APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

• CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

• CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

• If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click “Apply” and complete the application process for external applicants.

 

Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants.

This is a term position; length of the term will be discussed during the interview process. Continuation past the term length discussed will be based on university need, performance, and/or availability of funding.

 

POSITION SPECIFICS

The Institute of Energy and the Environment (IEE)  https://iee.psu.edu/home at The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA is seeking applications for a full time Postdoctoral Scholar to work in the IEE Environmental Contaminants Analytical Laboratory, https://iee.psu.edu/labs/environmental-contaminants-analytical-laboratory.

We are looking for a highly motivated researcher with strong analytical laboratory expertise to support projects on contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) across environmental, ecological, and agroecosystems, as well as other systems such as aquatic, terrestrial, and engineered environments. The successful candidate will support interdisciplinary researchers and will work with a team of subject matter experts to advance analytical capabilities for detecting and characterizing CECs in diverse matrices.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and optimize analytical methods for quantifying emerging contaminants (e.g., PFAS, microplastics, pharmaceuticals, pesticides) in water, soil, plant tissue, and other environmental and biological media.

• Operate and maintain advanced instrumentation such as LC-MS/MS, GC-MS, CIC, Pyrolysis-GC/MS, and LDIR.

• Perform sample preparation, extraction, and cleanup for complex matrices and analysis from multiple systems (e.g., agroecosystems, aquatic ecosystems, ecological habitats).

• Conduct data processing and interpretation, including QA/QC procedures, statistical analysis, and reporting.

• Collaborate on research addressing fate, transport, and health impacts of emerging contaminants in interconnected systems.

• Knowledge of data processing software including Chromeleon, TraceFinder, Compound Discoverer, and Clarity is a plus.

• Lead and contribute to publications, presentations, and proposals related to analytical me