Mineralogy of Fine-Grained Extraterrestrial Materials

Overview

Mineralogy of Fine-Grained Extraterrestrial Materials — NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) opportunity at ORAU. 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.

Description

The early history of the solar system is being explored through detailed characterization of the minerals and noncrystalline phases composing primitive extraterrestrial materials. As these materials are typically very fine grained, this research is being performed principally by analytical electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, electron back-scattered diffraction, and synchrotron X-ray microdiffraction. We are currently examining carbonaceous chondrites, interplanetary dust particles, asteroid Itokawa and comet Wild 2 grains, and fluid inclusions and primitive organics in meteorites.

Location : Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas

Field of Science : Cosmochemistry

Advisors : Michael Ewing Zolensky

Contact : 281-483-5128

Email : Michael.E.Zolensky@nasa.gov

Eligibility

• U.S. Citizens;
• U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR);
• Foreign Nationals eligible for an Exchange Visitor J-1 visa status; and,
• 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

Application components :

Application Deadline : 11 / 1 / 2025 6 : 00 : 59 PM Eastern Time Zone

Eligibility & Requirements

Seniority level

Employment type

Job Function

Industries

Questions about this opportunity? Please email npp@orau.org

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