Advances in Satellite Remote Sensing of Ocean Phytoplankton and Biogeochemistry

Warning
This opportunity is closed.
Organization
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Reference Code
0266-NPP-MAR26-GSFC-EarthSci
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:

  1. Research proposal
  2. Three letters of recommendation
  3. 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 objectives of this research are to take advantage of the hyperspectral and ultraviolet capabilities on NASA’s current and upcoming ocean color satellite missions, PACE and GLIMR, to infer biological and biogeochemical constituent concentrations and rates from the derived optical properties. Specifically, the aims are to develop advanced algorithms to retrieve from PACE and GLIMR remote sensing reflectance one or more of the following data products, (1) dissolved and particulate organic carbon concentrations and fluxes in coastal ocean and estuarine systems, (2) phytoplankton community composition targeting the major taxonomic groups or harmful algal blooms and track the formation and succession of phytoplankton populations, (3) surface water velocity vectors and trajectories of materials such as suspended sediments and organic matter, and (4) to discern changes in ocean color properties to quantify event-based (e.g., freshet, storms, etc.) impacts to phytoplankton and organic matter. Existing and newly developed algorithms are applied to generate regional or global satellite time-series observations to investigate phytoplankton communities, biogeochemical cycling, and the coupling between physical and biogeochemical processes on time scales of days to years. A critical component of this research includes determining uncertainties of these ocean remote sensing data products and derived geophysical trends. Potential research areas include ship- and laboratory-based measurements to enable development of in situ bio-optical algorithms for ocean color satellite retrievals and validation.

Field of Science: Earth Science

Advisors:

Antonio Mannino
antonio.mannino-1@nasa.gov
(301) 286-0182

 

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.
NPP
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