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Assistant Research Physicist- Solar and Heliospheric Physics- Space Sciences Laboratory

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Position overview

Salary range: Salary will be commensurate with experience
Percent time: 100
Anticipated start: August or September 2021
Position duration: One year

Position description

Established six decades ago, UC Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory (SSL) was the realization of NASA’s vision to gather many of the most innovative and dedicated science minds in one place at the University of California, Berkeley. In the hill above Berkeley, physicists, researchers, biologists, engineers and technicians worked in unison: interacting, learning from one another, leading, challenging and inspiring one another in creating cutting-edge space science instrumentation and conducting top research. Through sixty years of NASA-funded support, their efforts, and those of hundreds of dedicated students and staff, have brought about myriad highlights, such as the space science missions of S3-3, ISEE, Polar, Van Allen Probes, Cluster, IMAGE, THEMIS, MAVEN, Parker Solar Probe, and ICON. All have contributed to new discoveries about the physics of space and initiated marked new advances in instrumentation technology.

We seek a candidate for investigations of wave-particle interaction processes and associated particle dynamics at the Earth’s magnetosphere and solar wind. The work involves the analysis of magnetic, electric, and plasma measurements from the solar wind missions Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter and the magnetosphere multi-spacecraft Van Allen Probes and Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) missions. The successful candidate will perform data analysis, theoretical studies, and modeling of space plasma processes. The successful candidate will be involved in national and international collaborations and will also be expected to present their results at national and international conferences as well as publish their results in leading journals. Expertise in the analysis of multi-point space plasma measurements and plasma instabilities, wave-wave/wave-particle interaction in a randomly inhomogeneous medium will be highly beneficial. In addition, experience in relevant theoretical modeling will be an advantage.

Qualifications

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)

PhD or equivalent international degree required at the time of application.

Additional qualifications (required at time of start)
  • Minimum two years of postdoctoral experience.
  • Record of research publications since PhD degree.
Preferred qualifications
  • A PhD in Space Physics or in a related field.
  • In-depth knowledge of space plasma physics
  • Significant expertise in data analysis, and scientific interpretation of space plasma physics data.
  • Experience in theoretical plasma physic: plasma instabilities, wave-wave/wave-particle interaction in a randomly inhomogeneous medium.
  • Experience in numerical simulations under the MHD and kinetic approximations
  • Expertise in scientific programming, such as IDL, Matlab, Python
  • Effective communication skills

Application Requirements

Document requirements
  • Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.

  • Statement of Research - 3-5 page statement of research interests and future plans.

  • Statement on Contributions to Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - Statement on your contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion, including information about your understanding of these topics, your record of activities to date, and your specific plans and goals for advancing equity and inclusion if hired at Berkeley (for additional information go to https://ofew.berkeley.edu/recruitment/contributions-diversity).

  • Publications List

  • Cover Letter (Optional)

Reference requirements
  • 3 required (contact information only)

Letters of reference will only be required of finalist.

Apply link: https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF03018

Help contact: cgarrie@berkeley.edu

About UC Berkeley

UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. The excellence of the institution requires an environment in which the diverse community of faculty, students, and staff are welcome and included. Successful candidates will demonstrate knowledge and skill related to ensuring equity and inclusion in the activities of their academic position (e.g., teaching, research, and service, as applicable).

The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct

In searches when letters of reference are required all letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality prior to submitting their letter.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

Job location

Berkeley, CA