Postdoctoral Position in Exoplanets and Spectral Signatures

The position will be part of the research group of Prof. Tristan L’Ecuyer, at the Space Science and Engineering Center and the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, in collaboration with Dr. Margaret Turnbull at the SETI Institute as part of her Science Investigation Team (SIT) for NASA’s WFIRST mission. The Turnbull SIT supports modeling and analysis related to the WFIRST Coronagraph instrument, designed for imaging nearby exoplanetary systems. This multidisciplinary group includes scientists working in climate modeling, atmospheric science, remote sensing, and astronomy. The primary project involves simulation of exoplanet signatures in reflected stellar radiation in visible and infrared spectral regions. This work will involve integration of polarized radiative transfer models into an existing exoplanet simulation code, and then using the simulation to explore various exoplanet signatures related to potential habitability. The candidate will investigate the impact of different exoplanet topography, cloud and atmospheric compositions on disk-integrated spectrophotometry. The candidate will be expected to lead preparation of scientific manuscripts and presentations at selected scientific conferences. The postdoctoral researcher will have opportunities to contribute to other Earth remote sensing projects in Prof. L’Ecuyer’s research group. This is a 2-year Research Associate position, depending on performance and continued funding availability.

Eligibility:  PhD in atmospheric science, astronomy, or physics. Experience with radiative transfer modeling of planetary atmospheres is desired. A background in scientific programming in python is highly desired.

To apply, please submit a cover letter and detailed CV to Denise Weidner at [email protected]. The cover letter must include an available start date, and contact information (name, phone number, and email address) for three references.