Postdoc Position: Absorption Spectroscopy

Are you an enthusiastic young scientist who likes to work with and/or develop new spectroscopic instruments? And do you hold a PhD degree in physics (photonics), electrical engineering or a related field? Would you like to be involved in the research and development of instruments based on supercontinuum IR sources to perform multispecies detection for life science applications? If so, then you have a part to play as a postdoctoral researcher in our research team. Gas sensing plays an important role in many fields. It is used to monitor climate change, optimise industrial control, as well as observe important chemical or biological reactions related to life sciences. Among several optical methods for measuring gas concentrations, laser-based absorption spectroscopy with supercontinuum sources is emerging as a promising and effective tool. Our team has demonstrated the effectiveness of a gas detection system for monitoring several volatile organic compounds emitted from fruits during long-term storage using a fibre-based supercontinuum source and a custom-built Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS).

This 2-year postdoctoral project aims at building a new generation of FTSs able to cover the entire spectral bandwidth of the particular supercontinuum source developed by the company Norblis (a spin-off from the Technical University of Denmark) while using cost-effective components. This will be part of the world's first automated multi-species trace gas analyser acting as an interactive storage monitor and alert system in fruit storage facilities. In this project, you will design and build a robust and compact FTS, coordinate your research with that of the other partners in the project, and contribute to the dissemination of results.

Profile

• You have a PhD degree in physics, engineering, photonics or a related discipline.
• You have a good basis in optics, laser spectroscopy and signal-processing techniques.
• You have experience with lasers and/or spectroscopy and programming (Matlab, LabView/Python).
• You are a highly motivated, enthusiastic, critical, communicative, creative and team-oriented young scientist.
• You can work independently, but you also enjoy interacting within a group.
• You are fluent in English (written and spoken) and have good communication skills.

We are

Our research team is a diverse team of enthusiastic international scientists interested in gas detection for different applications. Research at the Trace Detection Laboratory focuses on the detection of species in trace levels with a high emphasis on the gas phase. For this, we develop new laser-based spectroscopic instruments and use a strong analytical infrastructure of various mass spectrometry-based techniques. These applications cover a wide range of areas such as pollution monitoring, the bio-medical field, the agri-food industry, and emission/exposure measurements.

We have a large list of national and international collaborating groups, universities, institutes and companies in several national and European projects. This provides us with a very active and open environment, and exposes us to new challenges in trace detection for which we can provide solutions.

The TDLab is embedded within the Institute for Molecules and Materials (IMM), at the Faculty of Science of Radboud University (Nijmegen, Netherlands). IMM is a dynamic interdisciplinary research institute that brings together chemistry and physics, to unravel the mysteries of atomic, molecular and solid-state environments. The institute strives to make a positive impact on society by exploring practical applications and educating the future leaders in science and innovation.

Radboud University

At Radboud University, we aim to make an impact through our work. We achieve this by conducting groundbreaking research, providing high-quality education, offering excellent support, and fostering collaborations within and outside the university. In doing so, we contribute indispensably to a healthy, free world with equal opportunities for all. To accomplish this, we need even more colleagues who, based on their expertise, are willing to search for answers. We advocate for an inclusive community and welcome employees with diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives. Will you also contribute to making the world a little better? You have a part to play.

We offer

• We will give you a temporary employment contract of 1 year.
• Your salary within salary scale 10 depends on your previous education and number of years of (relevant) work experience. The amounts in the scale are based on a 38-hour working week.
• You will receive an 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
• We offer Dual Career Coaching. The Dual Career Coaching assists your partner via support, tools, and resources to improve their chances of independently finding employment in the Netherlands.
• You will receive extra days off. With full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the statutory 20.

Additional employment conditions

Work and science require good employment practices. Radboud University's primary and secondary employment conditions reflect this. You can make arrangements for the best possible work-life balance with flexible working hours, various leave arrangements and working from home. You are also able to compose part of your employment conditions yourself. For example, exchange income for extra leave days and receive a reimbursement for your sports membership. In addition, you receive a 34% discount on the sports and cultural activities at Radboud University as an employee. And, of course, we offer a good pension plan. We also give you plenty of room and responsibility to develop your talents and realise your ambitions. Therefore, we provide various training and development schemes.

Dr S.M. Cristescu (Simona)
simona.cristescu [at] ru.nl