Category: Asteroids/Phobos/Deimos

Postdoc Researcher, Laboratory Analysis Presolar Grains

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Current state: Approved and Notify DPS Secretary
City: Houston
State/Province: TX
Category: , , ,
Country: USA
Contact Person: Lisa Gaddis
Contact Email: [email protected]
Institution: USRA / NASA
Application Due Date: Tuesday, March 01 2022
Web Link: https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=f03960f2-20cd-4828-9ae5-415eefc7072e&ccId=19000101_000001&jobId=425069&lang=en_US&source=CC4

Applicants are invited for a postdoctoral fellowship at the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science (ARES) Division at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) while also being an employee of the Universities Space Research Association’s (USRA) Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI), both in Houston, Texas. Fellows will enjoy access to all of JSC’s laboratories and analytical instruments on the same basis as scientific staff.

The Fellowship in the field of astromaterials research involves the study of the origins, isotopic and elemental compositions, structure, and evolution of presolar grains identified in meteorites, interplanetary dust, asteroids, and comets. The Fellow will perform NanoSIMS analyses of presolar grains and will be encouraged to coordinate these analyses with focused ion beam (FIB)-assisted transmission electron microscope (TEM) mineral characterization. The isotopic properties of presolar grains provides remarkable insight into astrophysical processes while their mineralogies allow us to understand dust condensation in stellar atmospheres and subsequent alteration in various environments. Understanding their origins and histories is intimately linked with understanding the origin of the Solar System.

Assistant Lecturer with Tenure Track

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Current state: Approved and Notify DPS Secretary
Department: Astronomical Institute
City: Bern
Category: , , , ,
Country: Switzerland
Contact Person: Adrian Jäggi
Contact Email: [email protected]
Institution: University of Bern
Application Due Date: Sunday, August 01 2021
Web Link: https://ohws.prospective.ch/public/v1/jobs/ae5280d8-76a5-4c36-8d74-19ee4a21d492

The Astronomical Institute (AIUB, https://www.aiub.unibe.ch) of the University of Bern in Switzerland invites applications for an assistant lecturer with tenure track.

 

Our institute

The AIUB is focusing its research on fundamental astronomy (including classical positional astronomy and celestial mechanics), space geodesy, and space debris search and monitoring. Towards these research aims we combine observational skills and theoretical work within two research groups focusing on space geodesy and optical astronomy. A strong emphasis is put on the operation and further development of the Swiss Optical Ground Station and Geodynamics Observatory (SwissOGS) in Zimmerwald. With currently six telescopes optical and laser observations to artificial satellites are performed at SwissOGS in 24/7 operations in the frame of various international collaborations. The unique combination of observational and theoretical work allows the AIUB to regularly participate or coordinate projects funded by ESA, Horizon 2020, and other sources.

 

Your profile

The AIUB is aiming to initiate an early succession for the position of the SwissOGS director, who will retire in 2025. We therefore are looking for candidates with strong expertise in optical astronomy (space debris objects or small bodies in the planetary system) or space geodesy (in particular satellite laser ranging) to build up a strong successor who will ensure a smooth transition of the directorship in 2025 and successfully lead the SwissOGS into the future. Candidates should have a visionary research plan and strong teaching interests.

Candidates must hold a PhD degree and must have demonstrated their excellence in their corresponding expertise. The anticipated research at AIUB should lead to a habilitation or equivalent qualification.

 

Your position

The new assistant lecturer with tenure track will lead the team at the SwissOGS in Zimmerwald, ensure smooth operations of the SwissOGS, and initiate independent research to further develop and exploit the opportunities offered by the SwissOGS. He/she will supervise Bachelor and Master theses, co-supervise Ph.D. theses, and teach courses in astronomy at the Bachelor level. Since at the University of Bern teaching at the Bachelor level is conducted in German, non-German speaking candidates are expected to acquire a working knowledge of German within the first two years of appointment.

It is expected that the successful candidate applies for third party funding. Assistant lecturers will be promoted to lecturers (permanent lecturer position) after successful evaluation (typically after 3-4 years). With the promotion the candidate will also become director of the SwissOGS. On a mid-term perspective, the Faculty of Natural Sciences of the University of Bern gives lecturers the possibility to obtain the title of “Assoziierter Professor” (honorary professorship).

 

Your application

Please submit your application by email to [email protected] as a single PDF file including a short motivation letter, CV, list of publications and a two-page summary of past, current and future research. Please also indicate three references. The deadline for receipt of applications is August 1, 2021 . The University of Bern is an equal opportunity employer and women are strongly encouraged to apply.

 

Postdoctoral Research Associate in Planetary Sciences

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Current state: Approved and Notify DPS Secretary
Department: Astronomy
City: College Park
State/Province: Maryland
Category: , , , ,
Country: USA
Contact Person: Tony Farnham / Jessica Sunshine
Contact Email: [email protected]
Institution: University of Maryland
Application Due Date: Tuesday, May 18 2021

Postdoctoral Research Associate in Planetary Sciences

The Small Bodies Group in the Department of Astronomy at the University of Maryland, College Park invites applications for up to two Postdoctoral Research Associate positions to work with Tony Farnham and Jessica Sunshine on studies involving the composition and evolution of small bodies in the Solar System.  Specific topics of interest include:

  • Sublimation processes and modeling to investigate the evolution of cometary surfaces.
  • Modeling and/or simulation of granular flows in microgravity environments.
  • Mapping the distribution of organics on Ceres.

Desired skills include experience with the reduction and analysis of spacecraft imaging and spectral data, development and execution of computer simulations, knowledge of spectroscopy, and/or experience in interpreting morphologic features.

The UMD Small Bodies Group specializes in remote sensing observations, both ground-based and space-based, and theoretical modeling, primarily of comets, asteroids, and the Moon. Our group has been involved with multiple spacecraft missions and instrument teams, including Deep Impact, EPOXI, Chandrayaan-1, Dawn, Rosetta, Stardust NExT, Lucy and DART. We are also at the forefront in using current and upcoming facilities to study small bodies, including JWST, TESS, LSST, LDT and numerous other ground-based observatories. UMD also operates the Small Bodies Node of NASA’s Planetary Data System, which maintains all mission data related to small bodies in the Solar System.

Candidates for this position should have a Ph.D. in Physics, Astronomy, Planetary Science or a related field, which must be obtained by the time of the start date.  We recognize that strength comes through diversity and actively seek and welcome candidates with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and identities. We encourage women and minority candidates to apply.

Those interested in applying should send a CV, a short statement (no more than 2 pages) of research goals and their experience related to the above topics and arrange for three letters of reference to be sent electronically to: [email protected].  The positions will remain open until filled.

The appointment(s) will be for two years with a possible third year extension based on performance and funding availability. Requests for additional information should be sent to [email protected].

The University of Maryland, College Park, an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action; all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, age, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, creed, marital status, political affiliation, personal appearance, or on the basis of rights secured by the First Amendment, in all aspects of employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

Exploration Science Summer Internship

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Current state: Approved and Notify DPS Secretary
City: HOUSTON
State/Province: TX
Category: ,
Country: USA
Contact Person: Delia Enriquez
Contact Email: [email protected]
Institution: Lunar and Planetary Institute
Application Due Date: Friday, January 15 2021
Web Link: https://www.lpi.usra.edu/exploration_intern/

This summer, students will be involved in activities that support missions to the Moon that utilize the Orion crew vehicle, the Deep Space Gateway, a crew lander, and robotic assets on the lunar surface. It is a unique opportunity to integrate scientific input with exploration activities in a way that mission architects and spacecraft engineers can use. Activities may involve assessments of landing sites and traverse plans for multiple destinations that are responsive to NASA objectives.

The Exploration Science Summer Intern Program builds on the success of the Lunar Exploration Summer Intern Program that was designed to evaluate possible landing sites on the Moon for robotic and human exploration missions.

Postdoctoral Researcher (Visiting) (Geochemistry and petrology)

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Current state: Approved and Notify DPS Secretary
City: Houston
State/Province: Texas
Category: , ,
Country: USA
Contact Person: Cynthia Svambera
Contact Email: [email protected]
Institution: Lunar and Planetary Institute
Application Due Date: Thursday, December 31 2020
Web Link: https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=f03960f2-20cd-4828-9ae5-415eefc7072e&ccId=19000101_000001&jobId=371645&lang=en_US&source=CC4

The Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI), part of the Universities Space Research Association, invites applications for a postdoctoral fellowship in the area of geochemistry and petrology of extraterrestrial materials.

The successful candidate will work as part of a team of planetary scientists at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The project is funded by NASA to investigate the effect of shock on H mobility in nominally anhydrous minerals and apatite. The work will involve impact shock experiments on geological materials, and their analysis by a variety of in-situ techniques.  Candidates with a strong background in petrology or geochemistry, and preferably experience with H analysis by FTIR or SIMS and shock effects and experimental petrology in minerals and meteorites, are encouraged to apply.

Completion of the PhD by the beginning of the appointment is required. The position would be for one year, with a possible extension to a second year. The candidate must be able to pass a detailed government background investigation. Technical questions should be addressed to Dr. Anne Peslier ([email protected]). Interested applicants should apply to the posting before October 1, 2020 at USRA Careers and must submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae with list of publications, a two- to three-page statement of research interests and plans, and a list of at least three professional references. For general information about LPI please go to https://www.lpi.usra.edu/.

USRA is an independent, nonprofit research corporation where the combined efforts of in-house talent and university-based expertise merge to advance space science and technology. USRA works across disciplines including biomedicine, planetary science, astrophysics, and engineering and integrates those competencies into applications ranging from fundamental research to facility management and operations.

USRA is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Minorities / Females / Protected Veterans / Disabled / Sexual Orientation / Gender Identity.

Research Space Scientist

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Current state: Approved and Notify DPS Secretary
Department: Heliophysics and Planetary Science Branch
City: Huntsville
State/Province: Alabama
Category: , , , ,
Country: USA
Contact Person: David McKenzie
Contact Email: [email protected]
Institution: NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
Application Due Date: Thursday, December 31 2020

The Heliophysics and Planetary Science Branch at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, plans to offer multiple positions seeking scientists to conduct research and develop applications to solve challenging Planetary Science problems. Outstanding candidates have the potential to be selected for federal employment, joining more than 30 other federal employees, academic staff, and contractors supporting Planetary Science efforts within the Branch, a subset of the Science Research and Projects Division, and the Science and Technology Office at Marshall Space Flight Center.

Research Space Scientist positions will be offered for researchers in planetary science, with expertise in remote sensing of planets, moons, and asteroids, and the development of instrumentation for planetary science investigations. The selected candidates will add substantive capability synergistic with the current staff and the goals of NASA’s Artemis program and MSFC’s strategy to integrate human space flight and science robotic capabilities in the Artemis era. The candidates will have an opportunity to lead the development of research proposals for new activities, execute funded projects, and share their accomplishments through conference participation and appropriate peer-reviewed literature.

The positions are expected to be announced in autumn 2020 under the category of Research Space Scientist and at the GS-13 grade level. Successful candidates will have had experience applying advanced tools, techniques, and/or data analysis/mining/machine learning techniques to datasets collected with remote sensing measurement techniques. Candidates should have made regular contributions to a research team with some guidance and direction, developed new analysis techniques to solve challenging problems, made contributions to peer-reviewed proposals in response to technical solicitations, and have contributed to peer-reviewed publications as part of a demonstrated publication record.

The formal announcement of the opportunity and related requirements will be posted in the near future at USAJobs (www.usajobs.gov) and can be found by searching with keyword NASA and location of Huntsville, Alabama. Applications are only accepted through the USAJobs portal, and United States citizenship is required to be eligible for these civil service positions. Candidates are encouraged to create a USAJobs profile well in advance to populate their resume and may also subscribe to USAJobs alerts received via email. Informal inquiries can be directed to Dr. David McKenzie, [email protected], 256-961-7896.

Research Scientist II – Laboratory Studies

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Current state: Approved and Notify DPS Secretary
Department: Laboratory Studies
City: Pasadena
State/Province: Ca
Category: , , ,
Country: USA
Contact Person: Jhertaune Huntley
Contact Email: [email protected]
Institution: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Application Due Date: Tuesday, May 05 2020
Web Link: https://jpl.jobs/jobs/2020-11716-Research-Scientist-II-Laboratory-Studies

RESEARCH SCIENTIST II AT THE JET PROPULSION LABORATORY

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory invites applications for a Scientist who will bring new expertise to and ensure continuity of existing capabilities at JPL in planetary science. The successful candidate will develop an independently funded research program, provide scientific leadership and support research conducted within the laboratory studies group. The candidate will publish in peer reviewed scientific journals, and present papers at scientific conferences.

Qualifications:

  • PhD. degree in experimental chemistry or physics.
  • Demonstrated working knowledge at the forefront of experimental laboratory studies with direct planetary science applications (i.e, relevance to icy moons, Kuiper Belt Objects, dwarf planets, asteroids, comets, and solar system evolution).
  • Demonstrated experience with a range of relevant experimental techniques (e.g., matrix isolation, UV an IR spectroscopy, mass spectroscopy, temperature programmed desorption) and apparatus (e.g., cryogenic systems, UHV systems).
  • Demonstrated reputation as a productive researcher with a track record of publications in peer-reviewed journals.

The following qualifications are preferred:

  • 3-5 years of related post-doc experience.
  • History of writing successful external research funding proposals.
  • Demonstrated working knowledge of planning, execution, and analysis of astronomical observations.

Ph.D. Student Opportunity in Regolith Processes

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Current state: Approved
City: College Park
State/Province: Maryland
Category: , ,
Country: USA
Contact Person: Christine Hartzell
Contact Email: [email protected]
Institution: University of Maryland
Application Due Date: Tuesday, December 31 2019

Two funded research assistantships are available for students pursuing graduate studies at the University of Maryland, working with Dr. Christine Hartzell. One project will focus on triboelectric charging of lunar regolith and exploration vehicles.   A second project will focus on the influence of magnetic forces on avalanches on metallic asteroids with remnant magnetic fields. Both projects will have a strong emphasis on computational modeling, with experimental validation of models following in later years. Students with backgrounds in physics, astronomy, math or engineering are encouraged to apply. For more information, please contact Dr. Hartzell at  [email protected] . UMD is located 15mins from NASA Goddard and 30mins from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab, making it a rich location for collaborative planetary science research.
 

Cosmochemistry Position at the University of Colorado, Boulder

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Current state: Approved
Department: Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
City: Boulder
State/Province: Colorado
Category: , , , ,
Country: USA
Contact Email: [email protected]
Institution: University of Colorado, Boulder
Application Due Date: Wednesday, January 15 2020
Web Link: https://jobs.colorado.edu/jobs/JobDetail/Assistant-Professor-in-Cosmochemistry/22080

The Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado at Boulder invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor position to start in August 2020, in the general field of Cosmochemistry. The successful candidate is expected to establish a vigorous program, complementary to the ongoing research of the Institute for Modeling Plasmas, Atmospheres, and Cosmic Dust (IMPACT: http://impact.colorado.edu), a node in NASA’s Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI).

Areas of interest include: Analysis and interpretation of composition measurements of cosmic dust and their significance for studies of the origins and evolution of thesolar system. Development of new laboratory experiments at the Colorado Dust Accelerator Facility to support instrument development and data analysis. Using dust composition measurements to model the chemical evolution of solar systembodies: Moon, asteroids, comets, and all other planetary objects. Applicants should have a Ph.D. in Physics, Planetary Sciences, Chemistry, or related areas completed by March 15, 2020.

Review of applications will begin on January 15, 2020 and will continue until the position is filled. For consideration, applications must be submitted online:  https://jobs.colorado.edu/jobs/JobDetail/Assistant-Professor-in-Cosmoche…. Contact Email: [email protected]

Postdoctoral Research Scholar in Planetary Geophysics

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Current state: Approved and Notify DPS Secretary
Department: School of Earth and Space Exploration
City: Tempe
State/Province: AZ
Category: , , , ,
Country: USA
Contact Person: Joseph O'Rourke
Contact Email: [email protected]
Institution: Arizona State University
Application Due Date: Saturday, November 30 2019
Web Link: http://apply.interfolio.com/70090

Applications are invited for one postdoctoral research scholar position to work in collaboration with Profs. Joseph O’Rourke and Linda Elkins-Tanton.

We seek an individual with the mathematics and physics training and expertise with scientific programming to model the surface temperature of an asteroid as it receives varying insolation over the course of the year. This work will be in service to the NASA Psyche mission and in collaboration with Prof. Elkins-Tanton. This individual will also undertake related research on the formation, evolution, and/or characterization of large asteroids and protoplanets in partnership with Prof. O’Rourke. The successful candidate will be encouraged to pursue research of their own interest and professional development in preparation for seeking a permanent position after their fellowship.

More information about the School can be found here: https://sese.asu.edu/

The initial appointment is for one year with subsequent annual renewal for up to two additional years contingent upon satisfactory performance, the needs of the university, and availability of resources. The start date is no later than August 1, 2020.  This fiscal year position comes with a competitive salary, funding for travel, moving expenses, and full health insurance coverage.  Minimum qualifications include a Ph.D. in astrophysics, physics, planetary science, geophysics, applied math, or closely related field by the start date. Candidates must be within five years from receipt of the doctoral degree. Desired qualifications include a background in numerical modeling of mass and energy transfer. Experience in numerical fluid dynamics is strongly desired.

To apply, please submit to http://apply.interfolio.com/70090 the following application materials:

·      A cover letter of not more than one page discussing how your interests align with the job description

·      Contact information for three references

·      A curriculum vitae with a publication list

·      A statement of past research accomplishments and future research goals (two pages or fewer)

Application deadline is November 30, 2019.

Applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis after the initial deadline for a reserve pool. Applications in the reserve pool may then be reviewed in the order in which they were received until the position is closed.

Postdoctoral benefits can be found at: https://cfo.asu.edu/postdoctoral-scholars

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (https://thecollege.asu.edu/faculty) at ASU values cultural and intellectual diversity, and continually strives to foster a welcoming and inclusive environment. We are especially interested in applicants who can strengthen the College diversity of the academic community.

A background check is required for employment. Arizona State University is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor and an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by law.

(See https://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/acd/acd401.html and https://www.asu.edu/titleIX/.)

In compliance with federal law, ASU prepares an annual report on campus security and fire safety programs and resources. ASU’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available online at https://www.asu.edu/police/PDFs/ASU-Clery-Report.pdf 

You may request a hard copy of the report by contacting the ASU Police Department at 480-965-3456.