Passive Sounding of Solar System Bodies Using Radio Astronomical Sources

The NASA Postdoctoral Program at ORAU seeks a postdoctoral scholar in Pasadena, CA, for research on passive sounding of solar system bodies using radio astronomical sources. This role involves experimental demonstration and technical development within a collaborative team, focusing on geophysical simulations and analysis techniques. Candidates should have strong analytical skills in radio-detection and a multidisciplinary interest. Applications are due by 7/1/2025.
Organization

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Reference Code

0307-NPP-JUL25-JPL-PlanetSci

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

7/1/2025 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 U.S. and non-U.S. 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:

This opportunity will be focused on the development of passive sounding of solar system bodies using natural radio sources such as the Sun and Jupiter.

Passive sounding using radio astronomical sources is a novel remote sensing technology that promises many of the benefits of active subsurface radar sounding without requiring the instrument itself to transmit an active radar pulse (Romero-Wolf et al. 2015). A recent body of work has both demonstrated the performance of the approach in field-settings on Earth (Peters et al. 2018, Peters et al. 2021a, Peters et al. 2021b) and highlighted various potential natural radio sources for passive sounding in diverse terrestrial and planetary applications (Steinbrügge et al. 2021, Gerekos et al. 2024, Romero-Wolf et al. 2024).

We are searching for a postdoctoral scholar to participate in the experimental demonstration, application, and technical development of passive sounding using radio astronomical sources. The cross-disciplinary nature of this approach provides opportunities to contribute to the geophysical simulations, demonstrations using archival data, and development of analysis techniques. A candidate with strong analytical skills, particularly for radio-detection techniques, and wide multi-disciplinary interests is highly desired.

In addition to close collaboration with the passive sounding team, the postdoctoral candidate will be part of a group at JPL that is implementing the SunRISE space-based low-frequency radio interferometer as well as developing a variety of mission concepts for radio astronomy.

References:

Gerekos, C., et al. (2024) Astronomy & Astrophysics 683, A56. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202347900

Peters, S.T., et al. (2018) IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing 56(12), 7338. https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2018.2850662

Peters, S.T., et al. (2021) IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing 59(11), 9144. https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2021.3050429

Peters, S.T., et al. (2021) Geophysical Research Letters 48(14), 92450. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL092450

Romero-Wolf, A., et al. (2015), Icarus 248, 463– 477. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2014.10.043

Romero-Wolf, A., et al. (2024), Earth & Space Science 11, e2023EA003013. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023EA003013

Steinbrügge, G., et al. (2021), Bulletin of the AAS 53(4). https://baas.aas.org/pub/2021n4i271

Field of Science: Planetary Science

Advisors:

Andrew Romero-Wolf

Andrew.Romero-Wolf@jpl.nasa.gov

(626) 390-9060

Gregor Steinbruegge

gregor.b.steinbruegge@jpl.nasa.gov

(818) 393-7913

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

Qualifications

Experience with processing and analysis of radio data (radar or radio astronomy).

Demonstrated skills with digital signal processing techniques.

Experience with information extraction from radio data with combined skills in data processing, simulations, and modeling.

Planetary Radar Experience Strongly Preferred.

Point of Contact

Mikeala

Eligibility Requirements
• Degree: Doctoral Degree.