Employer:Masdar Institute of Science and TechnologyWebsite:http://www.masdar.ac.aeLocation:Abu Dhabi, UAEType:PostdoctoralPosted:November 11, 2010Expires:January 10, 2011Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, located in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E., is a private, non-for-profit, independent, graduate-level, research-driven institute developed with the support and cooperation of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The goal of the Institute is to develop, over a period of years, indigenous R&D capacity in Abu Dhabi, addressing issues of importance to the region in critical areas such as: renewable energy, sustainability, environment, water resources and microelectronics. Starting Fall 2009, the Institute has begun offering graduate degree programs in science and engineering disciplines with a focus on advanced energy and sustainable technologies. Masdar Institute is located within Masdar City, the world’s first carbon-neutral city (http://www.masdar.ac.ae; http://www.masdarcity.ae/en/index.aspx; http://web.mit.edu/mit-tdp/projects/abu-dhabi.html).The membrane desalination research group in the Water & Environmental Engineering Program at Masdar Institute was recently awarded a major grant to study the development of novel membrane distillation (MD) processes, including the development of new membrane materials for MD. The project is a joint research with the Chemical and Mechanical Engineering Departments at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Under this project, there is currently an opening for a full-time postdoctoral fellow position in the area of Membrane Distillation. Exceptional candidates working in other strongly-relevant areas of membrane separations may also be considered. Research tasks include developing and conducting experimental protocols for the fabrication, characterization, and performance-testing of membrane materials for utilization in MD, modeling of the MD system performance, and the assembly and operation of pilot testing units. The successful candidate is expected to maintain strong communication with research collaborators both at Masdar and MIT. The candidate is also expected to be involved in publishing and conference-presenting research results and in supervising/guiding graduate students in the group. Applicants should have an excellent record of innovative and published research, especially in the MD field, excellent communication skills, and fluency in English. An earned doctorate in relevant field (Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Material Sciences, Civil & Environmental Engineering, or related discipline) is required.The advertised position is for 2-3 years. The position offers a generous tax-free salary ($50,000 to $65,000 per year) and benefits package. Benefits include, housing allowance in Abu Dhabi, an annual 30-day paid vacation leave, annual roundtrip airline ticket, comprehensive health insurance, and relocation allowance to Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi is an exciting, vibrant, multi-cultural city and a truly international capital. Life for residents includes world-class shopping malls, restaurants, movie theatres, galleries and museums, access to beaches and nature reserves, and multiple sporting activities.Application submittal information: Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Candidates must have completed their dissertations prior to commencing the postdoc position. Full applications must be submitted electronically to Prof. Hassan Arafat ([url=mailto:harafat@MIT.edu]
harafat@MIT.edu[/url]
) and should include: a cover letter, a CV, one or two representative papers, and 2-3 reference letters. 
