Postdoc: Earth Action

Job Details

New ideas are all around us, but only a few will change the world. That's our focus  ask the biggest questions, then search the universe for answers-literally. We build upon ideas that have guided generations, then share our discoveries to inspire generations to come. Your mission-your opportunity is to seek out the answers that bring us one step closer. If you're driven to discover, create, and inspire something that lasts a lifetime and beyond, you're ready for JPL.

New ideas are all around us, but only a few will change the world. That's our focus  ask the biggest questions, then search the universe for answers-literally. We build upon ideas that have guided generations, then share our discoveries to inspire generations to come. Your mission-your opportunity is to seek out the answers that bring us one step closer. If you're driven to discover, create, and inspire something that lasts a lifetime and beyond, you're ready for JPL.

Located in Pasadena, California, JPL has a campus-like environment situated on 177 acres in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains and offers a work environment unlike any other: we inspire passion, foster innovation, build collaboration, and reward excellence.

JPL is unique among NASA Centers in that its staff are Caltech employees yet can access NASA technical resources. Cross-discipline teamwork is standard here: colleagues across JPL's science and engineering organizations and on Caltech's academic campus often work together. Learning to speak and understand other disciplines' languages is a doorway to the creativity needed to do what has not been done before.

JPL staff are encouraged to create mission concepts that address humanity's core questions through a combination of science and technology. They are supported in developing ideas into proposals and hardware, and in communicating funded missions' results to the scientific community and the broader public. JPL seeks to employ scientists and engineers who are passionate about lifelong learning and excited to both contribute to and lead team efforts.

We emphasize the importance of partnering across discipline boundaries and creating a friendly, constructive work environment to overcome space exploration's challenges. Postdoctoral scholars at JPL benefit from a broad informal mentoring network, an annual showcase of their results, a dedicated seminar series, exposure to diverse career paths, and connections across the JPL and Caltech community for advice on housing, childcare, and other aspects of living in Southern California.

JPL is addressing key Earth science questions and societal challenges. As entrepreneurial problem solvers, we work every day to build, launch, and manage a fleet of Earth-observing satellites and airborne instruments. We implement and operate science and applications information systems that are designed to help humanity understand how its home planet is changing, and to learn about ways to nurture and protect it.

This end-to-end approach to addressing Earth science (from measurements to technology, from discovery to applications) is in direct alignment with NASA's Earth Science Division, Earth Science to Action strategy ((Use the "Apply for this Job" box below).). The urgency to translate science to insights and support application of these insights in decision-support requires an ability and commitment to work as scientists and community partners, and a desire to make practical, real-world impacts.

Our approach: hire several cohorts of outstanding postdoctoral Earth Action scientists to focus on maturing key science and applications product development, supporting meaningful partner engagement, conducting scientific studies and…