Post-Doctoral Fellow in Smoke Characterization for Advanced Fire Detection and Environmental Measurements George Washington University in United States

Post-Doctoral Fellow in Smoke Characterization for Advanced Fire Detection and Environmental Measurements at the George Washington University and NIST in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

This postdoctoral opportunity sits at the intersection of physics, mechanical engineering, and environmental science. The project focuses on solving the “nuisance alarm” problem by characterizing the light-scattering properties of smoke from residential and wildland-urban interface (WUI) fires. The research aims to improve the next generation of residential smoke alarms and low-cost particulate matter sensors used for wildfire air-quality monitoring.

Research activities include optical and laser diagnostics, aerosol and smoke experiments across multiple wavelengths and angles, computational modeling of Mie scattering, heat transfer, and fluid flows, and advanced data analysis to reduce sensor bias. The role also involves archiving results in journals and presenting findings to stakeholders in fire safety and environmental protection.

Eligibility highlights: a Ph.D. in an engineering or science field (examples given include Fire Protection, Mechanical Engineering, and Physics), experience with laser/optical diagnostics in fluids or aerosol science, and familiarity with Python or MATLAB. Strong research planning and scientific communication skills are also expected.

Location: NIST Campus, Gaithersburg, MD, United States.

Application: use the provided link to access the application page and submit materials. No deadline was stated in the post.