Postdoc: Earth Surface and Interior

Job Details

New ideas are all around us, but only a few will change the world. That’s our focus at JPL. We 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. The Postdoctoral scholars at JPL benefit from an informal mentoring network, an annual conference showcasing their results, a dedicated seminar series, exposure to diverse career paths, and social connections across the JPL and Caltech community for advice on housing, childcare, and other aspects of living in southern California.

JPL’s Earth Surface and Interior group does cutting-edge research studying dynamic processes that occur within Earth’s crust, mantle, and core. The group develops new methods for using remote sensing data to understand the forces that drive plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanic activity, landslides, and other solid earth phenomena. This position is centered around the study of geodiversity, using NASA airborne instruments AVIRIS-NG (https://avirisng.jpl.nasa.gov/) and HyTES (https://hytes.jpl.nasa.gov/) to produce surface mineral maps over the Cape Floristic Region in South Africa. This project is a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of geodiversity and biodiversity, since it utilizes imagery acquired as part of the BioSCape campaign (https://www.bioscape.io/). The successful candidate will be expected to have general expertise in remote sensing, with a specialization in geology.

The Cape Floristic Region (CFR) was previously considered the smallest of Earth’s 6 floral kingdoms and is now designated a Global Biodiversity Hotspot due to its high endemism and concentration of plant species – it contains 10% of global plant taxa, and almost 70% of these plant species are found nowhere else in the world. Most soils in the CFR are acidic and poor, resulting in specialized nutrient acquisition strategies, such as the cluster root system developed by proteas (the national flower) to meet nutritional needs in soils low in nitrates and phosphates. In fact, most species show high edaphic specialization, and segregate along gradients of soil depth, texture, drainage, and nutrient concentrations and availabilities. Plant community turnover across soils derived from different parent geologies is often near-complete. Thus, we hypothesize that there is an inherent relationship between the Earth’s surface mineral composition and the biodiversity observed in this region. The candidate will be expected to produce surface mineral maps from the BioSCape data, using the project’s existing cloud environment; compare geodiversity to BioSCape biodiversity data (produced by a separate but related project); and quantify spatial correlations between vegetation and surface mineralogy in regions impacted by human encroachment. The candidate will be expected to present their research at conferences and in journal articles.

The following qualifications are required:

• PhD in physics, geoscience, geology, volcanology, or related discipline.

• Advanced knowledge in geology

• Experience with remote sensing data

• Experience in manipulating imagery through software, including Python, R, and/or MATLAB

• Strong interest in applying efforts to investigation of the Earth’s surface, including geological processes

• Demonstrated problem-solving ability in research and broad range of experimental skills

The following qualifications are preferred:

• A background in spectral geology

• Experience in processing AVIRIS-NG, EMIT or HyTES data

The appointee will carry out research in collaboration with the JPL advisor, resulting in publications in the open literature.

Applicants may be subject to additional program requirements by NASA. Postdoctoral Scholar positions are awarded for a minimum of one-year period and may be renewed up to a maximum of three years. Candidates should submit the following to this site: CV, representative publications, contact information for three references, and a cover letter stating their research accomplishments and interests.

JPL has a catalog of benefits and perks that span from the traditional to the unique. This includes a variety of health, dental, vision, wellbeing, and retirement plans, paid time off, learning, rideshare, childcare, flexible schedule, parental leave and many more. Our focus is on work-life balance, and living healthy, fulfilling lives as we Dare Mighty Things Together. For benefits eligible positions, benefits are effective the first day of the month coincident with or immediately following the employee’s start date.

For further benefits information click Benefits and Perks

The hiring range displayed below is specifically for those who will work in or reside in the location listed. In extending an offer, Jet Propulsion Laboratory considers factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s job related skills, experience, knowledge, and relevant education/training. Hiring range for this job may be adjusted based on primary work location outside of Pasadena, California. This adjusted range will be provided to candidates by the Recruiter when applicable.

The typical full time equivalent annual hiring range for this job in Pasadena, California.

$82,180 - $82,180

JPL is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy or perceived pregnancy, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, protected military or veteran status or any other characteristic or condition protected by Federal, state or local law.

In addition, JPL is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.

EEO is the Law.

EEO is the Law Supplement

Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a federal facility. Due to rules imposed by NASA, JPL will not accept applications from citizens of designated countries or those born in a designated country unless they are U.S. Citizens, Legal Permanent Residents of the U.S or have other protected status under 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). The Designated Countries List is available here.