Astrophysics: Gravitational Radiation as a Window on the Universe

Warning

This opportunity is closed.

Organization

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Reference Code

0031-NPP-MAR26-GSFC-Astrophys

How to Apply

All applications must be submitted in Zintellect

Please visit the NASA Postdoctoral Program website for application instructions and requirements: How to Apply | NASA Postdoctoral Program (orau.org)

A complete application to the NASA Postdoctoral Program includes:

Research proposal
Three letters of recommendation
Official doctoral transcript documents

Application Deadline

4/2/2026 6:00:59 PM Eastern Time Zone

Description

About the NASA Postdoctoral Program

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.

Description:

The gravitational wave astrophysics group at NASA/GSFC works in the burgeoning field of gravitational wave astronomy and astrophysics. Predicted by general relativity, gravitational waves are disturbances in spacetime produced by the motion of massive compact objects such as black holes, neutron stars, and white dwarfs. Since the first detection in 2015, facilities around the globe have detected hundreds of events yielding new insights into these objects, their environments and provenance, and the underlying physics of gravity itself.

Two major areas of research in the group are Computational Astrophysics and development of the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission. Computational Astrophysics applies powerful modern computing technology to simulate the complex interactions of compact objects and their environments and predict the gravitational and electromagnetic signals that current and future instruments will detect. LISA is a space-based gravitational wave detector under development through a partnership of NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) that will study gravitational waves in the source-rich milliHertz frequency band when it launches in the mid-2030s. Expected LISA sources include the inspiral and merger of supermassive black hole binaries at high redshift, continuous GW emission from compact binaries in the Milky Way, and capture of compact objects by massive black holes.

Research opportunities in the gravitational wave astrophysics group include LISA mission design, LISA instrument technology, LISA data analysis development, investigations of strong gravity environments using both numerical relativity and analytic approximation methods, and astrophysics of gravitational wave sources. Interdisciplinary research projects are strongly encouraged.

Location:
Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland

Field of Science:Astrophysics

Advisors:

James Thorpe
james.i.thorpe@nasa.gov
301-286-5382

Demosthenes Kazanas
Demos.Kazanas-1@nasa.gov
301-286-7680

Jeremy Schnittman
jeremy.d.schnittman@nasa.gov
301-286-8069

Scott C. Noble
scott.c.noble@nasa.gov
(301) 286-6753

Ann Hornschemeier Cardiff

ann.h.cardiff@nasa.gov

301-286-7632

Ryan DeRosa

ryan.t.derosa@nasa.gov

301-286-2704

Jacob Slutsky

jacob.p.slutsky@nasa.gov

301-286-2285

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.

Eligibility is currently open to:

U.S. Citizens;
U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR);
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 1) a valid EAD card and 2) I-485 or I-589 forms in pending status

Questions about this opportunity? Please email npp@orau.org

Eligibility Requirements

Degree: Doctoral Degree.

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