A Next Generation Quick Fire Emissions Dataset (QFED)

ORAU; Greenbelt (MD); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A prestigious research fellowship offers unique opportunities for doctoral-level scientists to engage in NASA research projects. This program focuses on the development of machine learning algorithms for analyzing fire data, contributing to vital studies in Earth Science. Candidates must hold a doctoral degree, and the fellowship is open to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. Applications must be submitted through Zintellect before the November 1, 2026 deadline.

Qualifications

• Candidates must possess a Doctoral Degree.
• U.S. Citizens or U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents eligible for the program.

Responsibilities

• Develop machine learning algorithms for fire product analysis.
• Implement ensemble methods for fire emissions estimation.
• Utilize bi-phasic FRP retrievals for fire emissions calculations.
• Utilize bi-phasic FRP retrievals for dynamic calculation of fire emissions composition, and representation of plume rise.

Education

Doctoral Degree

Job description

Organization

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Reference Code

0310-NPP-NOV26-GSFC-EarthSci

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.

A complete application to the NASA Postdoctoral Program includes:

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

Application Deadline

11/1/2026 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.

This opportunity is closed to applicants who are Senior Fellows (5-years or more past PhD).

Biomass burning is an important source of aerosols and trace gases to the atmosphere and is a major element of the terrestrial carbon cycle. NASA's Goddard Earth Observing System Model (GEOS) utilizes the Quick Fire Emissions Dataset (QFED) to represent emissions from vegetation fires in order to model direct and indirect effects of biomass burning aerosols, homogeneous and heterogeneous chemistry in the atmosphere, and to perform credible Earth system analysis, and climate and air pollution studies. The QFED emissions are based on the fire radiative power (top-down) approach with the location and fire radiative power obtained from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) fire products.

Recent updates to QFED include integration of fire products from new sensors (VIIRS), and a new multispectral approach for retrieving fire radiative power (FRP) for two phases of burning: flaming and smoldering. This project will focus on utilizing these fire products in a global atmospheric data assimilation framework.

Activities

• Develop machine learning algorithms that utilize fire products from geostationary satellites to better represent fire evolution and variability
• Develop machine learning emulators to represent forward operators for fire observations for atmospheric data assimilation
• Implement ensemble methods in the fire emissions estimation and estimate uncertainties
• Utilize bi-phasic FRP retrievals for dynamic calculation of fire emissions composition, and representation of plume rise

Field of Science

Earth Science

Advisors

Patricia Castellanos
[e-mail]
[phone]

Applications with citizens from Designated Countries will not be accepted at this time, unless they are Legal Permanent Residents of the United States. A complete list of Designated Countries can be found at: https://www.nasa.gov/oiir/export-control.

Eligibility

• 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 email [e-mail].

Point of Contact

Mikeala

Eligibility Requirements

• Degree: Doctoral Degree.