Climate change impact on global soil moisture distribution

The NASA Postdoctoral Program at ORAU offers a research opportunity focused on climate change impacts on global soil moisture distribution. The position is based at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA, and requires a PhD in related fields. Candidates should have experience with spaceborne microwave radiometer data. The fellowship lasts one to three years and involves analyzing large data sets and developing new techniques for soil moisture retrieval.
Organization

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Reference Code

0156-NPP-NOV25-JPL-EarthSci

How To Apply

All applications must be submitted in Zintellect

Please visit the NASA Postdoctoral Program website for application instructions and requirements: How to Apply | NASA Postdoctoral Program (orau.org)

A complete application to the NASA Postdoctoral Program includes:
• Research proposal
• Three letters of recommendation
• Official doctoral transcript documents

Application Deadline

11/1/2025 6:00:59 PM Eastern Time Zone

Description

About the NASA Postdoctoral Program

The NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) offers unique research opportunities to highly-talented scientists to engage in ongoing NASA research projects at a NASA Center, NASA Headquarters, or at a NASA-affiliated research institute. These one- to three-year fellowships are competitive and are designed to advance NASA’s missions in space science, Earth science, aeronautics, space operations, exploration systems, and astrobiology.

Description:

The accumulated spaceborne observations at low microwave frequencies enable soil moisture retrieval with reasonable spatial resolution since 2002. This results in a timescale which is applicable for resolving climate change impact on soil moisture. In order to investigate these changes at the appropriate timescales the observations of multiple spaceborne microwave radiometers need to be combined and soil moisture retrieval algorithms developed accounting for the differences in these instruments. The analysis of the resulting global decadal soil moisture data record will require development of techniques to both enable agile handling of the large volume of the data set, and to identify soil moisture patterns and trends in a quantified way. The validation of the observed changes in the soil moisture distribution and water cycle will also require new approaches to quantifiably connect long term soil moisture record with energy cycle, plant activity and extreme weather events.

This research offers an opportunity to participate in the development of this data set and analysis of the climate change impacts using the data. The study utilizes microwave radiometer data from NASA SMAP, ESA SMOS, and JAXA AMSR-E and AMSR2 instruments. Candidates should have PhD in Hydrology, Geosciences, Environmental Sciences, or a related field. Previous experience in processing and analyzing spaceborne microwave radiometer data is expected. The work will be carried out as a member of a team but ability to work independently is essential and strong motivation for publishing is required.

Location:

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Pasadena, California

Field of Science:Earth Science

Advisors:

Andreas Colliander

andreas.colliander@jpl.nasa.gov

818.354.0270

Applications with citizens from Designated Countries will not be accepted at this time, unless they are Legal Permanent Residents of the United States. A complete list of Designated Countries can be found at: https://www.nasa.gov/oiir/export-control.

Eligibility is currently open to:
• U.S. Citizens;
• U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR);
• Foreign Nationals eligible for an Exchange Visitor J-1 visa status; and,
• Applicants for LPR, asylees, or refugees in the U.S. at the time of application with 1) a valid EAD card and 2) I-485 or I-589 forms in pending status

Questions about this opportunity? Please email npp@orau.org

Point of Contact

Mikeala

Eligibility Requirements
• Degree: Doctoral Degree.