Applications are now being accepted for a Post-Doctoral Research Associate to work on a multi-wavelength study of flare stars and their impact on exoplanet habitability at NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). This position is funded through the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) and the Center for Research and Exploration in Space Science and Technology II (CRESST II), in conjunction with the GSFC Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics Laboratory.
The successful candidate will be joining a group of scientists studying exoplanets and stellar activity using ground and space-based data. Models predict a combination of flares, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and energetic particles from active low mass stars can strip exoplanet atmospheres. However, these predictions rely on extrapolating by orders of magnitude relations from the Sun’s radiation environment to model space weather events on low-mass stars. To test these predictions empirically, the candidate will analyze multi-wavelength data of flare stars taken simultaneously with Swift (X-ray/UV), VLA (radio), HST (UV), TESS (optical photometry), and additional ground-based facilities that have been acquired for a pilot program for a select set of low-mass stars. The candidate will also partake in a larger program that includes flare stars that span a wide range of masses and ages. The candidate will be affiliated with Goddard’s Sellers Exoplanet Environments Collaboration (SEEC), a new collaboration that fosters interdisciplinary research with researchers from Goddard’s Astrophysics, Planetary, Heliophysics, and Earth Sciences Divisions. The candidate can work with SEEC researchers to connect these observations with climate and dynamical models to explore how space weather impacts the habitability of exoplanets orbiting cool stars.
Applicants should hold a Ph.D. in astrophysics, heliophysics, or a related field. Experience in any of the following disciplines, while not required, is desirable: transit photometry, UV/X-ray/radio data reduction, time series analysis.
For best consideration submit a Curriculum Vita, list of publications, statement of research interests, and contact information for three references by Nov 30, 2018 (application materials will be accepted until the position is filled) to:
Flare Stars Postdoc
CRESST/UMBC
Mail Code 660.8, NASA/GSFC Greenbelt, MD 20771, or
Via e-mail to [email protected]
Salary and benefits are competitive, commensurate with experience and qualifications. The position is available immediately. The initial appointment term will be one year, renewable. For more information about the proposed research, contact Dr. Thomas Barclay ([email protected]). For information on CRESST II or positions with UMBC, contact Dr. Jane Turner ([email protected]).
The University of Maryland, Baltimore County is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to building a diverse team and encourage applications from women, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans.