A Post-doctoral Position is available in the labs of Dr. David Osborn at 
the Combustion Research Facility of Sandia National Laboratories in 
Livermore, California. A description of the combustion chemistry program in 
general and of the specific position available is given below. U.S. 
citizenship is not essential, but U.S. citizens are especially encouraged 
to apply.

Salary:  $70,700 (plus full health benefits)

The Combustion Chemistry program, under the principal sponsorship of the 
Department of Energy's Office of Basic Energy Sciences, seeks to reveal the 
key chemical processes that underlie the complex mechanisms of combustion.  
The program emphasizes determination of the rates and mechanisms of 
chemical reactions and characterization of molecular structure and 
energetics.  Researchers in the program employ laser-based pump/probe 
techniques to interrogate chemical reactivity and structure, ion-imaging to 
simultaneously measure velocity and internal-state distributions of 
reaction products, and experiments in the femtosecond-domain to directly 
probe energy conversion within a molecule.  In other work, molecular 
photolysis is coupled with absorption/fluorescence detection methods to 
determine the thermal rate coefficients and product distributions for 
reactions that constitute the individual steps in the combustion chain 
process. Current computational efforts include ab initio calculations of 
molecular structure and energetics and computer modeling of the complete 
kinetics of combustion processes in both laminar and turbulent environments.

We seek a postdoctoral associate to carry out fundamental investigations 
exploring kinetics and dynamics of unimolecular and bimolecular reactions, 
and spectroscopy of free radicals. Measurements in collisional and jet-
cooled environments of rate coefficients and branching fractions of 
reactions will be performed using several techniques.  First, step-scan 
time-resolved Fourier transform spectroscopy is used to optically monitor 
multiple species simultaneously.  Second, a new and unique multiplexed 
photoionization mass spectrometer employing tunable VUV ionization is used 
to measure isomer-resolved reaction kinetics.  These experiments are 
conducted both at Sandia and at the Advanced Light Source of Lawrence 
Berkeley National Laboratory.  Finally, ultrasensitive absorption 
spectroscopy using cavity-enhanced frequency modulation spectroscopy and cw-
cavity ringdown spectroscopy is used for kinetic monitoring and high-
resolution spectroscopy of free radicals. The postdoctoral associate will 
be responsible for planning, execution, and interpretation of the 
experiments under the direction of the principal investigator.  For more 
information on recent projects, see 
http://www.ca.sandia.gov/crf/staff/staffPage.php?sid=dlosbor.

Required qualifications: Ph.D in chemistry, physics, or closely related 
field; demonstrated ability in fundamental research as evidenced by 
publication record and presentations; experience with laser spectroscopy 
and/or FTIR spectroscopy, photoionization mass spectrometry, or related 
detection methods.

Desired qualifications: knowledge of chemical kinetics, dynamics, or 
combustion chemistry; high-vacuum systems; experimental design and 
construction; expertise in analog and digital electronics; experience in 
high-sensitivity absorption techniques; knowledge of molecular 
spectroscopy.  U.S. citizenship preferred but not essential.

Please apply online at www.sandia.gov.  Respond to requisition number 
054657.

Sandia is an equal opportunity employer.

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