-phase extraction.
• Understanding of nuclear safety, radiation chemistry, and hazardous materials management.
• Strong problem-solving and data analysis abilities.

Training Modules Required

• Radiation safety and licensing training.
• Chemical hygiene and laboratory safety.
• Hazardous materials handling, including anhydrous hydrogen fluoride and beryllium control protocols.
• Emergency response and spill prevention training.
• Advanced modules on molten salt chemistry and SSL integration.

Professional

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or related field (Ph.D. preferred). To be eligible for a dual faculty appointment, a master’s or doctoral degree will be required.
• A successful record of grant-proposal writing is preferred.
• 3–5 years of laboratory experience (academic, industrial, or national lab).
• Experience with molten salts, separation science, or high-temperature chemistry strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated record of technical reporting and collaborative research.

Personal

• Detail-oriented and committed to safety.
• Strong communicator with ability to explain complex chemistry to non-chemists.
• Collaborative, adaptable, and able to work across disciplines.
• Self-motivated with curiosity for applied nuclear research.
• Passionate about advancing NEXT Lab’s mission in innovative nuclear energy.

NEXT Lab Core Values
The key principle of this job is to support ACU’s mission to educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world. Along with this, and the NEXT mission, our core values are the fundamental beliefs and guiding principles that shape our culture, behavior, and decisions.

1. Christ-like Character
   We lead with humility, integrity, and wisdom. We strive to be honest mentors who reflect Christ in our actions and relationships.
2. Driven to Deliver
   We take initiative, work hard, and stay curious. We’re proactive, creative problem-solvers who are always learning and pushing forward to get things done.
3. Better Together
   We believe in the power of collaboration. We communicate openly, support one another, and bring a spirit of respect, fun, and teamwork to everything we do.

An ideal candidate will demonstrate a strong desire to integrate into a team that shares our core values and possess the skills listed below. Candidates who align well with our values but may not yet have all of the desired skills may still be considered.

• Able to lift 50 pounds on a regular basis.
• Able to stand 1 hour or more.

ACU does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, disability, genetic information, national or ethnic origin in employment opportunities, in keeping with applicable state and federal law.

ACU is committed to maintaining a safe and secure campus environment and protecting the university's financial and physical assets.  Therefore, Abilene Christian University conducts background checks on all candidates for employment in security sensitive positions.

Advertised: October 22, 2025 Central Daylight Time
Applications close: Open until filled

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