Isotope Research Chemist

• CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.
• CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.
• If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click "Apply" and complete the application process for external applicants.

Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location.For additional information on remote work at Penn State, seeNotice to Out of State Applicants.

POSITION SPECIFICS

Isotope Research Chemist

The Laboratory for Isotopes and Metals in the Environment (LIME), part of the Earth and Environmental Systems Institute of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences at The Pennsylvania State University (University Park campus) seeks an Isotope Research Chemist. LIME is a shared user facility that serves researchers from a range of disciplines at Penn State and other academic institutions, as well as in industry and governmental organizations. LIME maintains a Thermo Scientific Triton Plus TIMS and a Nu Instruments Sapphire MC-ICP-MS, as well as a metal-free clean laboratory.

This position is a non-tenure line research faculty position and is offered as a term appointment funded for one year from the date of hire with an excellent possibility of renewal contingent on satisfactory performance and available funding. Candidates will be considered for a research faculty rank commensurate with their education and experience in accordance withAC21. If hired, qualified candidates could have opportunities for promotion and advancement.

Responsibilities

The Research Chemist will train users and perform laboratory tasks related to operation of the TIMS and MC-ICP-MS. The Research Chemist will be part of a team of analysts and will bring professionalism, dependability, and safety consciousness to the job.

The successful candidate will:

• Operate LIME instrumentation (specifically the MC-ICP-MS and TIMS).

• Set and maintain standards for data quality and control for those instruments.

• Evaluate methodological development in LIME, including establishing and maintaining standard operating procedures (SOPs) and data quality standards for the TIMS and MC-ICP-MS.

• Maintain both instruments in working order, including hands-on maintenance of mass spectrometers and related peripherals and support equipment (e.g., chillers), and interface with manufacturer technicians to resolve problems and during service visits.

• Train, oversee training, and/or supervise student users and part-time employees in the use of the clean lab and instrumentation.

• Participate in education of students with respect to sample preparation, analyses, and quality control.

• Communicate with potential clients and users, including the development of agreements with clients outside of Penn State to conduct isotopic analyses.

• Collaborate with external clients, including preparing samples and conducting analyses.

• Manage billing for work completed within LIME.

• Communicate and interact with the Office of Physical Plant (OPP) to maintain the clean laboratory and its systems.

Qualifications

The successful candidate must hold a M.S. or terminal degree in geochemistry, chemistry, geosciences, environmental sciences, or a related discipline, by appointment start date, and at least one year of relevant experience in routine operation and general maintenance of mass spectrometers. Candidates should be able to communicate effectively and work collaboratively. The preferred candidate will have experience working with scientific instrumentation (preferably similar to current LIME instruments) and must possess good organizational skills and the ability to support faculty and students. The preferred candidate will also possess strong analytical and troubleshooting skills and good working knowledge of the laboratory setting, as well as general computer skills. The candidate must be able and willing to multi-task, follow standard operating procedures, and follow quality assurance/quality control protocols. An exceptional candidate would have the ability to write proposals to external agencies to garner funding, give talks about LIME instrumentation and capabilities, and/or assist with expanding LIME's clientele.

Application Instructions

Interested candidates should submit the following:

• A cover letter that clearly describes experiences relevant to the position;

• A curriculum vitae including educational background, employment history, publication list, research projects contributed to, and the role played in the projects; and

• Contact information for three professional references.

Questions about the position can be directed to LIME Directors Kimberly Lau (kvlau@psu.edu) and Matthew Fantle (mfantle@psu.edu).

Ideal start date: April 1, 2026 (negotiable)

BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES

BENEFITS

For more detailed information, please visit ourBenefits Page. (Note: For Postdoctoral benefits, please see our Postdoctoral Benefits page.)

CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS

Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review here.

Federal Contractors Labor Law Poster

PA State Labor Law Poster

Penn State Policies

Copyright Information

Hotlines