Applications are invited for a 12-month post-doctoral position (with the possibility of an extension for an additional 12 months) within the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the University of Tennessee - Knoxville to work on neutron imaging of water in rocks and soils. This position is funded through the Department of Energy's Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) program, and is part of a larger project on neutron imaging of fluids within plant-soil-groundwater systems involving researchers at the nearby Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

Candidates should have experience in both experimental and theoretical soil physics. Applicants with backgrounds in geology, civil engineering or related fields will also be considered. Previous experience with tomographic imaging would be a definite asset. Strong written and oral communication skills, as well as the ability to work effectively in a team environment are required.

The successful candidate will focus on conducting quasi-static wetting and drying experiments in a neutron beam line, performing tomographic reconstructions of the imaged phase structures, quantifying their heterogeneity, and investigating the impact of this heterogeneity on point water retention functions extracted using a variety of modeling strategies. He/she will participate in the experimental measurements, and take the lead on the tomographic reconstructions, modeling, preparing reports, proposals, and manuscripts for publication.

Located in East Tennessee, the city of Knoxville is in close proximity to the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The cost of living in the area is very reasonable. The University of Tennessee - Knoxville was founded in 1794 and designated as the state land-grant institution in 1869. The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences is comprised of 17 core faculty members with diverse research interests (http://geoweb.gg.utk.edu/). The experimental work will be carried out at the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) and High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) facilities at ORNL (http://neutrons.ornl.gov/). ORNL is a world class multi-program science and technology laboratory located just 22 miles from Knoxville.

To apply, submit a letter of application, CV, and the names and contact information of three references before February 15^th 2010 to:

Dr. Ed Perfect, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996-1410, USA
Phone: (865) 974-6017, Fax: (865) 974-2368
E-mail: eperfect@utk.edu, Web: http://web.utk.edu/~eperfect/