Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) is currently searching for a Postdoctoral Investigator to join the Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry Department. This is a regular, full-time, exempt position, and is eligble for full benefits. The initial appointment will be for one year with the possibility of a one-year extension.
We seek a Postdoctoral Investigator to conduct research with an interdisciplinary team as part of a new NASA Exobiology grant exploring photochemical processes involved in the oxidation and precipitation of manganese (Mn) minerals. The overall objectives of the project are to: (1) constrain the reaction space within aqueous incubations that support photochemical Mn(II) oxidation and Mn oxide formation; (2) identify the role of drying and cyclical humidity changes on photochemical-derived Mn oxide formation at the rock/mineral-water interface; and (3) investigate structural, morphological and isotopic signatures harbored within photochemically produced Mn oxides.
The Institution has a top-rated postdoctoral program (www.whoi.edu/postdoctoral/) that supports a dynamic postdoctoral community with formal mentoring and career guidance programs. While the primary focus of the work will be in research, the Postdoctoral Investigator will have the opportunity to participate in educational and outreach activities associated with the project.
Online application forms should be submitted with a cover letter, complete curriculum vitae, and three letters of recommendation. Applications will be reviewed upon submission.
Essential Functions
The Postdoctoral Investigator will be the project lead, working in close collaboration with, and trained by, three principal investigators at WHOI. The Postdoctoral Investigator will lead laboratory incubations of aqueous and mineral/rock suspensions under a matrix of conditions and subsequent characterization of Mn oxide products using a suite of techniques, including X-ray diffraction and absorption spectroscopy, electron microscopy, and oxygen isotope ratio mass spectrometry.
Education & Experience
- A PhD in Chemistry, Earth Sciences, or a related field is required.
- Any experience in photochemistry, mineral chemistry and characterization, and/or reactive oxygen/nitrogen species concentration and isotopic composition would be especially valuable.