PNNL

Heather Job joined Pacific Northwest National Laboratory as a research chemist in December of 2005. She began her career in the Analytical Department, maintaining, operating, and developing the Chemical & Biological Process Development group's capabilities in routine sample analysis. With her organizational skills, attention to detail, and computer/programming expertise, Job quickly transitioned into combinatorial research, managing the High Throughput Center while overseeing operations in the Analytical Department. After developing this capability over a period of 12 years, she shifted her focus from catalyst development to battery development. In 2020, she began working in the Battery Materials & Systems group, developing and growing the Material Innovation through Robotics & AI Laboratory (MIRA Lab), focused on energy storage.

The MIRA Lab, located at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Grid Storage Launchpad, serves as a pivotal resource for harnessing automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning to revolutionize discoveries in energy storage. This advanced automation laboratory integrates robotic platforms and analytical equipment with software, a central database, AI support, and machine learning models. The MIRA Lab supports a wide range of preparation and analytical techniques, all on a milligram scale, with new solutions being developed for all incoming projects. When combined with AI and machine learning modules, this type of automated testing leads to a data-driven and efficient form of scientific discovery.

Job utilizes her chemical, analytical, and experimental design expertise to coordinate workflows for a wide variety of projects, primarily focused on electrolyte solution preparation, solubility determination, synthesis, and electrochemical analysis techniques (cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, etc.). The MIRA Lab provides experimental design, customization, and execution as well as data processing and reporting for completed experiments. Job handles scheduling, maintenance, and training for the equipment as well as many day-to-day operations for the laboratory.

• Automation and robotics
• Sample analysis techniques
• High throughput experimentation
• Robotic design and operation for automating catalyst synthesis, reaction screening, and other common laboratory procedures.
• Biomass Conversion
• Catalyst synthesis and characterization
• Data visualization and design of experiments

• Analytical methods development
• Automation tools
• Batch processing
• Catalysts
• Chemical synthesis
• Design of experiments
• Electrochemical characterization
• Excel
• Programming foundations
• Tableau software

BS in chemistry, Washington State University

• Hallen, R. T., K. O. Albrecht, and H. M. Brown. 2014. Deoxygenation of fatty acids for preparation of hydrocarbons. US Patent US8882990B2. 
• Hallen, R. T., K. O. Albrecht, H. M. Brow, and J. F. White. 2013. Decarboxylation of fatty acids for preparation of hydrocarbons. US Patent 8,388,829. 
• Albrecht, K. O., J. F. White, H. M. Job, and R. T. Hallen. 2013. Decarboxylation of fatty acids for preparation of hydrocarbons. US Patent 8,388,829. 

2024

Butreddy P., A.J. Ritchhart, Q. Wang, H.M. Job, M.L. Sushko, J. Chun, and E. Nakouzi. 2024. "Flow-gel approach enables rapid extraction of pure magnesium phase from seawater." Chemical Communications 60, no. 93:13718-13721. PNNL-SA-203387. doi:10.1039/D4CC04711G

Martin W.A., H.M. Job, Y. Liang, R. Feng, P. Gao, D. Liu, and L. Zhong, et al. 2024. "High Throughput Electrochemical Screening of Phosphate-Rich Nonflammable Electrolytes in Lithium-Ion Batteries." Journal of Electrochemical Society 171, no. 9:090526. PNNL-SA-188369. doi:10.1149/1945-7111/ad7c81

2023

Liang Y., H.M. Job, R. Feng, F.C. Parks, A.M. Hollas, X. Zhang, and M.E. Bowden, et al. 2023. "High-throughput solubility determination for data-driven materials design and discovery in redox flow battery research." Cell Reports Physical Science 4, no. 10:Art. No. 101633. PNNL-SA-182963. doi:10.1016/j.xcrp.2023.101633

2022

Xiao J., C.S. Anderson, X. Cao, H. Chang, R. Feng, Q. Huang, and Y. Jin, et al. 2022. "Perspective - Electrochemistry in Understanding and Designing Electrochemical Energy Storage Systems." Journal of the Electrochemical Society 169, no. 1:Art. No. 010524. PNNL-SA-167756. doi:10.1149/1945-7111/ac4a55

2021

Guo M.F., M.J. Gray, H.M. Job, C.A. Alvarez-Vasco, S. Subramaniam, X. Zhang, and L. Kovarik, et al. 2021. "Uncovering the Active Sites and Demonstrating Stable Catalyst for Cost-Effective Conversion of Ethanol to 1-Butanol." Green Chemistry 23, no. 20:8030-8039. PNNL-SA-164007. doi:10.1039/D1GC01979A

Ma R., U. Sanyal, M.V. Olarte, H.M. Job, M.S. Swita, S.B. Jones, and P.A. Meyer, et al. 2021. "Role of peracetic acid on the disruption of lignin packing structure and its consequence on lignin depolymerisation." Green Chemistry 23, no. 21:8468-8479. PNNL-SA-159270. doi:10.1039/D1GC02300D

Maddi B., S.D. Davidson, H.M. Job, R.A. Dagle, M.F. Guo, M.J. Gray, and K. Kallupalayam Ramasamy. 2021. "Production of Gaseous Olefins from Syngas over a Cobalt-HZSM-5 Catalyst." Catalysis Letters 151, no. 2:526-537. PNNL-SA-134786. doi:10.1007/s10562-020-03324-7

2019

Murugesan V., M.J. Gray, M.F. Guo, H.M. Job, L. Kovarik, A. Devaraj, and S. Thevuthasan, et al. 2019. "Thermally Activated Nucleation and Growth of Cobalt and Nickel Oxide Nanoparticles on Porous Silica." Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A: International Journal Devoted to Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films 37, no. 3:Article No. 031101. PNNL-SA-121414. doi:10.1116/1.5080448

2017

Murugesan V., M.J. Gray, M.F. Guo, H.M. Job, A. Devaraj, C.J. Szymanski, and S. Thevuthasan, et al. 2017. "Thermal Evaluation of Metal Oxides on Silica Supports." In North American Catalysis Society Meeting, June 4-9, 2017, Denver, CO, Paper No. P-T-BRM-44. PNNL-SA-122369

Wang H., H. Ruan, M. Feng, Y. Qin, H.M. Job, L. Luo, and C. Wang, et al. 2017. "One-Pot Process for Hydrodeoxygenation of Lignin to Alkanes Using Ru-based Bimetallic and Bifunctional Catalysts Supported on Zeolite Y." ChemSusChem 10, no. 8:1846-1856. PNNL-SA-120890. doi:10.1002/cssc.201700160

2016

• Liu C., J. Sun, H.M. Brown, O.G. Marin-Flores, J.T. Bays, A.M. Karim, and Y. Wang. 2016. "Aqueous phase hydrodeoxygenation of polyols over Pd/WO3-ZrO2: Role of Pd-WO3 interaction and hydrodeoxygenation pathway." Catalysis Today 269. PNNL-SA-114761. doi:10.1016/j.cattod.2015.10.034
• Olarte M.V., A.H. Zacher, A.B. Padmaperuma, S.D. Burton, H.M. Job, T.L. Lemmon, and M.S. Swita, et al. 2016. "Stabilization of Softwood-Derived Pyrolysis Oils for Continuous Bio-oil Hydroprocessing." Topics in Catalysis 59, no. 1:55-64. PNNL-SA-111135. doi:10.1007/s11244-015-0505-7
• Ramasamy K.K., M.J. Gray, H.M. Job, C.D. Smith, and Y. Wang. 2016. "Tunable catalytic properties of bi-functional mixed oxides in ethanol conversion to high value compounds." Catalysis Today 269. PNNL-SA-115950. doi:10.1016/j.cattod.2015.11.045
• Ramasamy K.K., M.J. Gray, H.M. Job, D.M. Santosa, X.S. Li, A. Devaraj, and A.J. Karkamkar, et al. 2016. "Role of Calcination Temperature on the Hydrotalcite Derived MgO-Al2O3 in Converting Ethanol to Butanol." Topics in Catalysis 59, no. 1:46-54. PNNL-SA-110874. doi:10.1007/s11244-015-0504-8

2015

• Ramasamy K.K., M.J. Gray, H.M. Job, and Y. Wang. 2015. "Direct Syngas Hydrogenation over a Co-Ni Bimetallic Catalyst: Process Parameter Optimization." Chemical Engineering Science 135. PNNL-SA-107517. doi:10.1016/j.ces.2015.03.064

2012

• Zhao H., H.M. Brown, J.E. Holladay, and Z. Zhang. 2012. "Prominent roles of impurities in ionic liquid for catalytic conversion of carbohydrates." Topics in Catalysis 55, no. 1-2:33-37. PNNL-SA-82499. doi:10.1007/s11244-012-9772-8

2011

• Su Y., H.M. Brown, G. Li, X.D. Zhou, J.E. Amonette, J.L. Fulton, and D.M. Camaioni, et al. 2011. "Accelerated Cellulose Depolymerization Catalyzed by Paired Metal Chlorides in Ionic Liquid Solvent." Applied Catalysis. A, General 391, no. 1-2:436-442. PNNL-SA-71427. doi:10.1016/j.apcata.2010.09.021

2010

• Lilga M.A., K.O. Albrecht, K.K. Ramasamy, T.L. Lemmon, L. He, H.M. Brown, and S. Lee, et al. 2010. CONVERSION OF LACTIC ACID TO ACRYLIC ACID AND ITS ESTER DERIVATIVES. PNNL-19802. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

2009

• Su Y., H.M. Brown, X. Huang, X.D. Zhou, J.E. Amonette, and Z.C. Zhang. 2009. "Single-step conversion of cellulose to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), a versatile platform chemical." Applied Catalysis. A, General 361, no. 1-2:117-122. PNNL-SA-59545. doi:10.1016/j.apcata.2009.04.002

2008

• Holladay J.E., H.M. Brown, A.M. Appel, and Z.C. Zhang. 2008. "Novel Hydride Transfer Catalysis for Carbohydrate Conversions." In Proceedings of the 22nd Conference on Catalysis of Organic Reactions, edited by ML Prunier, 123, 411-418. Boca Raton, Florida:CRC Press. PNNL-SA-58413.

2007

• Zhao H., J. Kwak, Z.C. Zhang, H.M. Brown, B.W. Arey, and J.E. Holladay. 2007. "Studying Cellulose Fiber Structure by SEM, XRD, NMR and Acid Hydrolysis." Carbohydrate Polymers 68, no. 2:235-241. PNNL-SA-48782. doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2006.12.013
• Zhao H., J.E. Holladay, H.M. Brown, and Z.C. Zhang. 2007. "Metal Chlorides in Ionic Liquid Solvents Convert Sugars to 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural." Science 316, no. 5831:1597-1600. PNNL-SA-52130. doi:10.1126/science.1141199