We are seeking a postdoctoral researcher to work with Dr. Carrie McDonough and her research team on projects focused on bioavailability, bioaccumulation, and toxicity of per-/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in marine food webs and implications for human exposure. The McDonough lab's work focuses on analysis of known and novel PFASs and other emerging organic contaminants using high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) to prioritize novel compounds of concern.
The postdoctoral researcher’s main focus will be a collaborative project to understand transfer of PFAS mixtures from aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF)-contaminated marine sediment into benthic organisms with distinct physiology and degree of sediment association (polychaetes, clams, fish, and crabs). This will require adaptation and validation of sample preparation and analytical methods to measure a suite of targeted PFASs in sediments, seawater, and biological tissues, as well as offering opportunities to apply HRMS suspect screening workflows to analysis of environmental samples to identify novel PFASs and investigate their bioaccumulation potential.
The successful applicant is expected to work independently on the project and contribute to other ongoing investigations in the lab, as well as participating in ongoing collaborations with scientists from the New York State Center for Clean Water Technology and the Stony Brook University School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences. Successful candidates will have mass spectrometry experience, a strong publication record, and excellent communication skills.