Postdoctoral Associate
Required Qualifications (as evidenced by an attached resume):
- Doctoral degree (or foreign equivalent) in Mechanical, Aerospace, Chemical, or Electrical Engineering, or a closely related field in hand by the start of the appointment.
- Hands-on experimental research with engines or combustion systems, including gaseous emissions measurement.
- Experience with data acquisition and analysis.
- A valid U.S. Driver's License.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Peer-reviewed publications and strong technical writing.
- Experience with hydrogen or ammonia combustion in research engine applications.
- Experience with control and integration systems, load banks, or electrical power measurement.
- Skilled in machining, fabrication, and wiring.
Brief Description of Duties:
The Postdoctoral Associate will conduct experimental research in the Advanced Combustion & Energy Systems Laboratory (ACES Lab) under the direction of Dr. Dimitris Assanis in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. The ACES Lab is an active engines laboratory operating highly instrumented single-cylinder research engines (Spark-Ignition CFR, Compression-Ignition Hydra, Fully Flexible Valvetrain Actuation Hydra, and Optical engine) on fuels including hydrogen, ammonia, and alcohols, with ignition systems ranging from laser ignition to pre-chambers, along with a 125 kW natural-gas engine genset.
The candidate will also lead the lab’s new mobile Performance & Emissions Validation Laboratory, the command center for independent validation of a 250 kW Mainspring Energy linear generator running on 100% hydrogen at National Grid’s Northport Power Plant. This NYSERDA-sponsored, multi-million-dollar, 12-month pilot with National Grid Ventures and the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) is the first of its kind in New York State. This unique, high-visibility position, spanning early-TRL optical work through a late-TRL power-plant demonstration, lets one researcher lead a utility-scale demonstration while enabling publication of fundamental engine research in the same appointment.
The successful candidate will be self-sufficient, meticulous, and reliable, take pride in their work, and exercise strong organizational and time-management skills with an exceptional attention to detail. Essential for this role is the adeptness to work independently as well as part of a team, including extended test days and occasional overnight runs during field campaigns.
Duties:
Research:
- Conduct experiments on single-cylinder research engines fueled with hydrogen, ammonia, and alcohols, including novel ignition systems (laser ignition, pre-chambers).
- Participate/assist in manuscript writing for publication in scientific journals and conference papers from laboratory pilot results and/or make presentations at ASME, SAE, and Combustion Institute meetings.
- Contribute to proposals that build the laboratory’s next funded projects; mentor graduate and undergraduate researchers.
Technical:
- Commission the mobile command center on the laboratory engines through heated sample lines before it deploys and whenever it is required to return to campus; support its deployment to the Northport pilot and its subsequent redeployment to the HyPower renewable-hydrogen R&D testbed and other sponsored projects.
- Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot the analyzer suite: FTIR, chemiluminescence NOx (including a low-range ppb analyzer), FID for hydrocarbons, NDIR CO/CO₂, paramagnetic O₂, and a hydrogen analyzer (HORIBA HyEVO) or equivalent. Run zero/span calibrations, purges, leak checks, and drift checks; manage calibration-gas inventory and certificates.
- Maintain the heated sample system (heated probes, filters, and lines; pumps; switching valves for pre- and post-catalyst sampling) and apply standardized emissions measurement protocols and practices, documenting quality assurance for every test.
- Operate the control and integration systems that commands the linear generator and load bank to run defined load profiles (step functions, transients, cold and hot starts); logging data such as electrical outputs, fuel flow, and ambient conditions to calculate efficiency and response time, among a suite of other key performance metrics.
- Operate and maintain the National Instruments CompactDAQ and LabVIEW system, including analyzer communications over Modbus TCP/IP, valve control, acoustic channels, and the weather station; maintain networks, time synchronization, data backup, and chain of custody for all data.
- Execute approximately 12 test events over the 12-month pilot, each with about 2–3 weeks of preparation, a 24-hour full-load run or about 5 days of part-load testing, and 1–2 weeks of post-test calibration and data reduction.
- Follow and help write technical documentation, such as hydrogen and compressed-gas safety procedures for the command center, laboratory, and host site; coordinate the students and plant staff who support each field campaign.
Administrative:
- Reduce and analyze campaign data (emission indices, efficiency, transient behavior, seasonal trends); write technical reports for National Grid and NYSERDA; lead SBU’s sections of the final independent validation report; present at sponsor meetings.
- Other duties as assigned.
Senior Postdoctoral Associate:
Required Qualifications (as evidenced by an attached resume):
- Doctoral degree (or foreign equivalent) in Mechanical, Aerospace, Chemical, or Electrical Engineering, or a closely related field in hand by the start of the appointment.
- Three or more years of relevant research experience.
- Hands-on experimental research with engines or combustion systems, including gaseous emissions measurement.
- Experience with data acquisition and analysis.
- License to drive in the US.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Peer-reviewed publications and strong technical writing.
- Experience with hydrogen or ammonia combustion in research engine applications.
- Experience with control and integration systems, load banks, or electrical power measurement.
- Skilled in machining, fabrication, and wiring.
Brief Description of Duties:
The Senior Postdoctoral Associate will conduct experimental research in the Advanced Combustion & Energy Systems Laboratory (ACES Lab) under the direction of Dr. Dimitris Assanis in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. The ACES Lab is an active engines laboratory operating highly instrumented single-cylinder research engines (Spark-Ignition CFR, Compression-Ignition Hydra, Fully Flexible Valvetrain Actuation Hydra, and Optical engine) on fuels including hydrogen, ammonia, and alcohols, with ignition systems ranging from laser ignition to pre-chambers, along with a 125 kW natural-gas engine genset.
The candidate will also lead the lab’s new mobile Performance & Emissions Validation Laboratory, the command center for independent validation of a 250 kW Mainspring Energy linear generator running on 100% hydrogen at National Grid’s Northport Power Plant. This NYSERDA-sponsored, multi-million-dollar, 12-month pilot with National Grid Ventures and the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) is the first of its kind in New York State. This unique, high-visibility position, spanning early-TRL optical work through a late-TRL power-plant demonstration, lets one researcher lead a utility-scale demonstration while enabling publication of fundamental engine research in the same appointment.
The successful candidate will be self-sufficient, meticulous, and reliable, take pride in their work, and exercise strong organizational and time-management skills with an exceptional attention to detail. Essential for this role is the adeptness to work independently as well as part of a team, including extended test days and occasional overnight runs during field campaigns.
Duties:
Research:
- Lead experiments on single-cylinder research engines fueled with hydrogen, ammonia, and alcohols, including novel ignition systems (laser ignition, pre-chambers).
- Publish first-author journal and conference papers from laboratory and pilot results; present at ASME, SAE, and Combustion Institute meetings, or equivalent.
- Contribute to proposals that build the laboratory’s next funded projects; mentor graduate and undergraduate researchers.
Technical:
- Commission the mobile command center on the laboratory engines through heated sample lines before it deploys and whenever it is required to return to campus; support its deployment to the Northport pilot and its subsequent redeployment to the HyPower renewable-hydrogen R&D testbed and other sponsored projects.
- Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot the analyzer suite: FTIR, chemiluminescence NOx (including a low-range ppb analyzer), FID for hydrocarbons, NDIR CO/CO₂, paramagnetic O₂, and a hydrogen analyzer (HORIBA HyEVO) or equivalent. Run zero/span calibrations, purges, leak checks, and drift checks; manage calibration-gas inventory and certificates.
- Maintain the heated sample system (heated probes, filters, and lines; pumps; switching valves for pre- and post-catalyst sampling) and apply standardized emissions measurement protocols and practices, documenting quality assurance for every test.
- Operate the control and integration systems that commands the linear generator and load bank to run defined load profiles (step functions, transients, cold and hot starts); logging data such as electrical outputs, fuel flow, and ambient conditions to calculate efficiency and response time, among a suite of other key performance metrics.
- Operate and maintain the National Instruments CompactDAQ and LabVIEW system, including analyzer communications over Modbus TCP/IP, valve control, acoustic channels, and the weather station; maintain networks, time synchronization, data backup, and chain of custody for all data.
- Execute test events over the 12-month pilot, each with about 2–3 weeks of preparation, a 24-hour full-load run or about 5 days of part-load testing, and 1–2 weeks of post-test calibration and data reduction.
- Follow and help write technical documentation, such as hydrogen and compressed-gas safety procedures for the command center, laboratory, and host site; coordinate the students and plant staff who support each field campaign.
Administrative:
- Reduce and analyze campaign data (emission indices, efficiency, transient behavior, seasonal trends); write technical reports for National Grid and NYSERDA; lead SBU’s sections of the final independent validation report; present at sponsor meetings.
- Other duties as assigned.
Special Notes:
The Research Foundation of SUNY is a private educational corporation. Employment is subject to the Research Foundation policies and procedures, sponsor guidelines and the availability of funding. FLSA Exempt position, not eligible for the overtime provisions of the FLSA. Minimum salary threshold must be met to maintain FLSA exemption. Position requires working at both Stony Brook campus and National Grid’s Northport Power Plant. Visit The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs to learn more about our postdoctoral community. Resume/CV and cover letter should be included with the online application. Stony Brook University is committed to excellence in the creation of an inclusive learning and working environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and all other protected classes under federal or state laws.
Stony Brook University is dedicated to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants, including individuals with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the application, interview, or hiring process, please request one by contacting oea_ada@stonybrook.edu. We will consider accommodation requests in compliance with applicable laws. This process is independent and does not require any voluntary self-identification of disability status. Please include the position title and position number (if known) in your message. In accordance with the Title II Crime Awareness and Security Act a copy of our crime statistics can be viewed here.
Visit our WHY WORK HERE page to learn about the total rewards we offer. SUNY Research Foundation: A Great Place to Work. The starting salary range (or hiring range) to be offered for this position is noted below, it represents SBU’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.
