Astrophysics: Theoretical Multi-messenger Astrophysics

Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Reference Code: 0131‑NPP‑NOV
26‑GSFC‑Astrophys

Final date to receive applications: 11/1/2026 6:00:59 PM Eastern Time Zone

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 designed to advance NASA’s missions in space science, Earth science, aeronautics, space operations, exploration systems, and astrobiology.

• In accordance with NASA’s Strategic Objective of discovering how the universe works and exploring how it began and evolved, we study particle interactions in the most powerful astrophysical objects related to particle dark matter. The goal​ is to identify sources of astrophysical neutrinos and the highest‑energy cosmic rays, and to pursue prospects for multi‑messenger observations involving gamma‑ray, neutrino, UHECR, and gravitational‑wave telescopes.
• The research focuses on particle acceleration and interactions in astrophysical objects such as active galactic nuclei, gamma‑ray bursts, pulsars, and structure‑formation shocks; it also involves calculating fluxes of gamma rays, neutrinos, and cosmic rays from dark‑matter annihilation or decay models.
• We study the propagation of very‑high energy gamma rays and ultra‑high cosmic rays through the infrared, optical, ultraviolet background and the cosmic microwave background, assessing their impact on lower‑energy astrophysical observations and the cosmogenic neutrino background.
• We investigate how cascading particles affect astrophysical observations, the fluctuation angular power of cosmological photon and neutrino backgrounds, and magnetic‑field deflections over cosmological distances.
• Finally, in line with the research goals, we seek astrophysical and observational probes of new physics, including photon‑axion oscillations and Lorentz‑in variance violation.

Location: Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland

Field of Science: Astrophysics

Advisors:
Tonia Venters
tonia.m.venters
301‑614‑5546

Eligibility Requirements:

• Doctoral Degree.
• 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
  1) a valid EAD card and
  2) I‑485 or I‑589 forms in pending status.

Applications from citizens of Designated Countries will not be accepted 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)..

Point of Contact: Mikeala
Email: npp