Spacecraft and Instrument Development Planetary Science and Exploration

Spacecraft and Instrument Development for Planetary Science and Exploration

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Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Reference Code: 0009‑NPP‑MAR
26‑JSC‑Planet Sci

How To Apply: All applications must be submitted in Zintellect. Please visit the NASA Postdoctoral Program website for application instructions and requirements:

How to Apply

| NASA Postdoctoral Program (orau.org)

A complete application to the NASA Postdoctoral Program includes:

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

Final date to receive applications: 3/1/2026 6:00:59 PM Eastern Time Zone

Description:

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.

The Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science (ARES) Directorate at NASA Johnson Space Center supports NASA’s Solar System exploration and research goals through participation on various spacecraft missions. ARES personnel are actively engaged in missions such as the Mars rovers Opportunity and Curiosity, the DAWN spacecraft to asteroid Ceres, and the OSIRIS REx sample‑return spacecraft to the near‑Earth asteroid Bennu. I am currently seeking qualified individuals with degrees in Planetary Science or Aerospace Engineering with career interests in areas of, but not limited to, instrument and spacecraft development, modeling and computational analyses, observational and experimental design, and systems engineering.

My current research interest is focused on the development of concept designs and feasibility studies of science instruments and engineering experiments to be flown on robotic and human spacecraft missions. These activities will support planetary science investigations for the Science Mission Directorate (SMD) and the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD). Ideally the goal is to refine these initial designs and studies so that they will be selected for upcoming NASA missions.

I am specifically interested in participating in missions that will investigate the Moon, Earth’s Orbital Environment, Near‑Earth Objects, Main‑belt Asteroids, Comets, Mars and its Satellites, and the Trojan Asteroids.

Selected candidates will be intimately involved with the entire process of concept formulation and will participate in further development in areas related to instrument design/fabrication, computational/experimental modeling, and system engineering tests. The goal of this “hands‑on” approach is to develop and design hardware at relatively low technology readiness levels that can be upgraded for inclusion into future flight missions.

Location: Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas

Field of Science: Planetary Science

Advisors: Paul Abell – Paul.

A.Abell – 281‑483‑0293

Eligibility is currently open to:

• U.S. Citizens
• 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

Questions about this opportunity? Please e‑mail npp.

Eligibility Requirements: Doctoral Degree.