Research Fellow in Indoor Air Quality, Ozone Chemistry, and Aerosol Chemistry

Position Overview

Prof. Tongshu Zheng's research group invites applications for a Research Fellow in Indoor Air Quality, Ozone Chemistry, and Aerosol Chemistry. The fellow will contribute to an interdisciplinary research program focused on indoor air pollution and the physical and chemical processes that influence environmental quality and human exposure.

The project will investigate the occurrence, composition, variability, and transformation of air pollutants in real-world indoor environments. The research will combine field measurements, laboratory analysis, and quantitative environmental data analysis to improve understanding of the factors affecting indoor air quality.

The fellow will help design and coordinate field studies; implement sampling, sample-handling, data-management, and quality-assurance protocols; and collaborate with university and external laboratory partners. The fellow will also analyze and interpret environmental and chemical data, prepare technical documentation, and contribute to rigorous and reproducible research workflows.

Working with faculty, students, and collaborators, the fellow will help translate research findings into peer-reviewed manuscripts, conference presentations, reports, and other scholarly outputs. The position is well suited to candidates interested in indoor air quality, atmospheric and environmental chemistry, aerosol science, exposure science, and quantitative environmental research.

For inquiries about this position, please directly contact: Prof. Tongshu Zheng at tongshu.zheng@dukekunshan.edu.cn

Reports to

Prof. Tongshu Zheng, Assistant Professor of Environmental Science

Essential Duties

• Coordinate field campaigns in real-world indoor environments, including protocol implementation, field-team training, metadata collection, and quality assurance.
• Identify, screen, and recruit eligible local participants and suitable indoor sampling sites; coordinate informed consent, visit scheduling, participant communications, and follow-up activities in accordance with research-ethics and privacy requirements.
• Conduct or oversee indoor and outdoor air-quality measurements, environmental monitoring, and the collection and handling of samples for laboratory analysis.
• Develop and maintain standard operating procedures for instrument operation and maintenance, calibration checks, sample handling, chain of custody, contamination control, data-quality review, and laboratory coordination.
• Coordinate chemical analyses of aerosol- and ozone-related samples with university collaborators and external laboratories, and assist with the interpretation of analytical results.
• Collect and manage contextual information concerning indoor environments, including ventilation, HVAC operation, occupancy, materials, furnishings, and potential pollution sources, while protecting participant privacy.
• Build and maintain quality-controlled, well-documented, and reproducible datasets integrating environmental measurements, chemical analyses, and relevant contextual information.
• Apply appropriate statistical and computational methods to characterize pollutant variability, investigate relationships among environmental factors, and assess the robustness and uncertainty of research findings.
• Interpret results in the broader context of indoor air quality, atmospheric chemistry, aerosol science, and human exposure.
• Prepare publication-quality figures, technical documentation, reports, scientific manuscripts, and presentations.
• Present research findings at project meetings, academic conferences, and other appropriate scholarly or professional forums.
• Work collaboratively with faculty members, students, laboratory partners, and other project collaborators, and contribute to the supervision and training of junior researchers.
• Perform other tasks as assigned.
• University employees' job responsibilities will continue to expand in scope and depth as the University grows in size and complexity in its programs.

Required Qualifications

• A master’s degree in chemistry, atmospheric or environmental chemistry, atmospheric science, environmental engineering or science, or a closely related field by the start date; candidates with a bachelor’s degree and substantial relevant research or laboratory experience may also be considered.
• Demonstrated expertise in at least one core area, such as indoor air quality, atmospheric chemistry, environmental field measurements, air-pollution measurement, or analytical chemistry, together with the ability to collaborate across disciplines.
• Proficiency in Python, R, or another relevant scientific computing language, with experience in data management, statistical analysis, and scientific visualization.
• Experience managing complex environmental, observational, or analytical datasets using reproducible workflows and sound quality-assurance and quality-control practices.
• Experience with environmental fieldwork, air-quality measurements, or laboratory analysis, and willingness to conduct research in occupied indoor environments while following approved research-ethics, informed-consent, and privacy procedures.

• Hands-on experience in at least two of the following areas: air-sampling methods; aerosol or gas-phase monitoring instruments; laboratory sample preparation and handling; or indoor microenvironmental measurements.
• Familiarity with GC-MS or TD-GC×GC-MS analysis of air or environmental samples, particularly volatile organic compounds.
• Experience supporting participant identification and recruitment, field-visit scheduling, community-engaged research, or repeated environmental sampling campaigns.
• Familiarity with exposure science, environmental health, or the interpretation of chemically resolved air-quality data.
• Experience coordinating work with external laboratories, contributing to interdisciplinary research projects, or training and mentoring students or junior researchers.
• Ability to communicate professionally and respectfully with research participants, field partners, laboratory collaborators, and other project stakeholders.
• Strong analytical, organizational, problem-solving, scientific-writing, and oral-communication skills, with the ability to work both independently and collaboratively.

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands-on experience in at least two of the following areas: air-sampling methods; aerosol or gas-phase monitoring instruments; laboratory sample preparation and handling; or indoor microenvironmental measurements.
• Familiarity with GC-MS or TD-GC×GC-MS analysis of air or environmental samples, particularly volatile organic compounds.
• Experience supporting participant identification and recruitment, field-visit scheduling, community-engaged research, or repeated environmental sampling campaigns.
• Familiarity with exposure science, environmental health, or the interpretation of chemically resolved air-quality data.
• Experience coordinating work with external laboratories, contributing to interdisciplinary research projects, or training and mentoring students or junior researchers.

Education

A master’s degree in chemistry, atmospheric or environmental chemistry, atmospheric science, environmental engineering or science, or a closely related field by the start date; candidates with a bachelor’s degree and substantial relevant research or laboratory experience may also be considered.

Years of Related Working Experience

At least two years of relevant research experience in indoor air quality, atmospheric or environmental chemistry, aerosol science, air-quality monitoring, analytical chemistry, or a closely related area.