Post-Doctoral Fellowship In Heterogeneous Kinetics And Atmospheric Photochemistry In CDD 18 Months a H/F - Ministères économiques et financiers

Scientific scope of the post-doctoral fellowship

Solid particles in the atmosphere are ubiquitous and their environmental impact is manifold. Solid particles influence the Earth's climate directly by scattering and absorbing solar radiation, and indirectly by influencing cloud formation and lifetime. Besides, mineral dust, the largest mass fraction of solid particles globally, acts as an efficient platform for the scavenging or conversion of gases, thus providing a media to transport atmospheric compounds over long distances. Certain organic particles, such as microplastics, can also have very long atmospheric lifetimes and act as sinks or sources for gaseous species. These heterogeneous photochemical processes not only influence the burden of atmospheric species but also modify the physicochemical properties of particles, thereby affecting their corresponding impacts on climate. However, the fundamental processes of these reactions are not well understood and their impacts remain therefore difficult to evaluate.

The objective of this postdoctoral fellowship is to investigate the heterogeneous interactions/reactions of selected organic and inorganic pollutants with different types of solid particles : microplastics, natural mineral dust and individual components of mineralogical origin, such as mineral oxides. Laboratory experiments will BE conducted in state-of-the-art reactors (coated wall flow tube reactor, packed-bed reactor, optical DRIFT cell, Knudsen cell,) to determine accurate kinetic parameters such as initial and steady-state uptake coefficients, as well as mechanistic parameters like product yields and reaction pathways, combining both the gas phase and the adsorbed phase.

Objective of the position

We are looking for a highly motivated post-doctoral researcher with solid background in chemical kinetics and atmospheric photochemistry who is ready to work on challenging and innovative topics. The successful candidate will BE a member of a dynamic team of international researchers and get a unique expertise in operating state-of-the-art experimental techniques and instrumentation available in the department. She/He will BE also involved in national and international projects and collaborations.

The successful candidate will BE carrying out the following activities :
- Investigate heterogeneous processes between inorganic and organic compounds with bulk aerosol surfaces (e.g. microplastics, mineral dust, mineral oxides).
- Use advanced experimental tools for the study of heterogeneous kinetic processes such as flow tubes, atmospheric simulation chambers, Knudsen cell.
- Supervise PhD students, write progress reports.
- Present the results in international and national conferences and publish them in high level peer-review journals.

Required qualifications
- PhD in Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Atmospheric Sciences or in relevant fields.
- Extensive and solid background in chemical kinetics, atmospheric photochemistry, and heterogeneous photocatalysis.
- Experience in working with flow tube reactors for gasses and/or particles is essential.
- Experience with mass spectrometry methods (electron impact and/or chemical ionization methods) and infrared spectroscopy.
- Author or co-author of at least two (2) publications in peer-reviewed journals.
- Experience in processing datasets using the following softwares : Excel, Origin, IgorPro, Matlab.
- High level of communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to adapt to a multicultural/multinational environment.
- High level of organizational, analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Proficiency in spoken and written English.

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Additional skills that would BE considered as an advantage :
- Experience in working under molecular flow conditions deploying Knudsen cells Solid background in vacuum technology.
- Proficiency in spoken and written French.