Postdoctoral Position in Planetary and Exoplanetary Atmospheres

Postdoctoral Position in Planetary and Exoplanetary Atmospheres

The Astrophysics and Space Science section of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) invites applications for one postdoctoral position to collaborate with Dr. Renyu Hu on planetary and exoplanetary atmospheres.

You will participate in one or more of the following research programs:

1. An HST program to obtain a transmission spectrum of a cold gas giant exoplanet, and model the atmosphere’s thermal structure, disequilibrium chemistry, and haze formation,
2. Studies of wide-separation and temperate super-Earths exoplanets to model their atmospheres and predict their spectra in the transmitted and reflected light,
3. Retrieval and other analyses to determine what we can learn about exoplanets from future direct imaging experiments, and
4. Using the latest isotopic measurements obtained by the Mars Science Laboratory to constrain the atmospheric surface pressure of early Mars.

In addition to these projects, you will have opportunities to engage with mission formulation and mission concept studies at JPL, and to pursue future observations of exoplanet atmospheres.

The postdoctoral researcher will benefit from a multi-disciplinary and collegiate environment offered by JPL’s Exoplanetary Science Initiative (ESI). The ESI is dedicated to supporting a vision of the future of exoplanet science by deepening connections between Planetary & Earth Science and Astrophysics. ESI furthers science, technology, and program implementation in the discovery, characterization, and comparison of exoplanets, towards ultimately addressing the question of habitability in the universe. More information on the ESI can be found at https://exoplanetary.jpl.nasa.gov/.

Applicants with theoretical and observational expertise in any areas of investigation within planetary and exoplanetary atmospheres are encouraged to apply. Past experience with atmospheric models including radiative transfer or photochemistry is a plus. We particularly encourage Solar System scientists interested in exoplanets and astronomers passionate about planetary atmospheres to apply. A Ph.D. degree in Astronomy, Planetary Science, or a related discipline is required.

JPL is an equal opportunity institution dedicated to building a broadly diverse staff and postdoctoral scholar community, and strongly encourages applications from female and minority candidates.

The start date is flexible, and immediate starting is possible. The initial appointment is for one year, renewable up to 3 years contingent on funding and performance. Salary will be highly competitive and commensurate with experience.

Applicants should submit a CV including publication list, a brief statement of current and future research interests, and names of 3 references. The deadline for applications is June 1, 2018. Please send applications as a single PDF to [email protected].