NASA Postdoctoral Program - Sensors and microelectromechanical systems for missions to hot planets

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 postdoctoral position focuses on developing a sensor technology platform that is temperature and radiation tolerant using gallium nitride MEMS technology. The postdoc will help with developing temperature stable sensors and micro-instruments working at 500C using GaN based acoustic and micromechanical components for planetary exploration missions to hot planets. The research will leverage gallium nitride (GaN), a III-V semiconductor proven to be the material of choice for high-frequency, high-power, and high-temperature applications, with excellent mechanical properties making it suitable for MEMS and harsh environment applications.