A Postdoctoral position is available for a computational chemist in the Dibble group at SUNY-ESF to investigate kinetics and mechanism of mercury redox chemistry in the atmosphere. The position would start on or after November 1, 2020. This position is funded by a grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation for two years at $48,000 per year. Working remotely is feasible. Members of underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

      The successful candidate will lead computational chemistry efforts to understand the kinetics and mechanism of mercury redox chemistry in the atmosphere. Mercury is emitted to the atmosphere mostly as atomic mercury, which travels the globe before being deposited to ecosystems. Hg(II) compounds undergo deposition much more readily than Hg(0), so the redox chemistry of mercury largely controls how long this neurotoxin stays in the atmosphere and where it deposits to ecosystems. Your results will be included in regional and global models of atmospheric mercury.

Your Major Tasks

• Investigate new and/or poorly-characterized thermal reactions of atomic mercury and mercury compounds
• Investigate new and/or poorly-characterized photochemical processes of mercury compounds
• Investigate dynamics and determine rate constants for these reactions
• Write research papers
• Present results at regional, national, and international meetings

Your Profile

• PhD or equivalent in chemistry or a related field
• Extensive experience in using and/or developing methods of computational chemistry
• Experience in scripting or programming
• Experience with quantum chemistry software
• Strong record of publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at scientific conferences
• Ability to address complex problems creatively, and to work effectively both independently and in collaboration with other researchers.

Opportunities: The successful candidate will have the opportunity to collaborate with

• Harvard scientists modeling the global atmosphere
• CFOUR developers at Johns Hopkins
• quantum chemists in France and Slovakia
• experimental kineticists
• mercury scientists from multiple disciplines at SUNY-ESF and elsewhere

Applying:

      Email a single pdf file to [email protected] with a CV and cover letter. The CV should list contact information for three references and explain your relationship with each. The cover letter (< 2 pages) should discuss your qualifications, research interests, and career goals.

      More information about the Dibble group is available at https://www.esf.edu/faculty/dibble/.

      The Dibble group strives to carry out rigorous and transparent research to advance our knowledge of a variety of applied problems in chemistry.