NASA Postdoctoral Program - Mineralogy and aqueous alteration of the martian surface

The NASA Postdoctoral Program 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 surface mineralogy and geochemistry of Mars to characterize geological processes on ancient and modern Mars. The goal is to reconstruct the history of liquid water on Mars through mineralogical and geochemical measurements of the martian surface and analog materials. Research includes studies of phyllosilicate, iron oxide, sulfate, and carbonate minerals, as well as mineral sorting and segregation in fluviolacustrine and aeolian environments. The position is located at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, and provides access to advanced analytical instruments including X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, thermal and evolved gas analysis, and various electron microscopy techniques.