Postdoc: Determining Main Belt and NEO Origins and Increasing Reliability of Asteroid Detections

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JPL is unique among NASA Centers in that its staff are Caltech employees, yet can access NASA technical resources. Cross-discipline teamwork is standard here: colleagues across JPL's science and engineering organizations and on Caltech's academic campus often work together. Learning to speak and understandother disciplines' languages is a doorway to the creativity needed to do what has not been done before. JPL staff are encouraged to create mission concepts that address humanity's core questions through a combination of science and technology. They are supported in developing ideas into proposals andhardware, and in communicating funded missions' results to the scientific community and the broader public. JPL seeks to employ scientists and engineers who are passionate about lifelong learning and excited to both contribute to and lead team efforts. We emphasize the importance of partnering across discipline boundaries and creating a friendly, constructive work environment to overcome space exploration's challenges. The Postdoctoral scholars at JPL benefit from an informal mentoring network, an annual conference showcasing their results, a dedicated seminar series, exposure to diverse career paths, and social connections across the JPL and Caltech community for advice on housing, childcare, and other aspects of living in southern California.

The Space Sciences Section at JPL invites applications for a postdoc position focused on asteroid population studies and infrared survey science. The successful candidate will conduct research to improve our understanding of the Main Belt asteroid (MBA) population and its connection to potentially hazardous near-Earth asteroids (NEAs), while supporting scientific investigations related to the upcoming Near-Earth Object Surveyor (NEOS) mission.

The research will build upon observations from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) and NEOWISE missions to develop improved models of the size, albedo, and orbital distributions of sub-kilometer Main Belt asteroids. The postdoctoral scholar will apply advanced thermal modeling techniques, characterize observational biases, and develop methods to produce more complete population estimates. The resulting work will improve our understanding of the source regions of near-Earth asteroids and contribute to reliability analyses for asteroid detections by the Near-Earth Object Surveyor mission.

Working within JPL's Planetary Science community, the appointee will collaborate with scientists developing next-generation asteroid survey capabilities and will contribute to research supporting NASA's planetary defense and small-body science objectives.

Responsibilities

• Conduct independent research on the physical and orbital properties of Main Belt and near-Earth asteroid populations.
• Analyze and interpret WISE/NEOWISE infrared observations of asteroids.
• Develop and apply thermal models to estimate asteroid physical properties, including size and albedo.
• Characterize observational biases and develop techniques to improve asteroid population estimates.
• Support scientific investigations related to the Near-Earth Object Surveyor (NEOS) mission.
• Publish research findings in peer-reviewed journals and present results at scientific conferences.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams studying small bodies, planetary defense, and infrared survey observations.

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Planetary Science, Physics, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated research experience studying asteroid or other small-body populations.
• Experience with thermal modeling of asteroids or other small Solar System bodies.
• Experience acquiring, processing, and analyzing WISE/NEOWISE observational data.
• Strong publication record in planetary science or related disciplines.
• Experience with scientific programming and quantitative data analysis.

The appointee will carry out research in collaboration with JPL advisor, resulting in publications in the open literature.

Applicants may be subject to additional program requirements by NASA. Postdoc positions are awarded for a minimum of one-year period and may be renewed up to a maximum of three years. Candidates should submit the following to this site: CV, representative publications, contact information for three references, and a cover letter stating their research accomplishments and interests.

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The hiring range displayed below is specifically for those who will work in or reside in the location listed. In extending an offer, Jet Propulsion Laboratory considers factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s job related skills, experience, knowledge, and relevant education/training.

The typical full time equivalent annual hiring range for this job in Pasadena, California.

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The Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a federal facility. Due to rules imposed by NASA, JPL will not accept applications from citizens of designated countries or those born in a designated country unless they are U.S. Citizens, Legal Permanent Residents of the U.S or have other protected status under 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). The Designated Countries List is available here.