NASA Postdoctoral Program - Astrophysics: Particle Astrophysics

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 particle astrophysics, a broad field of study that attempts to understand the role played by relativistic particles in astrophysical objects. The research involves studying energetic nuclei and electrons that make up galactic cosmic rays to understand nucleosynthesis, particle acceleration, and interactions with magnetic fields and matter in the galaxy. Experimental measurements are made from balloons and near-Earth satellites. Current projects involve measurements of antiprotons and heavy nuclei abundances using instruments including magnetic spectrometers, Cherenkov counters, time-of-flight detectors, and drift chambers. Opportunities exist to participate in all phases from scientific objective definition through development, testing, operations, data analysis, and results presentation. An active theoretical investigation program into the origin, acceleration, and interstellar propagation of galactic cosmic-ray particles is also included.