Postdoc: Earth Action for Air Quality

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.

About the Section:

As part of JPL's Earth Science Section, postdocs have a unique opportunity to engage in groundbreaking research and contribute to the understanding of our changing planet. At JPL, postdocs are immersed in state-of-the-art technology and world-leading expertise that spans all aspects of the Earth system, enabling us to map the myriad connections between Earth’s vital processes and the climate impacts of ongoing natural and human-caused changes.

In partnership with JPL’s diverse science, technology, and engineering workforce, and with Earth scientists and other partners at universities and other institutions, JPL postdocs have the opportunity to contribute to the development and demonstration of cutting-edge research and new technologies that can be directly applied to a broad range of Earth science measurements, missions, model development, and other advances. Opportunities include leveraging satellite observations, data from airborne missions, and computer modeling to transform measurements into a deep understanding of Earth's system and the interaction between processes. Increasingly, work at JPL includes using that understanding to inform decision makers and society at large.

What sets Earth science research at JPL apart is thus our broad and unique spectrum of research elements, providing a one-of-a-kind and enriching experience that goes beyond that found in traditional research environments. JPL is ideally suited to postdocs who are passionate about advancing our understanding of the Earth system.

About the Group:

The successful candidate will be a member of JPL’s Tropospheric Composition group. The group studies the composition of the Earth’s troposphere using satellite and ground-based measurements, modelling, and data assimilation. The group’s research focuses on the development of remote sensing methods of atmospheric composition and Earth system modeling to better understand the carbon, water, and nitrogen cycles, and impacts of emissions, chemistry, and transport on key tropospheric composition, such as ozone.

About the Project:

Air pollution, such as ozone (O₃) and particulate matter (PM2.5), poses significant risks to public health and the environment. Understanding the processes that cause air pollution provides important information to support effective environmental policymaking. However, our understanding of air pollution is severely limited by the limited ground-based observation network. Furthermore, integration of diverse data sources, including satellite observations, ground measurements, and models, remains challenging. In addition, challenges remain in accurately identifying pollution sources and understanding the complex chemical processes that transform precursor emissions into pollutants.

The successful candidate will be responsible for the analysis, validation, and improvement of JPL’s multi-component, multi-model chemistry (MOMO-Chem) data assimilation system that effectively combines data from multiple satellite instruments. MOMO-Chem provides a comprehensive, global picture of atmospheric composition to understand the complex interactions among emissions, atmospheric chemistry, and pollutant concentrations. This will provide a powerful framework for improving our understanding of air pollutants in support of NASA's Earth Action for Air Quality project, which builds a new air quality portal in collaboration with other NASA centers and federal research agencies. The candidate will focus on the natural and anthropogenic components of major air pollutants with a focus on its interaction within a perturbed Earth System.

The candidate will be advised at JPL as part of a larger NASA activity that promotes interdisciplinary Earth System Science using satellite observations with advanced atmospheric composition modelling and data assimilation systems. Consequently, they will be expected to engage with other NASA disciplinary scientists working in the areas of fires, hydrology, atmospheric composition and ocean biogeochemistry. At JPL, they will have the opportunity to work in a dynamic environment that promotes collaboration with other researchers.

The appointee will be expected to publish scientific findings in top-tiered peer-reviewed scientific journals as well as presenting results in the related science team meetings, workshops, and conferences.

Required Qualifications:

• PhD in Atmospheric Sciences, Physics, Geophysics, or a related technical discipline

• Demonstrated experience and knowledge of atmospheric composition and related fields

• Experience with python and similar languages.

• Excellent oral (including public speaking) and written communication skills

• Experience working in a team environment

• Strong interpersonal skills

• Peer-reviewed publications related to atmospheric composition modelling and/or their utilization for Earth system science research

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with chemical transport modeling and data assimilation

• Demonstrated skills in the understanding and use of satellite and ground-based data

Applicants may be subject to additional program requirements by NASA. Postdoc 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.

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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.