Postdoctoral Research Associate, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory (Remote)

The Lunar & Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona has an opening for a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the field of planetary atmospheres. The postdoctoral associate will carry out research in exoplanet characterization modeling to aid in the ongoing development of NASA’s Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO). The associate will collaborate with the Robinson research group (the Habitability, Atmospheres, and Biosignatures Laboratory; HABLab) to develop atmospheric inverse models, with an emphasis on reflectance spectroscopy. Key areas of study will include identifying the ideal HWO spectral range(s) and resolving power(s) for understanding terrestrial and sub-Neptune planetary environments using high contrast imaging techniques.

Candidates working anywhere in the U.S. may be considered for a remote assignment. If you are selected for this position and are employed to work remotely from outside of Arizona, your overtime exemption status will depend on the laws of the state where you perform your work. For employees working outside of Arizona, you may be hired as an hourly employee in accordance with state laws. A comparable hourly rate range would be: $29.92 to $38.46. These changes would not affect the position duties as outlined.

Outstanding U of A benefits include health, dental, vision, and life insurance; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; U of A/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; access to U of A recreation and cultural activities; and more!

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• The Postdoctoral Associate will conduct innovative research focused on planetary atmospheric characterization, contributing to the advancement of our understanding of planetary systems through the analysis and interpretation of observational data.
• The successful candidate will apply expertise in techniques such as reflectance spectroscopy and statistical modeling approaches, including Markov chain Monte Carlo methods, to support scientific investigations of planetary atmospheres.
• The Postdoctoral Associate will collaborate with interdisciplinary research teams, participate in both remote and in-person team meetings, present research findings at scientific conferences and workshops, and contribute to the preparation and publication of original scientific manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals.
• The position provides an opportunity to engage in cutting-edge planetary science research while developing independent research skills and contributing to the broader scientific community.

• PhD in Planetary Sciences or a related field. Degree must be conferred by the start date of the position.

• Experience in planetary atmospheric modeling, particularly in reflectance spectroscopy.
• Experience using Markov chain Monte Carlo techniques.
• Scientific programming experience using Python.
• Experience utilizing high-performance computing clusters for research applications.