Drill and Sample Handling Technology for Mars Research

ORAU; California (MO); On-site; USD 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

The ORAU is facilitating the NASA Postdoctoral Program, offering research opportunities in planetary science at Ames Research Center, California. This program targets highly talented scientists, providing 1-3 year fellowships designed to advance NASA's missions in various fields including space science and exploration. Applicants must possess a Doctoral Degree, and eligibility extends to U.S. citizens and foreign nationals on J-1 visas. Interested candidates can find more information through ORAU or NASA's websites.

Qualifications

• Applicants must have a Doctoral Degree.

Education

Doctoral Degree

Job description

Organization

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Reference Code

0044-NPP-NOV26-ARC-PlanetSci

How To Apply

All applications must be submitted in Zintellect. Please visit the NASA Postdoctoral Program website for application instructions and requirements: 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 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.

Multidisciplinary studies are ongoing that involve the development and field testing of drilling and sample handling systems and automation technologies to operate these systems. NASA Ames, together with industry partners, is the world’s leading center for space drilling technology and a NASA center of excellence in automation and robotics. Over the past decade, a series of SMD‑funded projects have advanced the technology readiness of planetary drills and the automation needed to operate them at significant lightspeed communication distances from Earth. Drilling will be needed to access the Martian subsurface to sample ground ice and to search for life, access volatiles on the Moon, and determine their abundance and vertical distribution. Specific systems under development include rotary and rotary‑percussive drills that can access depths up to 10 m, sample distribution systems that interface between a drill and instruments, percussive penetrometers, and wireline drills with pneumatic cuttings removal.

Location

Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California

Field of Science

Planetary Science

Advisors

Brian Glass
[e-mail]
650‑604‑3512

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must have a Doctoral Degree.

• 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 a valid EAD card and I‑485 or I‑589 forms in pending status

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.

Contact

Questions about this opportunity? Please email [e-mail]. Point of Contact: Mikeala.