GSFC/TESS Mission Support Scientist - CRESST II

Applications are now being accepted for a mission support scientist to contribute to the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) team, resident within the Astrophysics Science Division at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The mission support scientist will support the breadth of TESS scientific communities research activities and the development of scientific user tools for the TESS General Investigator program. The scientist would be employed by, and have a faculty appointment, at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP), funded by GSFC through the Center for Research and Exploration in Space Science and Technology II (CRESST II) cooperative agreement.

TESS is a NASA mission that launched in 2018 and is now in its third extended mission. Equipped with four wide-angle optical telescopes and associated CCD detectors, TESS conducts long uninterrupted observations of the sky at high photometric precision. To date, TESS has discovered over 1000 confirmed exoplanets and thousands more candidate exoplanets. TESS is also a powerhouse for stellar astrophysics and makes important contributions to extragalactic astrophysics and solar system science. NASA/GSFC administers TESS’s General Investigator program and Science Support Center to enable scientists from around the world to use TESS for their own research.

The scientist would have both program support and scientific responsibilities. The scientist would assist with the peer review for the annual call for proposals as part of the General Investigator proposals. Along with the rest of the TESS Science Support Center team, the scientist would staff the TESS Help Desk, maintain the Science Support Center’s website and existing user tools, develop new user tools to enable broad participation in TESS science, and support community focused initiatives including workshops, seminar series, and more. The scientist also would be expected to conduct scientific research with TESS data.

Applicants must have a Ph.D. in Astronomy, Physics, Computer Science, or closely related field, with at least two years of demonstrated experience since earning the Ph.D. in high-precision photometric data analysis, time-series analysis, light-curve modeling and/or TESS science. Applicants must have strong software development skills and familiarity with Python/AstroPy and GitHub. Excellent collaboration and communication skills, along with demonstrated ability to function well as a member of a team, are essential. A demonstrated ability to serve as a professional representative of a major project and additional experience with science support roles or web development are desirable but not required.

Applicants must submit one combined PDF to the 'Upload Resume' function that includes a Curriculum Vita, including a full list of publications and presentations, and a statement of research interests to https://cresst2.breezy.hr/p/ed66c41996f1. They must also arrange to have three letters submitted directly by references to https://forms.gle/NKNDLkti8yT6F4eY7. All completed applications, including the reference letters, submitted by Monday, November 30th will receive full consideration. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

The TESS mission support scientist will hold a UMCP faculty title of Postdoctoral Associate or Assistant Research Scientist with a competitive salary in the range of $83,000 - $110,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications. The start date is flexible but must be by August 2027. The initial term will be two years, with the possibility of extension contingent on performance and funding availability. For more information about TESS, contact Dr. Allison Youngblood (allison.a.youngblood@nasa.gov). For information on CRESST II or UMCP, including details of faculty appointments at UMCP, contact Dr. Tracy Huard thuard(at)umd.edu.

Benefits Summary

For more information on Regular Faculty benefits, select this link.

Background Checks: Offers of employment are contingent on completion of a background check. Information reported by the background check will not automatically disqualify anyone from employment. Before any adverse decision, the finalist will have an opportunity to provide information to the University regarding disclosable background check information. The University reserves the right to rescind the offer of employment or otherwise decline or terminate employment if the information reported by the background check is deemed incompatible with the position, regardless of when the background check is completed.

Employment Eligibility: The successful candidate must complete employment eligibility verification (on Form I-9) by presenting documents that establish identity and work authorization within the timeframe required by federal immigration law, and where applicable, to demonstrate renewed employment authorization. Failure to complete employment eligibility verification or reverification within the timeframe set forth by law may result in suspension or termination of employment.

EEO Statement: The University of Maryland, College Park is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment. Please read the University’s Equal Employment Opportunity Statement of Policy.

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