A postdoctoral researcher position in separative Chemistry with expertise in solvent extraction (SX) is open for an R&D project on Actinium/Rare Earth separation. Actinium, a radioactive element found in trace amounts in rare earth ores, must be separated for industrial and regulatory reasons. The project, conducted in the secure ATALANTE facility, aims to develop innovative separation processes, based on literature and the chemical properties of actinium and lanthanides.
The candidate will design and perform experimental tests (extractants, operating conditions, distribution equilibria, kinetics), analyze results (separation factors, selectivity), and use spectroscopic techniques to understand the mechanisms. Experience in separation chemistry, hydrometallurgy, or liquid-liquid extraction, ideally in a nuclear environment, is required, along with the ability to work in a radiochemical laboratory and to valorize results (patents, publications).