CIRES / NOAA Chemical Sciences Laboratory, Post-Doctoral Associate or Research Scientist in Quantitative Analysis of Landfill Methane Emissions

The Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at CU Boulder encourages applications for a Post-doctoral Associate or Research Scientist 1 position within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Chemical Sciences Laboratory (CSL) in Boulder, Colorado. This role will contribute to the Tropospheric Chemistry Program, working alongside federal and university employees engaged in research investigating trace gases and aerosol particles and their impacts on air quality and climate. Our group develops and deploys world-class instrumentation to measure these species in the field on stationary and mobile research platforms, including research aircraft, and performs observation-based atmospheric chemistry and composition data analysis to understand air quality and climate impacts.

The successful candidate will become a key member of the CIRES and NOAA CSL Tropospheric Chemistry Program, investigating the emissions and atmospheric chemistry of greenhouse gases, particularly methane (CH₄), and other trace gas pollutants emitted from landfills, wastewater treatment plants, and other waste-sector sources. Leveraging existing datasets collected during NOAA-led airborne and ground-based field campaigns, the successful candidate will develop and apply quantitative methods to estimate methane emissions using airborne mass balance techniques, evaluate uncertainties associated with airborne and satellite observations, identify source-specific chemical signatures to improve emissions attribution, and synthesize results into scalable, observation-based datasets that support greenhouse gas monitoring, emissions inventories, and mitigation strategies. The successful candidate will collaborate closely with NOAA and CIRES scientists, publish findings in peer-reviewed journals, present results at scientific conferences, and contribute to the development of innovative methods for greenhouse gas emissions quantification. At the RS1 level, the successful candidate will additionally contribute to the formulation and execution of research directions within the Tropospheric Chemistry Program. This position may include occasional domestic travel to scientific meetings, workshops, and field activities.

CSL has a collaborative lab culture, and we are looking for a candidate who actively subscribes to this philosophy. Successful candidates will demonstrate competency and sensitivity in working in a dynamic community.