Pre-Fire Burnable Material Assessment and Post-Fire Damage Assessment from Multi-Sensor Remote [...]

ORAU; Pasadena (CA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A research organization in Pasadena is seeking a postdoctoral researcher to join the NASA Postdoctoral Program. The role involves investigating wildfire impacts using remote sensing and data science to create decision-ready products. Candidates must hold a Ph.D. in relevant fields and have experience analyzing remote sensing data. Responsibilities include developing mapping techniques and collaborating with community partners. The position offers an opportunity to contribute to vital resource management efforts.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in a relevant field is required.
• Experience analyzing remote sensing data is essential.
• Proficiency in scientific computing and geospatial data processing is necessary.

Responsibilities

• Develop and refine mapping of fuel type and continuity.
• Delineate burned areas and map burn severity.
• Design pipelines for data fusion and modeling.

Skills

Analyzing satellite or airborne remote sensing data

Scientific computing and geospatial data processing

Statistical and/or machine-learning methods

Quantitative skills

Scientific writing

Collaboration in interdisciplinary teams

Education

Ph.D. in Earth/Environmental Science, Geography, Remote Sensing, Forestry/Ecology, Computer/Data Science, Electrical/Systems Engineering, Applied Math/Statistics, or related field

Job description

Position Overview

NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) offers a one- to three‑year fellowship to investigate wildfire impacts using remote sensing and data science. The postdoctoral researcher will develop decision‑ready products for pre‑fire burnable material assessment and post‑fire damage and recovery assessment to support hazard understanding, planning, and resource management.

Primary Responsibilities

• Pre‑Fire Burnable Material Assessment
  • Develop and refine mapping of fuel type, load, structure, and continuity using multi‑sensor time series and terrain/climate covariates.
  • Derive indicators of antecedent vegetation condition and potential burnability.
  • Calibrate, validate, and generalize methods across diverse ecoregions; quantify and report uncertainty.
• Post‑Fire Damage and Recovery Assessment
  • Delineate burned areas and map burn severity; estimate changes in above‑ground biomass and vegetation structure.
  • Build time‑series analytics to characterize combustion completeness, heterogeneity of impacts, and recovery trajectories.
  • Integrate independent references for rigorous validation.
• Methods & Data Engineering
  • Design generalizable, well‑documented pipelines for data fusion and modeling using established geospatial and scientific‑computing tools.
  • Apply robust statistical and machine‑learning techniques (supervised/unsupervised learning) with an emphasis on interpretability and uncertainty quantification.
  • Produce open, reproducible code and clearly documented data products suitable for stakeholders.
• Communication & Transition
  • Prepare publications, technical reports, and presentations.
  • Collaborate with agency and community partners to ensure products are actionable.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Earth/Environmental Science, Geography, Remote Sensing, Forestry/Ecology, Computer/Data Science, Electrical/Systems Engineering, Applied Math/Statistics, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience analyzing satellite or airborne remote sensing data.
• Proficiency in scientific computing and geospatial data processing.
• Hands‑on experience applying statistical and/or machine‑learning methods to real geospatial problems, including model validation.
• Strong quantitative skills, clear scientific writing, and ability to collaborate in an interdisciplinary team.
• Record of peer‑reviewed publications.

Eligibility

• U.S. Citizens; U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents; Foreign Nationals eligible for an Exchange Visitor J‑1 visa status; and 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 pending.

Contact

Contact Person: Mikeala
Phone: (626) 864‑0557
Email: [e-mail]

Other Details

Reference Code: 0329‑NPP‑NOV26‑JPL‑EarthSci
Field of Science: Earth Science
Application Deadline: November 1, 2026, 6:00:59 PM Eastern Time Zone