Analysis of Multispectral Data Sets of Planetary Surfaces

Organization

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

0022-NPP-NOV
26-JPL-Planet Sci

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

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 are designed to advance NASA’s missions in space science, Earth science, aeronautics, space operations, exploration systems, and astrobiology. A wealth of observations on the surfaces of planets, satellites, and small bodies has been obtained by both ground‑based and spacecraft instruments.

An understanding of the structure and composition of surfaces—both rocky and icy—can be acquired by fitting scattering models to photometrically accurate measurements of surfaces. These measurements can also be used to create maps of intrinsic color and albedo variegations on surfaces. This information leads to an understanding of the evolution of the surfaces and answers such fundamental questions as whether the dominant processes are exogenic or endogenic.

Objects currently under study are the icy satellites of the outer planets, Titan, comets, asteroids, Pluto, Kuiper Belt Objects and Centaurs, and the Moon. Data sets include observations from the Visual Infrared Mapping Spectrometer on Cassini;
New Horizons; and various ground‑based telescopes, including the 200‑inch Hale Telescope at Palomar Mountain.

References:

Buratti,

B. J. et al. 2005. Cassini Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer Observations of Iapetus:
Detection of CO2. Ap. J. 622, L149-L152.
Buratti,

B. J., M. Hicks, and

A. Davies 2005. Spectrophotometry of the small satellites of Saturn and their relationship to Iapetus, Phoebe, and Hyperion. Icarus 175, 490-495.

Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

Planetary Science

Bonnie Buratti
bonnie.burattia.gov

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)..

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

Please email npp

Mikeala

• Degree:
  Doctoral Degree.