Postdoc Position: Gas Sensing with Infrared Spectroscopy

1. Introduction

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 the latest ultrabroadband, mid-infrared, intrapulse difference-frequency generation source to perform multispecies detection in demanding applications  as in environmental monitoring, exposure assessment and the green hydrogen industry? If so, then you have a part to play as a postdoctoral researcher in our research team.

2. Job description

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, absorption spectroscopy with broadband, laser-based infrared sources is emerging as a promising and effective tool. In particular, the newly developed high-power intrapulse difference-frequency generation (IDFG) based sources extend deep into the mid-infrared wavelength range with unprecedented spectral coverage (2–11.5 µm). In our lab, we have recently demonstrated a system comprising an in-house built Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) with such a source for multispecies trace gas detection. This system has shown an excellent performance during in-situ measurements of a wide range of molecular species with high sensitivity (Opt. Express 32, 14506: 2024). 

Here, coherent open-path spectroscopy (COPS) will be used for field measurements. In contrast to conventional absorption spectroscopy, COPS eliminates the use of a gas cell and guides the light beam over an outdoor path for direct interaction with the area of interest.

This 3-year postdoc project aims to further explore the potential of developing a robust system using COPS. The system will be deployed in the field for gas measurements in real-life applications, i.e. environmental monitoring and chemical exposure assessment at workplaces. You will design and develop a field-deployable spectrometer, guide one or two PhD candidates, coordinate research with the other Dutch partners in the project, and contribute to the dissemination of results.

3. 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 (i.e. Matlab, LabView/Python).
• You are a highly motivated, enthusiastic, critical, communicative, creative and team-oriented young scientist with a particular interest in laser-based spectroscopy and experimental work.
• You can work independently, but you also enjoy interacting within a group and supervise PhD candidates.
• You are fluent in English (written and spoken) and have good communication skills.
• You demonstrate integrity and positivity and motivate others to do the same. 

4. We are

Our research team is a diverse team of international enthusiast scientists interested in gas detection for different applications. Research in 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, bio-medical applications, 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.

5. We offer

• We will give you a temporary employment contract of 3 years.
• 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. 

6. Practical information and applying

You can apply only via the button below. Address your letter of application to Simona Cristescu. In the application form, you will find which documents you need to include with your application.

Applications will be reviewed, and interviews scheduled during the recruitment period. Therefore, you will receive feedback and information about a possible follow-up process shortly. If a suitable candidate is found before the closing date, the vacancy will be closed, and further applications will no longer be possible. Feel free to contact the listed contact person for the latest status.

You will preferably start your employment on 1 September 2025.

We can imagine you're curious about our application procedure. It describes what you can expect during the application procedure and how we handle your personal data and internal and external candidates. If you wish to apply for a non-scientific position with a non-EU nationality, please take notice of the following information.