Research Assistant (Radionuclide Sorption & Desorption)

About the role

The Radiochemistry team at the S'pore Nuclear Research & Safety Institute (Kent Ridge Campus) is recruiting a Research Assistant to study the retention of radionuclides, especially caesium (Cs+), in cementitious and concrete barrier systems. The work bridges fundamental sorption science and applied barrier-performance assessment, informing the safe design of containment and waste-immobilisation systems. The post is open to researchers who are independent yet collaborative, share data and methods openly and support colleagues.

Key responsibilities

• Design and run dynamic column experiments to characterise Cs+ transport through concrete or other media across influent concentrations and water chemistries.
• Determine and interpret breakthrough behaviour, including breakpoints and dynamic (working) retention capacity.
• Calculate and evaluate distribution parameters, distinguishing operational distribution ratios from thermodynamic sorption constants (Kd), and explain the limitations of near-detection-limit measurements.
• Develop and apply trace-level analytical methods (e.g. ICP-MS/OES or equivalent) with rigorous QA/QC.
• Model contaminant transport with reactive-transport or breakthrough-curve frameworks, linking column results to barrier-scale performance.
• Characterise materials (porosity, mineralogy, surface chemistry) to link sorption performance to the cementitious matrix.
• Contribute to peer-reviewed publications, technical reports and conference presentations, and support grant reporting and proposals.
• Handle ad-hoc administrative tasks such as procurement and maintenance paperwork for lab equipment, routine facility checks and reporting, and chemicals stock-taking.

Required profile

• PhD, MSc and/or BSc (awarded or imminent) in Radiochemistry, Environmental/Geochemistry, Chemical or Civil/Environmental Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry or a closely related field; fresh graduates are welcome.
• Demonstrated experience with sorption or contaminant-transport experiments, ideally flow-through/column methods and breakthrough-curve analysis.
• Strong understanding of distribution coefficients, retardation and the difference between equilibrium and kinetic sorption.
• Experience with radiochemistry-related analysis and measurement techniques.