Earth Science: Remote Sensing and Modeling of Soil Moisture

About the role

The Hydrological Sciences Laboratory at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center seeks a post-doctoral candidate specializing in remote sensing of soil moisture. This position involves working with existing expertise in ground and space-based observation and modeling of soil moisture, snow, precipitation, and terrestrial water storage. The candidate will contribute to the development and testing of soil moisture retrieval algorithms, participate in hydrological field campaigns, study the variability of soil moisture in time and space, and research methods for incorporating remotely sensed soil moisture data into numerical prediction models.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the development and testing of soil moisture retrieval algorithms using microwave observations from satellites like SMOS, Aquarius, GPM, and SMAP.
• Participate in hydrological field campaigns to validate and improve soil moisture retrieval algorithms.
• Study the variability of soil moisture in time and space using remote sensing data.
• Research methods for incorporating remotely sensed soil moisture data into numerical prediction models.
• Collaborate with other members of the Lab to develop a comprehensive understanding of the water cycle.

Requirements

• Experience in the application, validation, and improvement of algorithms for estimating soil moisture from low frequency microwave observations.
• Experience or interest with NASA Earth science satellite missions and/or a related research activity.
• Expertise in hydrology, hydrometeorology, hydroclimatology, microwave remote sensing, soil moisture, environmental science, land-atmosphere interactions, and/or Earth system modeling and data assimilation.

Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in Earth Science, Environmental Science, or a related field.
• Strong background in remote sensing and modeling of soil moisture.
• Experience with hydrological field campaigns and data analysis.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment.

Skills

• Programming skills (Python, MATLAB, etc.)
• Data analysis and interpretation skills
• Collaborative problem-solving skills
• Attention to detail and ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously

Benefits

The NASA Postdoctoral Program offers unique research opportunities at NASA Centers, Headquarters, or affiliated research institutes. Fellowships are competitive and designed to advance NASA’s missions in space science, Earth science, aeronautics, space operations, exploration systems, and astrobiology.

Pay

The salary range for this position is $70,000 - $100,000 per year, depending on qualifications and experience.

Schedule

The position is full-time and is expected to last one to three years.

Contact Information

For questions about this opportunity, please email npp@orau.org.