Job Openings

Summary: A post-doctoral research scholar position in the area of bio aerosols is available in the Dept. of Civil & Environmental Engineering at the University of Michigan (USA), under the supervision of Prof. Herek Clack.

Responsibilities: Duties will predominantly involve experimental investigations of aerosol dynamics in response to imposed electric fields, as well as physico-chemical characterization of bioaerosols exposed to a range of environmental conditions. Experiments will involve both existing and newly developed experimental platforms and aerosol diagnostic tools.

Qualifications: Candidates with earned doctorates in atmospheric sciences or electrical, chemical, or mechanical engineering disciplines are encouraged; however candidates with demonstrated experience in bioaerosol characterization holding doctoral degrees in any engineering or physical science discipline will be considered. Especially encouraged to apply are candidates who, in addition to the above qualifications, have experience in fluid-electric coupling (e.g., EHD); computational modeling of of charged aerosol dynamics; aerosol oxidation chemistry; single particle fluorescence spectroscopic or fluorescence/chemiluminescence flow visualization techniques.

Summary: A post-doctoral research position at the University of Michigan (USA) under the supervision of Prof. Herek Clack is anticipated to become available in January 2022 for the purposes of leading the bioaerosol aging, exposure, and sampling components of the MITIGATE FLU* study (*Multidisciplinary InvesTIGATion to Ease transmission of inFLUenza) an integrated,
multi-site study of influenza transmission.

Responsibilities: MITIGATE FLU is designed to broadly advance our understanding of influenza transmission through the execution of several interdependent study components. Study components range from laboratory experiments to assess virus environmental aging effects; to in vivo studies of influenza transmission among ferrets under controlled environmental conditions; to multi-year, longitudinal epidemiological studies of influenza transmission among children attending instrumented day care centers. As a part of the MITIGATE FLU project, the successful candidate for this post-doctoral research position will contribute to all three study components:

Component 1: Conduct experiments establishing how environmental factors influence the loss of virus viability, using novel bioaerosol suspension techniques;

Component 2: oversee development, construction, and implementation of air handling and environmental controls to be used to expose ferrets to precisely aged influenza aerosols (to be installed in facilities at Univ. of Pittsburgh);

Component 3: oversee the instrumentation of multiple day care classrooms across southeast Michigan for the collection of environmental data and ambient bioaerosol samples concurrent with the onset of flu season across multiple years.

The successful candidate will be expected to supervise and mentor masters and doctoral students involved in the MITIGATE FLU study; collect and analyze data, particularly from Component 1 and Component 3; prepare and present findings during quarterly and annual reviews and at relevant conferences; and be proficient at communicating and coordinating their activities with other collaborating members of the MITIGATE FLU team at Emory University, Georgetown University, Univ. of Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech, and other divisions within the Univ. of Michigan.

Required Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in chemical engineering, environmental engineering, mechanical engineering,
  atmospheric sciences, or other closely related field.
  Preferred Qualifications:
• Demonstrated experience with aerosol sampling and/or characterization instrumentation
• Demonstrated experience with bioaerosol sampling, characterization, and assay techniques
• Demonstrated excellence in written and oral communication
• Proficiency in project management