Planetary Research Jobs

The National Air and Space Museum has established the Postdoctoral Earth and Planetary Sciences Fellowship to support scientific research in this area.

The Center for Earth and Planetary Studies (CEPS) is the scientific research unit at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. Scientists in CEPS primarily focus on planetary geologic and geophysical processes that have shaped the surfaces of rocky and icy bodies in the solar system including the Earth and Moon. CEPS scientists are actively involved in many of NASA’s and ESA’s current and planned planetary robotic missions. Research is supported by an extensive collection of archival photographs of the Moon as well as images and maps of the planets and their satellites.

Research areas of interest include planetary landscape evolution, planetary volcanism and cryovolcanism, tectonics of rocky and icy bodies, radar remote sensing and radar sounder studies, and analysis of terrestrial analog landforms. Competitive proposals should demonstrate knowledge and expertise in areas such as quantitative remote sensing analysis, tectonics and tectonophysics, volcanic processes, and quantitative terrestrial and planetary geomorphology.

Term: Two years.

Stipend: $80,000 plus up to $5,000 health allowance

How to Apply:

Apply Through the Smithsonian Online Academic Appointment System (SOLAA)

Application Materials:

The SOLAA application will allow you to upload the following files types (there is a 3MB limit and only the following types of documents are supported: .bmp, .doc, .docx, .gif, .jpeg, .jpg, .pdf, .png, .rtf, .tif, .tiff, .txt, .xls, and .xlsx):

CV/Resume

Project/Research Proposal: The full statement of your research. NOT MORE than 6 pages, double spaced. Approximately 8 1/2 by 11 inches (210 mm x 297 mm) with 1" margins. Do not use type smaller than 11 point. Be sure to provide and address the following:

1. A description of the research you plan to undertake at the Smithsonian Institution, including the methodology to be utilized.
2. The importance of the work, both in relation to the broader discipline and to your own scholarly goals.
3. Justification for conducting your research at the Smithsonian and utilization of research facilities and resources.

Bibliography: Bibliography of literature relevant to the proposed research.

Contact:

Ross Irwin, IrwinR@si.edu

Center for Earth and Planetary Studies

National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution,

PO Box 37012, MRC 315

Washington DC 20013-7012