Harvard University Postdoctoral Fellow in Atmospheric Science

The Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) is seeking qualified candidates
for a postdoctoral research position in the laboratories of Prof. James Anderson and Prof. Frank Keutsch in
Cambridge, MA. The position will focus on the development, characterization, and field deployment of an
instrument to measure water vapor and its isotopologues aboard NASA’s ER-2 aircraft and the subsequent
interpretation of these measurements. This work is in support of a NASA Earth Venture project entitled Dynamics
and Chemistry of the Summer Stratosphere (DCOTSS).

The ideal candidate will have received a PhD in chemistry, physics, atmospheric sciences, or a related field and
will have an interest in building and working with custom instrumentation to make measurements in the
atmosphere and using these observations to address atmospheric problems of contemporary interest. Experience
with laser-based spectroscopic instrumentation and a background in atmospheric science are highly desirable. We
particularly encourage applicants who have experience with field work and are excited to collaborate with a
diverse team of scientists, engineers and students toward the successful deployment of this instrumentation. The
position will be filled as soon as possible and will initially be for one year, renewable for additional years
following exemplary performance.

More information about the DCOTSS project can be found at https://dcotss.org/

Responsibilities

• Participation in the design, construction, and integration of field instruments. This includes responsibility for a laser-based integrated cavity output spectrometer for the measurement of water vapor and its isotopologues during the DCOTSS campaign primarily in years 2020 and 2021.
• The expectation is that the successful candidate will participate in three years of combined field work and analysis.
• Operation, maintenance, and calibration of instrumentation.
• Participation in field missions to make atmospheric measurements. Field missions require between several weeks and two months at deployment sites.
• Preparation of data and its interpretation for presentation at scientific meetings and for publication in peer-reviewed journals.

Qualifications

• PhD in Chemistry, Physics, Atmospheric Sciences, or a related field.
• Experience with building, operating, and maintaining complex instrumentation in a laboratory or field environment. Experience with lasers, optics and optical sensors is highly desirable.
• Experience with development and presentation of scientific results for meetings and for publication in scientific journals.

Applicants should submit the following: (a) letter of interest including potential start date and names of three
references, (b) CV, and (c) one letter of reference.

Interested candidates should email their application packet as a single PDF file with the subject “PD DCOTSS” to Dr. David Sayres (sayres@huarp.harvard.edu).

Applications will be received until position is filled.

Harvard University is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.