Megacity CO2 Monitoring

ORAU; Pasadena (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading research organization is offering a fellowship for a skilled scientist in atmospheric physics, focusing on carbon monitoring in megacities. The candidate will collaborate with a team to measure and analyze CO2 and CH4 concentrations, employing advanced atmospheric models and remote sensing technologies. A doctoral degree is required. The position is based at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, providing a unique opportunity to contribute to significant research targeting urban emissions and environmental science.

Qualifications

• Must possess a doctoral degree.
• Expertise in atmospheric physics and related fields essential.
• Experience with airborne instrumentation and carbon measurements required.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the Megacity CO2 Monitoring Team.
• Install and validate CO2 and CH4 measurements.
• Assess LA carbon fluxes using inversion models.
• Design space-based monitoring solutions.
• Incorporate satellite data for CO2 monitoring.

Skills

Atmospheric physics and chemistry

Carbon cycle science

Atmospheric remote sensing

Airborne instrumentation

Regional CO2 flux inversion

Education

Doctoral degree

Tools

WRF

STILT

HYSPLIT

FELXPART

Job description

Overview

The NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) offers one‑to‑three‑year fellowships to highly‑talented scientists to conduct research at a NASA Center, NASA Headquarters, or an affiliated research institute. The fellowships advance NASA’s missions in space science, Earth science, aeronautics, space operations, exploration systems, and astrobiology.

Project Description

This project focuses on long‑term monitoring of urban CO₂ and CH₄ concentrations in the Los Angeles megacity to attribute anthropogenic CO₂ emissions accurately. By integrating high‑resolution observations with top‑down and bottom‑up inventories, the study aims to generate a space‑time resolved carbon inventory, evaluate new sensing technologies, and develop protocols that can be extended to other megacities worldwide.

Objectives

• Monitor atmospheric CO₂ and CH₄ concentrations over Los Angeles with precision capable of detecting 10% or more emission changes over five years, determined with 95% confidence.
• Produce an annual carbon inventory for the Los Angeles domain, incorporating major emission sectors to support policy assessments.
• Provide a flexible testbed for evaluating new in‑situ and remote sensing measurement technologies relevant to carbon monitoring in a megacity environment.
• Develop methods and protocols that enable adaptation of the Los Angeles framework to additional cities within California, the United States, and internationally.

Responsibilities

Successful candidates will possess expertise in atmospheric physics and chemistry, carbon cycle science, airborne instrumentation, atmospheric remote sensing, regional CO₂ flux inversion, or an equivalent field. They will:

• Collaborate with the Megacity CO₂ Monitoring Team and investigators from Paris and other megacities.
• Install, operate, calibrate, validate, and analyze CO₂, CH₄, and other trace gas measurements in the LA megacity.
• Ingest observational data into high‑resolution inversion models (WRF, STILT, HYSPLIT, FELXPART, etc.) to assess LA carbon fluxes.
• Design and validate space‑based megacity monitoring solutions using observation system simulation experiments (OSSEs).
• Incorporate satellite remote sensing data into megacity CO₂ emission monitoring and develop protocols for reconciling top‑down and bottom‑up estimates.
• Interface with decision makers to evaluate the impact of urban emission reduction policies.

Location

Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

Field of Science

Earth Science

Eligibility Requirements

• Doctoral degree.

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.