Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, CAS Sincere invitation for excellent…

In order to further improve the talent funding system of the Science Foundation, give full play to the function of the Science Foundation in introducing and cultivating talents, and attract outstanding young talents from overseas to work in China, the National Natural Science Foundation of China (hereinafter referred to as NSFC) has established the Science Fund Program for Distinguished Young Scholars of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Overseas) (hereinafter referred to as Science Fund Program for Distinguished Young Scholars (Overseas)) since 2021.

The Science Fund Program for Distinguished Young Scholars (Overseas) aims to attract and encourage outstanding young scholars from overseas (including non-Chinese foreign talents) who have made achievements in natural science, engineering and technology to return to China and carry out innovative research in their own choice of research direction, promote the rapid growth of young scientific and technological talents, cultivate a number of outstanding academic backbones who are expected to reach the frontier of science and technology in the world, and contribute to building national strength in science and technology.

Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, CAS, sincerely invites excellent young scholars who have finished their Ph.D. studies and worked at least 3 years in overseas colleges or research institutes to join us by applying for NSFC Excellent Overseas Young Scholars Program (EOYS).

Eligible applicants are expected to work in the following fields: technology innovation of green and efficient separation, the preparation technology of high-level chemicals, and the ecological security and resource guarantee during the high-value utilization process.

Requirement

1. Abide by the laws and regulations of the People’s Republic of China; Have good scientific ethics, and consciously practice the spirit of scientists in the new era;

2. Born after January 1, 1983;

3. With a doctorate degree;

4. The main research focuses on salt lake resources, including the technology innovation of green and efficient separation, the preparation technology of high-level chemicals, and the ecological security and resource guarantee during the high-value utilization process.

5. Have obtained a formal teaching or scientific research position in overseas universities, scientific research institutions, and corporate R&D institutions before March 15, 2023, and have more than 36 consecutive months of work experience. Those who have obtained a doctoral degree overseas and receive outstanding achievements may ease the requirements on the length of work appropriately.

6. Applicants need to obtain scientific research or technical achievements recognized by peer experts, and have the potential to become academic leaders in the field.

7. Applicants must have not yet come to work in China full-time or have returned to work in China or have come to China after January 1st 2022. Upon receipt of the grant, the applicant must resign from overseas employment or be unemployed overseas , and return to China to work full-time for no less than 3 years.

For details relating to the application, please refer to the guideline of NSFC following the link:

https://www.nsfc.gov.cn/publish/portal0/tab434/info88099.htm

Limited Terms

Research Fund for International Young Scientists Program implements corresponding the regulation from NSFC Project Guide 2021. Applicants can only apply for or be admitted to one program from the same national talent project level. Applicants who are admitted to a higher level of national talent project cannot apply for this program, and successful candidates for this program cannot apply for other programs at a lower level.

Candidates who are applying or successfully admitted to the Research Fund for Young Scientists Program cannot apply for the Research Fund for International Young Scientists Program.

Discipline requirements:

Geochemistry, mineralogy, petrology, salt minerals and sedimentology, evaporative salt deposits, environmental science and engineering, inorganic chemistry, analytical chemistry, physical chemistry, computational chemistry, chemical process, chemical engineering, separation science and engineering, material science and engineering, and other related fields which are in accordance with salt lake research.

Position and welfares:

Eligible applicant will be employed as professor and Ph.D. supervisor

Start-up research fund equivalent to 3.5 – 5 million Yuan

Enjoy welfare of the province if the applicants meet the requirements

Provide working facilities and research team

Provide a one-time housing allowance of 800,000 Yuan

Annual salary of at least 500,000 Yuan

Provide comprehensive welfare and team support,“Everyone is specific”

Contact information:

Applicants should send their document with theme of name + major + application for EOYS to [email protected] . Document should include: CV, important achievements and supporting materials.

Deadline for application: February 28, 2023

Contact person:

Human resource office：Ms. He and Mr. Li

Email：[email protected] ；[email protected]

Tel：0971-6305173，6329635

Project management and planning office：

Mr. Nian and Mr. Sun

Email：[email protected] ；[email protected]

Tel：0971-6304306，6301290

About us:

Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes (QISL)，Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)，founded in 1965，is the only scientific research institute dedicated to comprehensive salt lake research in China. QISL has been focusing on the national demand for agricultural potassium fertilizers and high-end products based on lithium, boron, and magnesium. QISL mainly engages in research relating to salt lake resources and chemistry, formation and evolution of salt lakes, as well as the foundation, application basis and technical research and development of salt lake resources and utilization. At present, there are three labs in the institute, i.e. Laboratory of Salt Lake Geology and Environment, Laboratory of Salt Lake Resources Chemistry, and Salt Lake Resource Development Engineering Research Center. In addition, QISL has a pilot base for the comprehensive utilization of salt lake resources, the salt lake chemical analysis and testing center, and information service center.

Over the past 50 years QISL has fulfilled more than 300 scientific research achievements, including 57 national, provincial and ministerial awards, and two national awards. The major scientific and technological contributions achieved include: (1) basically completed the investigation and evaluation of China’s salt lake resources; (2) laid the theoretical system of salt lake geology and salt lake chemistry in China; (3) made a foundation for the Qinghai-Tibet Railway to successfully cross the saline crust over salt lakes; (4) laid the technical foundation of China’s potash fertilizer industry; (5) pioneered the scientific method and mature technology of extracting lithium from salt lake brine with a high magnesium-to-lithium ratio; (6) provided complete sets of technologies for Chinese enterprises to develop potassium resources overseas for the first time.

The institute has trained a number of qualified researchers, of whom 4 were elected academicians of CAS. Currently there are 249 officially registered employees, including 38 senior professionals, 71 associate senior professionals and 129 graduate students. QISL offers Ph.D. study in geology and chemistry and master’s degree study in chemistry, geology and chemical engineering & technology. There are two platforms for postdoc research in chemistry and geology. The institute is now publicly recruiting outstanding talents and scholars of relevant disciplines who possess research abilities and innovation awareness across the world to strengthen its capability in basic research and engineering technology to fuel original innovation as well as provide scientific and technical support to foster salt lake industry base.

Fields of research

1.Green and Efficient Separation Technologies for Salt Lake Resources

Deeply understanding the molecular conformation and its natural morphological transformation mechanism during the separation process of the giant salt lake chemical system, revealing the interface microstructure, the mass transfer process and the separation mechanism of complex salt lake separation system, establishing the molecular dynamics model of brine separation system by using the cutting-edge kinetic theory dynamic theory, and developing new efficient green separation materials and separation methods. Devote to solve the key scientific problems and the key technical problems of device integration in the multi-component and multi-subsystem system of the salt lakes through the methods such as phase separation, flotation, adsorption, extraction and membrane separation, and aims to improve the comprehensive utilization rate of resources, construct the high-quality development mode of the salt lake with ecological priority, and to provide strong theoretical basis and scientific support for salt lake resources separation efficiently, eco-friendly and atom economically.

2. Key technologies for the preparation of high-level chemicals in Salt Lakes.

We will be committed to developing low-carbon green electrochemical synthesis technology of lithium, magnesium, boron and halogen high-level fine chemicals and new materials, revealing the construction, performance regulation, and interface interaction mechanism of multilevel assembly structure for Salt Lake high-level and composite functional materials. In addition, the structure-activity relationship among component, structure and performances is focused. In view of this, the new breakthroughs in the preparation of green and intelligent original technology, functional performances, composite configuration with high value will be achieved. Our researches aim at forming the original innovative technology system and green intelligent manufacturing for lithium, magnesium, boron and halogen fine chemicals and new materials, promoting the extension of research methods and concepts for the preparation of salt lake high-level chemicals, new energy and various application disciplines. The purpose is to gather and cultivate the reasonable talent teams with international competitiveness, leading the breakthrough of original major achievements in the science and technology frontier in the world.

3.Ecological security and resource guarantee of high-value utilization of salt lake resources.

Assessment of the resource potential and environmental carrying capacity of salt lakes and optimal allocation of water resources in the salt lake region; Explore the theory and new technologies of the isotope analysis of the valuable elements in the salt lake; Fundamental research and key technologies of the efficient exploitation of low-grade solid potassium salt and the utilization of deep brine; The ore-forming model, mechanism and potential of the salt lake resources in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.