Heliophysics: Solar Physics Research

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.

Description

The NASA Marshall Space Flight Center has a research opportunity at the postdoctoral level within the heliophysics program (https://science.msfc.nasa.gov/heliophysics-and-planetary-science-home). Applications are invited for work with observational data from space-borne missions and ground-based telescopes, or for instrument development for observations of solar UV and X-ray emissions. Primary advisor is Dr. Sabrina Savage. Other advisors include Drs. David McKenzie, Alphonse Sterling, and Amy Winebarger of NASA/MSFC, and Dr. Ron Moore of the University of Alabama-Huntsville. A background in solar physics is an advantage, but is not required.

Current Marshall solar interests include:

• Theoretical and Data Analysis Research Areas: Middle coronal imaging and analysis; X-ray spectroscopy; filament eruptions, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and solar flares; coronal heating; small-scale chromospheric and transition region structures, such as spicules, macrospicules and coronal jets; signatures and tracers of magnetic reconnection in the corona; and plasma flows in solar flares. Marshall team members are actively involved in analysis of data from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), Hinode, and Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) space missions, as well as data from rocket flights, ground-based observatories, and numerous earlier space missions. Proposed use of Hinode solar physics satellite data is an advantage, but is not required.
• Instrumental Research Areas: Marshall has active programs to develop sub-orbital and space-based remote sensing systems, including telescopes for UV and X-rays, and measurement of vector magnetic fields. Postdoctoral research opportunities are frequently available to participate in design, development, and testing of optical systems and cameras, as well as scientific analysis of the acquired data.

Location

Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Alabama

Field of Science

Heliophysics Science

Advisors

• Amy Renee Winebarger
  amy.r.winebarger@nasa.gov
  256-961-7509
• Alphonse Sterling
  Alphonse.C.Sterling@nasa.gov
  256-961-7625
• David E. McKenzie
  david.e.mckenzie@nasa.gov
  281-961-7896
• Adam Kobelski
  adam.kobelski@nasa.gov
  256.961.7610

Qualifications

• U.S. Citizenship
• U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR)
• Foreign Nationals eligible for an Exchange Visitor J-1 visa status
• Applicants for LPR, asylees, or refugees in the U.S. at the time of application with 1) a valid EAD card and 2) I-485 or I-589 forms in pending status

Contact Information

Questions about this opportunity? Please email npp@orau.org

Application Instructions

A complete application to the NASA Postdoctoral Program includes:

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