Postdoctoral Fellow, Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Emissions

Position Summary

The Postdoctoral Fellow will lead experimental research leading gas- and particle-phase emissions from burning building materials, vehicles, and household contents found in wildland-urban interface (WUI) fires. Link to Mechanical Engineering Website: Application Deadline: please apply by January 15, 2027, 11:59pm (MT). Essential Job

Duties

Design and execute the experimental design for laboratory-scale (~1 kW) combustion experiments at CSU on legacy, modern, and synthetic WUI fuels, including operation of the combustion furnace, emissions hood, and dilution sampling system. Operate and maintain real-time gas and aerosol instruments (gas analyzers, engine exhaust particle sizer, photoacoustic extinctiometer) and supervise collection of filter and sorbent samples.

Oversee quality assurance and quality control, offline sample analysis, and calculation of fuel-based emission factors using the carbon mass balance method. Prepare peer-reviewed manuscripts, conference presentations, and project reports, and curate the public emission factor dataset in line with the project's Data Management Plan. Conditions of Employment: Standard CSU criminal background check (required for all new hires).

A pproximately 3 weeks of on-site work at NIST in Gaithersburg, MD and attendance at national scientific conferences. Long test days during field campaigns, which may include evenings or weekends.

Completion of CSU Environmental Health Services training for handling regulated materials (e.g., lead-painted and asbestos-containing materials), hazardous waste, and radiation safety; respirator fit testing and medical clearance if required by EHS. Supervision: N/A

Minimum Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Atmospheric Science, Chemistry, Environmental Engineering, or a closely related field, completed by the start date.
• Demonstrated experience operating gas-phase or aerosol measurement instruments in a laboratory or field setting.
• Experience analyzing large experimental datasets using a programming language such as Python, MATLAB, or R.

Pay and benefits

Research experience in combustion emissions, biomass burning, or fire science. Hands-on experience with instruments such as gas analyzers, particle sizers, and aerosol mass spectrometers. Experience with filter-based sampling and offline analyses (gravimetric PM2.5, OC/EC, XRF, ion chromatography). Experience calculating emission factors. Record of first-author peer-reviewed publications.

Experience coordinating multi-institution research projects or field campaigns. Strong written and oral communication skills. Experience with atmospheric chemical transport modeling, including models such as the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model or similar chemical transport models (CTMs), particularly for evaluating emissions, atmospheric transport, and air quality impacts.

Additional Information: Search Contact: Salary Range $60,000 to $70,000 annually Required Application Documents To apply, please upload the following applicant documents. Ensure your materials fully address the required and preferred job qualifications of the position.

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