[SPA] SPA SECTION NEWSLETTER, Volume XXVI, Issue 47

[Newsletter Editor]

AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION
SPA SECTION NEWSLETTER
Volume XXVI, Issue 47
Aug.08,2019

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Table of Contents

1. Monday Science Telecon, Aug. 12, 2019

2. NASA Postdoctoral Fellowship -- Application Deadline November 1, 2019

3. JOB OPENING: Research Chair in Space Weather at South African National Space Agency (SANSA)

4. JOB OPENING: Research Scientist at Boston College Institute for Scientific Research

5. JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral, Early-Career Staff, and Mid-Career Staff Positions at Los Alamos National Laboratory

6. JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Research Associate Position in the Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research at the New Jersey Institute of Technology

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Announcement Submission Website: http://goo.gl/forms/qjcm4dDr4g


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Monday Science Telecon, Aug. 12, 2019

From: David Sibeck (david.g.sibeck at nasa.gov)

At 12:00 noon EST on Monday (Aug. 12), we plan to hold the next in our ongoing series of science telecons. The speaker this Monday will be Emil Atz from Boston University. The topic will be "The Instruments on the CuPID Cubesat Observatory - A step to answering global magnetic reconnection questions".

The telecom will be broadcast live via webex. If you would like to join, please go to http://uclaigpp.webex.com/ and enter the Meeting number: 280 328 066 (‘Dayside Science meeting). Please type your name and contact information, and then the meeting password, which is Substorm1!

To hear the audio, do not dial the number that pops up on the webex website. Instead, please dial the following toll-free (in the United States) number:
1-844-467-6272
with passcode 901533#

Please remember to mute your telephone if you are not speaking.

Looking forward to speaking with you.


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NASA Postdoctoral Fellowship -- Application Deadline November 1, 2019

From: Taifa Simpson (tsimpson at usra.edu)

The NASA Postdoctoral Program offers US and international scientists the opportunity to advance their research while contributing to NASA's scientific goals.  The NPP supports fundamental science; explores the undiscovered; promotes intellectual growth; and encourages scientific connections.

Selected by a competitive peer-review process, NPP Fellows complete one- to three-year Fellowship appointments that advance NASA's missions in earth science, heliophysics, planetary science, astrophysics, space bioscience, aeronautics and engineering, human exploration and space operations, and astrobiology.

Applicants must have a Ph.D. or equivalent degree in hand before beginning the fellowship, but may apply while completing the degree requirements. U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents, and foreign nationals eligible for J-1 status as a Research Scholar may apply.

Stipends start at $60,000 per year, with supplements for high cost-of-living areas and for certain academic specialties. Financial assistance is available for relocation and health insurance, and $10,000 per year is provided for professional travel.

Applications are accepted three times each year: March 1, July 1, and November 1.

To learn more about specific opportunities and to apply, visit https://npp.usra.edu/opportunities/

For further information and to apply, visit:  https://npp.usra.edu/

Questions: npphelp at usra.edu


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JOB OPENING: Research Chair in Space Weather at South African National Space Agency (SANSA)

From: Lee-Anne McKinnell (lmckinnell at sansa.org.za)

The South African National Space Agency is searching for a Research Chair in Space Weather, preferably specializing in Solar Physics. 

The Research Chair would be mainly responsible for undertaking research within the specialized area, providing guidance to the operational space weather centre, and supervising postgraduate students. 

The successful candidate will:
• have an extensive research track record within an area of Space Weather (preferably Solar Physics)
• high and sustained publication record in reputable research journals
• international collaborations
• lead large projects
• raise and manage research funds
• lead research groups and postgraduate student supervision and training.

The position is based in Hermanus in South Africa, and would be for an initial 5 year period renewable for an additional 5 years based on performance. The applicants do not have to be South African – this is a global recruit initiative for a specialized scarce skill area.

More information including full requirements and application process can be found at:
https://www.sansa.org.za/2019/07/29/sansa-sarchi-chair-in-space-weather/


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JOB OPENING: Research Scientist at Boston College Institute for Scientific Research

From: Patricia Doherty (patricia.doherty at bc.edu)

The Institute for Scientific Research at Boston College invites applications to join our team supporting the AFRL plasma chemistry group in Albuquerque, NM.  The successful candidate will contribute to ongoing laboratory efforts preparing for sounding rocket and satellite flight experiments to study the ionospheric effects of chemical releases.  Duties will include conducting laboratory-scale experiments for characterization of chemical release candidate materials via optical and mass spectrometric methods, analyzing data from such experiments, and developing and validating thermodynamic and heat transfer models to describe the vaporization of the active materials.  While familiarity with ionospheric chemistry is ideal, it is not required.  More importantly, the position requires strong laboratory, data analysis, and modeling skills and the agility to learn and apply new concepts when needed.   The researcher will work closely with current government and contractor personnel to become familiarized with efforts to date.  

Required: PhD in experimental physical chemistry, physics, or related hard science or engineering field

Ideal candidate will have knowledge of:
- Ionospheric chemistry
- Energetic materials
- Vacuum science
- Mass spectrometry
- Chemical kinetics
- MATLAB and programming in general

As this is a contractor position for the Air Force Research Laboratory, US citizenship is required.  
Interested candidates should provide a curriculum vitae, cover letter, and names and contact information for 2 references to Patricia Doherty (patricia.doherty at bc.edu)
For more information on the Boston College Institute for Scientific Research, please view our website: https://www.bc.edu/isr


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JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral, Early-Career Staff, and Mid-Career Staff Positions at Los Alamos National Laboratory

From: Vania Jordanova, Daniel Reisenfeld (vania at lanl.gov)

The Space Science and Applications (ISR-1) Group at Los Alamos National Laboratory is hiring postdocs and staff scientists at the early- and mid-career level to support our research programs in magnetospheric and heliospheric science and our national security mission focused on space-based verification of the Limited Test Ban Treaty.

Positions are available for candidates with expertise in modeling & simulation, data analysis, and/or instrumentation. We particularly seek strong candidates with expertise in our core research areas including inner magnetospheres, natural and man-made radiation belts, space weather, and plasma, energetic particle, and neutral particle sensors. Candidates are also sought who can contribute to developing topic areas including ionospheric physics and magnetosphere-ionospheric coupling, GICs, EMP, and heliospheric and planetary science.

For the staff scientist positions, candidates are sought who have the flexibility and interest in contributing to both basic science research and our national security mission. Staff scientist positions require the ability to obtain a Q clearance, which normally requires U.S. citizenship. 

For the postdoc positions, candidates are expected to contribute to our basic science research. Postdoc positions are open to all citizenships. The ability to obtain a Q clearance, which normally requires U.S. citizenship, is desirable but not required.

Los Alamos has been named a "Top 10" small town to live in, with its abundant outdoor recreation, highly ranked public school system, and available community facilities and activities. 

Two-body problem?  Maybe we can help!  LANL has recently launched an aggressive hiring campaign to meet future staffing needs across many disciplines, including a new system to promote dual-career hires into strategic areas.

Interested candidates should contact Vania Jordanova <vania AT lanl.gov> or Daniel Reisenfeld <dreisenfeld AT lanl.gov>.  More about the ISR Division and the ISR-1 group can be found at <space.lanl.gov>.  The ISR-1 postdoc and staff scientist (Scientist 2, 3, and 4) job ads can be found by clicking on "Space Science and Applications" on the right menu.


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JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Research Associate Position in the Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research at the New Jersey Institute of Technology

From: Gareth Perry (gperry at njit.edu)

The Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research (CSTR) of the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) invites applications for a postdoctoral position in data analysis and remote sensing for magnetospheric and ionospheric studies. The successful candidate will make use of various data sets including (but not limited to) spacecraft data from Swarm (including CASSIOPE/e-POP) and Van Allen Probes, and ground-based instruments such as coherent scatter radars (e.g., SuperDARN), ionosondes, incoherent scatter radars, magnetometers, auroral imagers, riometer, and GNSS receivers, to investigate the coupled solar-terrestrial plasma environment. 

Experience in the analysis and interpretation of space physics datasets is highly desired. The successful applicant will be expected to perform the duties of a postdoctoral fellow, including the publication of original research, attending conferences and workshops (which includes domestic and international travel), submission of proposals, and the support of CSTR projects. By their start date, applicants should have obtained Ph.D. in plasma physics, space physics, geophysics, or related field. The appointment start date is flexible, however, earlier dates are preferred. The appointment is for two years, with a possible renewal based on successful applicant performance and funding resources. Benefits are competitive and salary will be commensurate with the applicant’s experience. 

The successful applicant will work primarily with Dr. Gareth Perry, Assistant Professor in CSTR and the Physics Department at NJIT, as well as other CSTR faculty members including Profs. Andrew Gerrard and Hyomin Kim, and Distinguished Research Professor Dr. Louis Lanzerotti. Applicants will need to submit a curriculum vitae, a list of publications, a brief statement of research interests, and the names of three professional references. Questions should be directed to Dr. Gareth Perry (gperry at njit.edu). 

The Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research (CSTR) of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, in Newark, NJ, is a world renowned institution in solar and space physics. CSTR is a PI organization in the NASA Van Allen Probes mission, manages the Polar Engineering Development Center, and operates the Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO) and the Owens Valley Solar Array (OVSA) in California. For more information visit http://centers.njit.edu/cstr/.  To build a diverse workforce, NJIT encourages applications from individuals with disabilities, minorities, veterans, and women, EEO employer. 

Essential Functions:
Data analysis utilizing programming languages such as Python, MATLAB, and/or IDL. Presentation of results at professional meetings. Presentation of result via peer-review journal papers. Occasional domestic/international travel. 

Prerequisite Qualifications:
Ph.D. in Space Physics or related field. Background in magnetospheric/ionospheric physics. Experience in data analysis using programming languages. 

Preferred Qualifications:
Experience in spacecraft and ground instrument data analysis and interpretation is highly desired.

Special Instructions to Applicants:
Apply online via: https://njit.csod.com/ats/careersite/JobDetails.aspx?site=1&id=1443, ReqID 1443.  Applicants will need to submit a curriculum vitae, a list of publications, a brief statement of research interests, and the names of three professional references. Questions should be directed to Dr. Gareth Perry (gperry at njit.edu).  All applications received by August 21, 2019 will receive full consideration.  Applications will continue to be reviewed until the position is filled.


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