Postdoc: Radar Remote Sensing of Landslides and Vertical Land Motion; OPERA Project
Pasadena, Los Angeles County, California, 91122, USA
Listed on 2026-02-24
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Research/Development
Research Scientist
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The JPL-led Observational Products for End-Users from Remote Sensing Analysis (OPERA) project (https://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below).) is seeking two postdocs to conduct research on landslides and vertical land motion (or related surface deformation phenomena) across North America using satellite radar remote sensing data.
The selected candidates will perform original research using interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) data and OPERA-derived products to better understand surface deformation processes and their applications for hazard monitoring and response. The postdocs will contribute to advancing scientific methodologies while supporting the development of actionable Earth observation products for stakeholders.
Responsibilities- Lead independent research on landslides, vertical land motion, or related deformation processes using radar remote sensing data
- Process and analyze InSAR datasets and time series products (including OPERA DISP-S1)
- Modify and improve existing InSAR workflows and processing pipelines
- Develop, document, and maintain reproducible scientific code for data processing and analysis
- Lead peer‑reviewed publications and present results at scientific conferences
- Engage with OPERA stakeholders through the OPERA Stakeholder Engagement Program
- Collaborate closely with the OPERA Project Science Team and Algorithm Development Team
- Ph.D. in Earth Science, Remote Sensing, Geophysics, Geological Sciences, or a related field
- Demonstrated experience with InSAR processing and analysis using open‑source software (e.g., ISCE2/3, Mint Py, Dolphin)
- Experience working with InSAR time series products, including OPERA DISP‑S1
- Strong programming skills in Python
- Experience with GIS application development (e.g., QGIS, GDAL) and version control platforms (e.g., Git Hub)
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Demonstrated ability to conduct independent research and publish in peer‑reviewed journals
- Experience modifying or optimizing InSAR processing workflows
- Familiarity with Jupyter notebooks, xarray/zarr, multiprocessing, Dask, and cloud‑based processing environments
- Experience working with GNSS time series products
- Familiarity with disaster response applications and generating hazard‑related products
The appointee will carry out research in collaboration with JPL advisors Dr. Al Handwerger and Dr. Marin Govorcin, resulting…
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