icddr,b is a Bangladesh-based international health research institute that strives to solve key public health problems through high-quality scientific research and innovation. icddrb as a values-based organization encourages women and people with disabilities.
icddr,b is conducting a study “Transforming Greenhouse Gases into High-Value Aquaculture Feed in Bangladesh" that aims to develop a pilot methanotrophic bioreactor that demonstrates proof of principal for collecting methane that is being emitted from landfills in Bangladesh and converting this to high-protein fish food that could be used in aquaculture.
The Senior Research Officer reporting to the Project Coordinator of EIU with the Enteric and Respiratory Infections under Infectious Diseases Division will be mainly responsible for collecting biogas and evaluating the concentration of methane, carbon dioxide, nitrogen and other chemical levels/reactors and also contribute in developing fish feed using this biogas in collaboration with Stanford University within the guidelines of the research protocol; and organizational values and guidelines.
The major job responsibilities will include:
Collect landfill biogas samples from potential methane sources in Bangladesh and evaluate the concentration of methane, carbon dioxide and nitrogen;
Screen biogas from study field sites in serum bottles with mixed and pure cultures incubated at different temperatures, pH levels, and dissolved oxygen levels;
Design and evaluate the methanotrophic bioreactors; design and construct a pilot-scale methanotrophic bioreactor in Bangladesh in collaboration with Stanford University;
Operate the pilot-scale reactor to generate single cell protein using commercially available mixtures of methane, carbon dioxide and nitrogen;
troubleshoot and optimize the pilot reactor;
support fish feed studies to determine the quality and optimal inclusion rate of methanotrophs in feed;
Collaboration and coordination with city corporation, local stakeholders and project partners.
Required qualification and experience:
Bachelor or Master degree in Chemical, Biochemical or Environmental Engineering from any reputed University;
5 to 6 years’ working experiences; Preference will be given to the candidate who have knowledge, experience and abilities working with biological systems; Basic concepts of biological processes, including metabolism, Monod kinetics, hydraulic retention time, and solids retention time; Basic concepts of chemical processes, including mass transfer (from gas phase to liquid phase or dissolved), mass balance, and stoichiometry; Lab techniques, including gas chromatography (GC) operation, and suspended solids measurement.
