Postdoc: DSMC Rarefied Gas Dynamics for Spacecraft

ORAU; Pasadena (CA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

NASA is seeking a postdoctoral researcher to develop and apply DSMC capabilities for spacecraft and planetary body applications at JPL, Pasadena. The role focuses on rarefied gas dynamics, CFD, and collaboration with multiple mission teams to advance NASA's research programs.

The position emphasizes publishing in peer‑reviewed journals, presenting at conferences, and contributing to mission design, operations, and data analysis through state‑of‑the‑art modeling.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in aerospace or related field; advanced research experience.
• Strong CFD/DSMC background and knowledge of rarefied gas dynamics.
• Experience with high-performance computing environments and publications.

Responsibilities

• Analyze historical mission data to validate modeling capabilities.
• Develop advanced DSMC modeling for spacecraft and planetary atmospheres.
• Apply models to current JPL missions for design, operations, and data analysis.
• Collaborate with mission teams across JPL projects and publish findings.
• Present research at conferences and in peer‑reviewed journals.

Skills

CFD

DSMC

Rarefied gas dynamics

Publications

HPC

Education

Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering / Mechanical Engineering / Physics

Tools

STAR-CCM+

COMSOL

SPARTA

DAC

Job description

NASA is seeking a postdoctoral researcher to develop and apply DSMC capabilities for spacecraft and planetary body applications at JPL, Pasadena. The role focuses on rarefied gas dynamics, CFD, and collaboration with multiple mission teams to advance NASA's research programs.

The position emphasizes publishing in peer‑reviewed journals, presenting at conferences, and contributing to mission design, operations, and data analysis through state‑of‑the‑art modeling.