Astrophysics: X-Ray Polarimetry

About the role

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.

Responsibilities

Research projects include:

• Developing gas micro-pattern detectors for measuring x ray polarization from faint X-ray sources.
• Studying the use of large-area pixelized gas well detectors for polarization measurements up to 300 MeV.
• Designing a balloon-borne instrument to measure time-resolved polarization in the 30-200 keV range from specific bright X-ray sources.
• Working on astrophysical source models related to the above projects.

Requirements

Requirements include:

• A Doctoral Degree.
• Citizenship: U.S. Citizens, U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR), Foreign Nationals eligible for an Exchange Visitor J-1 visa status, or applicants for LPR, asylees, or refugees in the U.S. with valid EAD card and I-485 or I-589 forms in pending status.

Qualifications

No specific qualifications are listed beyond the degree requirement.

Skills

Skills required include:

• Strong background in astrophysics.
• Experience with X-ray polarimetry research.
• Knowledge of gas micro-pattern detectors and large-area pixelized gas well detectors.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Benefits

No specific benefits are mentioned.

Pay

The pay is not specified.

Schedule

The schedule is not specified.

Contact Information

Email questions about this opportunity to npp@orau.org.

Application Instructions

A complete application to the NASA Postdoctoral Program includes:

• Research proposal
• Three letters of recommendation
• Official doctoral transcript documents

Location

Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland

Field of Science

Astrophysics

Advisors

Jeremy Schnittman
jeremy.d.schnittman@nasa.gov
301-286-8069