Astronomical Investigation of Titan's Chemical Complexity

Astronomical Investigation of Titan's Chemical Complexity (Postdoctoral)

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Organization National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Reference Code 0136-NPP-MAR
26-GSFC-Planet Sci

How To Apply
All applications must be submitted in Zintellect. Please visit the NASA Postdoctoral Program website for application instructions and requirements: NASA Postdoctoral Program. A complete application to the NASA Postdoctoral Program includes:

• Research proposal
• Three letters of recommendation
• Official doctoral transcript documents

Final date to receive applications 3/1/2026 6:00:59 PM Eastern Time Zone

Description
We are inviting applications for a post-doctoral fellowship in the NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP). The project focuses on Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, whose nitrogen–methane atmosphere is actively altered by solar UV radiation and Saturn’s magnetospheric electrons, forming complex hydrocarbons and nitriles. While the Cassini mission has provided foundational data, many questions remain. Using observations from ALMA and additional ground- and space-based telescopes (JWST, SOFIA), the research will acquire and model spectral data across wavelengths from near‑infrared to millimeter.

The core work involves radiative‑transfer modeling with the NEMESIS code to retrieve atmospheric composition and dynamics, informing future NASA missions and advancing astrobiology research.

Core Responsibilities

• Acquire, reduce, calibrate, and model astronomical or remote-sensing data of planetary atmospheres.
• Use ALMA and other observatory archives for data analysis.
• Propose additional observations and attend telescope observing runs.
• Employ NEMESIS and other computational tools to retrieve atmospheric properties.
• Publish results and communicate findings to the scientific community and mission planners.

Qualifications

• Doctoral Degree in a relevant scientific discipline.
• Prior experience with astronomical data acquisition, reduction, calibration, or atmospheric modeling.
• Proficiency in IDL or Python for data analysis and visualization; experience with CASA or AIPS preferred.
• Strong background in physical sciences and mathematics.
• Demonstrated interest in planetary science and a commitment to a research career.

Location Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland

Field of Science Planetary Science

Advisors
Conor Nixon
Email: conor.a.nixon
Phone:

Eligibility

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

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://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)..

Questions about this opportunity? Please email npp.

Point of Contact Mikeala