Rarefied Gas Dynamics for Spacecraft and Planetary Applications

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

Organization

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Reference Code

0339-NPP-NOV26-JPL-Interdisc

How to Apply

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

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.

We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to develop and apply Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) rarefied gas dynamics capabilities for spacecraft and planetary body applications at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

Research Focus

• Analyze historical mission data to validate and demonstrate modeling capabilities
• Develop advanced DSMC modeling capabilities for rarefied gas dynamics environments relevant to spacecraft operations and planetary atmospheres
• Apply computational models to current JPL missions, supporting mission design, operations, and data analysis
• Collaborate with mission teams across multiple JPL projects
• Publish research findings in peer‑reviewed journals and present at scientific conferences

Field of Science: Interdisciplinary/Other

Advisors

Moogega Cooper
[e-mail]
[phone]

Eligibility

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.

• 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

Qualifications

Education

• Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or related field.

Technical Skills (Required)

• Demonstrated experience with computational fluid dynamics (CFD)
• Demonstrated experience with DSMC
• Strong background in rarefied gas dynamics and kinetic theory
• Publications in rarefied gas dynamics or computational fluid dynamics
• Experience with high‑performance computing environments

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous work on spacecraft or planetary atmosphere modeling
• Experience with mission data analysis
• Knowledge of NASA mission environments and constraints
• Familiarity with tools such as STAR-CCM+, COMSOL, or similar software.
• Knowledge in SPARTA (Stochastic PArallel Rarefied-gas Time-accurate Analyzer) and DAC (DSMC Analysis Code), or similar tools.

Point of Contact

Mikeala

Eligibility Requirements

• Degree: Doctoral Degree.