NASA Postdoctoral Program - Astrophysics: Extrasolar Planets and Planet Formation: Theory and Observations

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. This specific opportunity focuses on theoretical and observational studies of extrasolar planetary systems, both mature ones and those in the process of forming. Theoretical work includes modeling of planet formation and planet-disk interactions, studying the dynamics of planetary systems, designing high-contrast imaging instruments, and understanding the range of exoplanet properties. Observational work includes studies of protoplanetary and debris disk abundances and compositions using UV to sub-mm spectroscopy, as well as searches for planets and disks around nearby stars using coronagraphic imaging. The research group uses a wide variety of telescopes and instruments, including the Hubble Space Telescope, the Atacama Large Millimeter Array, the James Webb Space Telescope, and ground-based coronagraphs. The position is located at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.