What are the responsibilities and job description for the Postdoc: Mars 2020 SHERLOC position at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory?
Job Details
New ideas are all around us, but only a few will change the world. That’s our focus at JPL. We ask the biggest questions, then search the universe for answers—literally. We build upon ideas that have guided generations, then share our discoveries to inspire generations to come. Your mission—your opportunity—is to seek out the answers that bring us one step closer. If you’re driven to discover, create, and inspire something that lasts a lifetime and beyond, you’re ready for JPL.
Located in Pasadena, California, JPL has a campus-like environment situated on 177 acres in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains and offers a work environment unlike any other: we inspire passion, foster innovation, build collaboration, and reward excellence.
JPL is unique among NASA Centers in that its staff are Caltech employees, yet can access NASA technical resources. Cross-discipline teamwork is standard here: colleagues across JPL's science and engineering organizations and on Caltech's academic campus often work together. Learning to speak and understand other disciplines' languages is a doorway to the creativity needed to do what has not been done before. JPL staff are encouraged to create mission concepts that address humanity's core questions through a combination of science and technology. They are supported in developing ideas into proposals and hardware, and in communicating funded missions' results to the scientific community and the broader public. JPL seeks to employ scientists and engineers who are passionate about lifelong learning and excited to both contribute to and lead team efforts. We emphasize the importance of partnering across discipline boundaries and creating a friendly, constructive work environment to overcome space exploration's challenges. The Postdoctoral scholars at JPL benefit from an informal mentoring network, an annual conference showcasing their results, a dedicated seminar series, exposure to diverse career paths, and social connections across the JPL and Caltech community for advice on housing, childcare, and other aspects of living in southern California.
The Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals (SHERLOC) instrument is an arm-mounted Raman and fluorescence mapping spectrometer with context imagers on the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover, designed to characterize organics and minerals on the surface of Mars. SHERLOC is a deep UV (DUV) (248.6 nm incident laser) Raman spectrometer with two context imagers: the Autofocus and Context Imager (ACI) - a 10.1 μm/pixel monochromatic camera - and the Wide Angle Topographic Sensor for Operations and eNgineering (WATSON) camera, which is a copy of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera, capable of acquiring images focused at infinity to microscopic scales (13 μm/pixel). SHERLOC collects hyperspectral maps up to 7x7 mm in size that are co-registered to context images for comparison with morphologic features.
Since landing on the surface, SHERLOC has detected a variety of mineral species, including aqueously altered igneous minerals, phosphates, sulfates, chlorine-bearing minerals, carbonates, and potentially the presence of organics.
The SHERLOC investigation on the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission seeks qualified postdoc applicants, to be based at JPL, working as part of the SHERLOC team on the following research tasks:
JPL has a catalog of benefits and perks that span from the traditional to the unique. This includes a variety of health, dental, vision, wellbeing, and retirement plans, paid time off, learning, rideshare, childcare, flexible schedule, parental leave and many more. Our focus is on work-life balance, and living healthy, fulfilling lives as we Dare Mighty Things Together. For benefits eligible positions, benefits are effective the first day of the month coincident with or immediately following the employee’s start date.
For further benefits information click Benefits and Perks
The hiring range displayed below is specifically for those who will work in or reside in the location listed. In extending an offer, Jet Propulsion Laboratory considers factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s job related skills, experience, knowledge, and relevant education/training. Hiring range for this job may be adjusted based on primary work location outside of Pasadena, California. This adjusted range will be provided to candidates by the Recruiter when applicable.
The typical full time equivalent annual hiring range for this job in Pasadena, California.
$83,820 - $83,820
JPL is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy or perceived pregnancy, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, protected military or veteran status or any other characteristic or condition protected by Federal, state or local law.
In addition, JPL is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.
EEO is the Law.
EEO is the Law Supplement
Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a federal facility. Due to rules imposed by NASA, JPL will not accept applications from citizens of designated countries or those born in a designated country unless they are U.S. Citizens, Legal Permanent Residents of the U.S or have other protected status under 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). The Designated Countries List is available here.
New ideas are all around us, but only a few will change the world. That’s our focus at JPL. We ask the biggest questions, then search the universe for answers—literally. We build upon ideas that have guided generations, then share our discoveries to inspire generations to come. Your mission—your opportunity—is to seek out the answers that bring us one step closer. If you’re driven to discover, create, and inspire something that lasts a lifetime and beyond, you’re ready for JPL.
Located in Pasadena, California, JPL has a campus-like environment situated on 177 acres in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains and offers a work environment unlike any other: we inspire passion, foster innovation, build collaboration, and reward excellence.
JPL is unique among NASA Centers in that its staff are Caltech employees, yet can access NASA technical resources. Cross-discipline teamwork is standard here: colleagues across JPL's science and engineering organizations and on Caltech's academic campus often work together. Learning to speak and understand other disciplines' languages is a doorway to the creativity needed to do what has not been done before. JPL staff are encouraged to create mission concepts that address humanity's core questions through a combination of science and technology. They are supported in developing ideas into proposals and hardware, and in communicating funded missions' results to the scientific community and the broader public. JPL seeks to employ scientists and engineers who are passionate about lifelong learning and excited to both contribute to and lead team efforts. We emphasize the importance of partnering across discipline boundaries and creating a friendly, constructive work environment to overcome space exploration's challenges. The Postdoctoral scholars at JPL benefit from an informal mentoring network, an annual conference showcasing their results, a dedicated seminar series, exposure to diverse career paths, and social connections across the JPL and Caltech community for advice on housing, childcare, and other aspects of living in southern California.
The Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals (SHERLOC) instrument is an arm-mounted Raman and fluorescence mapping spectrometer with context imagers on the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover, designed to characterize organics and minerals on the surface of Mars. SHERLOC is a deep UV (DUV) (248.6 nm incident laser) Raman spectrometer with two context imagers: the Autofocus and Context Imager (ACI) - a 10.1 μm/pixel monochromatic camera - and the Wide Angle Topographic Sensor for Operations and eNgineering (WATSON) camera, which is a copy of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera, capable of acquiring images focused at infinity to microscopic scales (13 μm/pixel). SHERLOC collects hyperspectral maps up to 7x7 mm in size that are co-registered to context images for comparison with morphologic features.
Since landing on the surface, SHERLOC has detected a variety of mineral species, including aqueously altered igneous minerals, phosphates, sulfates, chlorine-bearing minerals, carbonates, and potentially the presence of organics.
The SHERLOC investigation on the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission seeks qualified postdoc applicants, to be based at JPL, working as part of the SHERLOC team on the following research tasks:
- Participate in mission operations, specifically those associated with operations of the SHERLOC instrument on Mars.
- Laboratory studies of Mars analog mineral and organic samples, with specific application to interpretation of SHERLOC spectroscopy data from Mars.
- Hyperspectral visualization and analysis software development.
- Assist with flight system test bed activities.
- Conduct and lead original research based on SHERLOC data, and publish manuscripts reporting results.
- PhD in planetary science, engineering, or related discipline.
- Programming experience in Python or related programming languages.
- Hands on laboratory experience, ideally with spectrometers and instrumentation.
- Proven record of leadership on peer-reviewed scientific publications.
JPL has a catalog of benefits and perks that span from the traditional to the unique. This includes a variety of health, dental, vision, wellbeing, and retirement plans, paid time off, learning, rideshare, childcare, flexible schedule, parental leave and many more. Our focus is on work-life balance, and living healthy, fulfilling lives as we Dare Mighty Things Together. For benefits eligible positions, benefits are effective the first day of the month coincident with or immediately following the employee’s start date.
For further benefits information click Benefits and Perks
The hiring range displayed below is specifically for those who will work in or reside in the location listed. In extending an offer, Jet Propulsion Laboratory considers factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s job related skills, experience, knowledge, and relevant education/training. Hiring range for this job may be adjusted based on primary work location outside of Pasadena, California. This adjusted range will be provided to candidates by the Recruiter when applicable.
The typical full time equivalent annual hiring range for this job in Pasadena, California.
$83,820 - $83,820
JPL is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy or perceived pregnancy, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, protected military or veteran status or any other characteristic or condition protected by Federal, state or local law.
In addition, JPL is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.
EEO is the Law.
EEO is the Law Supplement
Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a federal facility. Due to rules imposed by NASA, JPL will not accept applications from citizens of designated countries or those born in a designated country unless they are U.S. Citizens, Legal Permanent Residents of the U.S or have other protected status under 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). The Designated Countries List is available here.
Salary : $83,820
