"How come we have not been visited by intellegent life if it does exist? Is it because they cannot travel faster than the speed of light? "
Astrobiology Careers and Employment
The Astrobiology Careers and Employment page is a compilation of career opportunities available to astrobiologists. Please email Julie Fletcher to send additional listings.
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Postdoctoral Fellowship Opportunity at Arizona State University
The Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science http://beyond.asu.edu at Arizona State University invites applications for a postdoctoral research position in origin of life research, specifically focusing on the physics governing the transition from nonliving to living matter, to start in Fall 2013. Ideal candidates will have a background in computational modeling of complex systems, information theory, and/or dynamical systems. Members of the group include Paul Davies and Sara Imari Walker. Applicants should send a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and a statement of research interests, and should arrange to have 3 letters of recommendation sent to Jeanette Perez at...
May 20, 2013 / Posted by: Julie Fletcher -
Astrobiology Winter School "Water and the Evolution of Life in the Universe"
Where Manoa, Hawaii
The University of Hawaii node of the NAI is pleased to announce that it is hosting another astrobiology winter school on the topic of “Water and the Evolution of Life in the Universe” to be held January 1-14, 2014 on the island of Hawaii.
This educational experience is aimed at early career scientists. It features world class speakers, unique field-trips and an opportunity to meet and interact with a cohort of like-minded young scientists.
Applications are via the web, and the deadline is May 31st
http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/UHNAI/2014winterschool/apply.cfm
May 9, 2013 / Posted by: Julie Fletcher -
Simons Postdoctoral Fellowship Opportunity - Request for Applications
Application Deadline: May 31, 2013
The Simons Foundation, a private nonprofit foundation based in New York City, sponsors a range of programs that aim to promote a deeper understanding of our world. The foundation’s mission is to advance the frontiers of research in mathematics and the basic sciences.
The origins of life is one of the great, unsolved scientific problems of our age. To advance our understanding of the processes that led to the emergence of life, the Simons Foundation has established the Simons Collaboration on the Origins of Life. The collaboration aims to support creative, innovative research on topics such...
May 6, 2013 / Posted by: Julie Fletcher -
Additional Prebiotic Chemistry/Origin of Life/Astrobiology Post-Doctoral Research Associate Position Available at University of Akron, Ohio
A Post-Doctoral Research Associate position in the areas of Prebiotic Chemistry/Origin of Life/Astrobiology is available immediately in the research group of Prof. Nita Sahai. Our research interests are to examine the potential role of minerals in the evolutionary selection of model lipid protocells, in eneregy transduction as prebiotic enzymes and in promoting RNA nucleotide formation and replication. The ideal candidate should have expertise in working with lipid/amphiphile vesicles, including but not limited to, fluorescence microscopy, quantitative fluorometry, nanoparticle characterization, working in a glove bag controlled atmorphere, HPLC and the usual other wet chemistry techniques. The initital appointment is...
April 25, 2013 / Posted by: Julie Fletcher -
Research Space Scientist Position Available (NASA Ames Research Center)
The Exobiology Branch (Code SSX) at NASA Ames Research Center is currently seeking interested applicants for the position of Research Space Scientist. The incumbent is responsible for conducting microbiological and/or geologic research to identify biosignatures that characterize past/present life in environments related to astrobiology. He/she studies the origin, composition, structure, and evolution of the solar system, including planets and satellites; the Earth and Moon; and meteorites, asteroids, comets and dust.
Application Deadline: April 24, 2013.
For further information, and to apply, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/341431400April 10, 2013 / Posted by: Julie Fletcher -
Postdoctoral Faculty Opportunity at The University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia
The University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, Australia is looking for a new faculty staff member in Earth Sciences, specifically for candidates with up to 7 years post-PhD experience (not more). http://www.science.unsw.edu.au/opportunities
UNSW is looking for someone who is a good researcher and a good teacher to share the load of teaching first year courses and to develop their own research profile in any aspect of earth sciences.
UNSW is a broad and diverse school, spanning biology, earth and environmental sciences, including climate science and the Australian Centre for Astrobiology. The earth sciences component is very...
April 8, 2013 / Posted by: Julie Fletcher -
2013 Soffen Travel Grants
The Gerald A. Soffen Memorial Fund is pleased to announce the first of two 2013 Travel Grant application opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing studies in fields of space science and engineering.
The Travel Grants, in the amount of $500, enable student recipients to attend professional meetings to present their research. The first 2013 Travel Grant application deadline is April 15, 2013. Jerry Soffen, a biologist by training, led a distinguished career in NASA, including serving as the Project Scientist for Viking and as an architect for the NASA Astrobiology Institute. The Travel Grant continues Jerry’s...
April 8, 2013 / Posted by: Julie Fletcher -
Postdoctoral Position at University of Hawaii - Department of Chemistry & W.M. Keck Research Laboratory in Astrochemistry
One postdoctoral position in experimental physical chemistry and chemical physics (reaction dynamics, astrobiology, astrochemistry) is open at the Department of Chemistry, University of Hawai’i at Manoa, for the period of initially one year to investigate the formation of dipeptides in astrophysically relevant ices by ionizing radiation.
The salary is competitive and commensurate with experience ranging from 39,000 $ to 45,000 $. Successful applicants should have a strong back-ground in experimental reaction dynamics, surface scattering, UHV technology, and spectroscopy including FTIR and Raman. Programming experience in Matlab, Labview, and autocad along with knowledge in the generation of tunable
March 7, 2013 / Posted by: Julie Fletcher -
Postdoctoral Fellowship Opportunities at Harvard University Origins of Life
The Harvard Origins of Life Initiative is a multi-disciplinary research program at the intersection of biochemistry and planetary astronomy. Our goal is to discover how the initial conditions on planets, including our Earth, determined their biochemistry and life forms. This knowledge will eventually allow targeted studies of planets that might harbor life, including Earth twins. The Initiative is an active, vibrant community of students, faculty and researchers in this exciting new field.
We invite applications for Origins Postdoctoral Fellows who will pursue independent research on topics related to origins of life in collaboration with one or more Harvard faculty members in...
February 28, 2013 / Posted by: Julie Fletcher -
Geobiology Postdoctoral Fellowship Opportunities
Application Deadline: March 15, 2013
The Agouron Institute is offering three two-year Geobiology Postdoctoral Fellowships with funding beginning on 1 July 2013. The Agouron Institute awards postdoctoral research fellowships to recent PhD scientists pursuing advanced research training in the field of geobiology.
For information on how to apply visit: http://www.agi.org/grants-GBF.html
February 13, 2013 / Posted by: Julie Fletcher -
Postdoctoral Research Opportunity at Montana State University
Position Available: March 1, 2013
Environmental Microbiology/Molecular Biology/Geochemistry
Land Resources and Environmental Sciences Department
Montana State University, BozemanOur laboratory is focused on the structure and function of archaeal-dominated microbial communities important in geothermal systems of Yellowstone National Park (YNP). This position is central to our accomplishments over the next two years, which will focus on detailed dissection of novel phylotypes present in various geothermal settings, integration of proteomic and transcriptomic datasets with custom reference genomic databases, detailed studies of microbial interactions occurring among community members, and development of specific linkages among regulated microbial processes and geochemical...
February 11, 2013 / Posted by: Julie Fletcher -
AbGradCon 2013
Abstract submission Deadline: CLOSED – March 15, 2013
The 10th annual Astrobiology Graduate Conference (AbGradCon), an interdisciplinary conference organized by and for graduate students and early career scientists, will be held at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from June 10th – 14th, 2013. Pre- and early-career scientists (astronomers, biologists, chemists, educators, engineers, geologists, planetary scientists and social scientists) whose research addresses a topic relevant to astrobiology are encouraged submit for oral and / or poster presentations. The submission form can be found here: http://www.abgradcon.org/applicationform.html For more information and updates, visit www.abgradcon.org
February 11, 2013 / Posted by: Julie Fletcher -
NASA Planetary Science Summer School Applications
Applications are due April 5, 2013
NASA is accepting applications from science and engineering post-docs, recent PhDs, and doctoral students for its 25th Annual Planetary Science Summer School, which will hold two separate sessions this summer (July 29-August 2 and August 12-16) at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. During the program and pre-session webinars, student teams will carry out the equivalent of an early mission concept study, prepare a proposal authorization review presentation, present it to a review board, and receive feedback. By the end of the session, students will have a clearer understanding of the life...
January 22, 2013 / Posted by: Julie Fletcher -
Geobiology 2013: An International Training Course in a Rapidly Evolving Field
Applications due: February 15, 2013
In this intense multidisciplinary summer course, June 9 – July 12, explore the coevolution of the Earth and its biosphere, with emphasis on how microbial processes affect the environment and leave imprints on the rock record. Participants get hands-on experience in cutting-edge geobiological techniques including molecular biology, bioinformatics, geochemistry, petrology and sedimentology, and work in research groups to solve relevant questions. The course will involve a field trip to the Great Salt Lake and southern Wyoming. Lab work will be conducted at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado, USC/Caltech/JPL in...
January 10, 2013 / Posted by: Julie Fletcher -
Astrobiology Program Early Career Collaboration Award
The NASA Astrobiology Program Early Career Collaboration Award offers research-related travel support for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Applicants are encouraged to use these resources to circulate among two or more research teams, however any travel that is critical for the applicant’s research will be considered. Travelers must be formally affiliated with a U.S. institution. Requests are limited to $5,000. The next deadline is April 1, 2013
For more information, see http://astrobiology2.arc.nasa.gov/nai/funding/astrobiology-program-travel-awards/
January 9, 2013 / Posted by: Julie Fletcher -
NASA Postdoctoral Fellowship Opportunities for Ph.D. Scientists and Engineers
Application Deadline: July 1, 2013
The NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) provides opportunities for Ph.D. scientists and engineers of unusual promise and ability to perform research on problems largely of their own choosing, yet compatible with the research interests of the NASA Astrobiology Program.
As noted on the NPP Web site (http://nasa.orau.org/postdoc), the Astrobiology Program does not participate in every application/award cycle. The next award cycle that the Astrobiology Program will participate in will be for the July 1, 2013 application deadline. Additional information and application instructions are available at http://nasa.orau.org/postdoc/application.
Applicants must have a...
December 21, 2012 / Posted by: Julie Fletcher -
NASA YSS Undergraduate Planetary Science Research Conference
Applications due: February 8, 2013
Due to the popularity of last year’s conference, the NASA Year of the Solar System (YSS) Undergraduate Planetary Science Research Conference is again being hosted in conjunction with LPSC March 18-22, 2013 in The Woodlands, Texas.
The NASA YSS Undergraduate Planetary Science Research Conference will include:
• Panels on “How to Choose the Grad School Right for You,” “Alternative Careers in Science,” and “Women in Planetary Science”
• Poster sessions where students will present their posters to other students and to the scientific community
• “Meeting Mentors,” which will pair students with...December 21, 2012 / Posted by: Julie Fletcher -
The Lewis and Clark Fund for Exploration and Field Research in Astrobiology
Application Deadline: February 1, 2013
The American Philosophical Society and the NASA Astrobiology Institute have partnered to promote the continued exploration of the world around us through a program of research grants in support of astrobiological field studies undertaken by graduate students, postdoctoral students, and early career scientists who are affiliated with U.S. institutions.
The Lewis and Clark Fund for Exploration and Field Research in Astrobiology is designed for field studies in any area of astrobiology research. Grants may be used for travel and related expenses, including field equipment, up to $5,000. Applications will be reviewed by a committee that includes...
December 12, 2012 / Posted by: Julie Fletcher -
Post-doctoral Opportunity in GC-MS Analysis in Marseille, France
Application Submission Deadline: April 2013
The Volatile Analyses coming from the Heating of Interstellar Ice Analogs (VAHIIA) project is offering a two year post-doctoral position in analytical chemistry, specifically in GC-MS analyses.
The candidate must hold a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry with an area of expertise in GC-MS analyses. The focus of this research will be analysis using GC-MS of volatiles coming from the heating of ices previously formed and irradiated (UV) at low temperatures (20K) and low pressure (10-8mbar). These experiments simulate the chemical evolution that could undergo the organic matter from the interstellar medium to its...
December 7, 2012 / Posted by: Julie Fletcher -
Postdoctoral Researcher, CNRS, University of Nantes, France (Chemical exchanges on waterrich worlds: Experimentation and modelling)
The Laboratory of Plantetology and Geodynamics of Nantes, CNRS/University of Nantes, France, invites applications for one postdoctoral position in the area of chemistry and evolution of icy moons and water-rich exoplanets. The proposed work is part of the EXOWATER project that is funded by the European Research Council (ERC Starting grants 2010). The main goal of the EXOWATER project is to characterize the chemical exchanges on water-rich worlds, including Titan, Enceladus, Europa, Ganymede and water-rich exoplanets that will be detected in a near future.
In this context, experimental investigations on gas clathrate hydrates are conducted in...
November 8, 2012 / Posted by: Julie Fletcher -
Graduate Student Opportunities in Microbial Paleobiology and Geochemistry, Departments of Geology and Chemistry, University of Cincinnati
I am looking for M.S. or Ph.D. students to join my lab at the University of Cincinnati in the Department of Geology. Overall, I am interested in the early history of life on Earth, evidence for which can come from morphological and geochemical studies of microfossils as well as chemical and isotopic signatures in ancient sediments. I am also interested in the Phanerozoic record of microbes. I have an affiliation with the NASA Astrobiology Institute and there will be opportunities for students to get involved.
Possible topics that students could pursue include: *Precambrian record of deep-water microbiotas *Metabolisms of...
November 5, 2012 / Posted by: Julie Fletcher -
NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship (NESSF) Program
The deadline for NEW applications is February 1, 2013, and the deadline for RENEWAL applications is March 15, 2013.
NASA announces a call for graduate fellowship proposals to the NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship (NESSF) program for the 2013-2014 academic year. This call for fellowship proposals solicits applications from accredited U.S. universities on behalf of individuals pursuing Master of Science (M.Sc.) or Doctoral (Ph.D.) degrees in Earth and space sciences, or related disciplines. The purpose of NESSF is to ensure continued training of a highly qualified workforce in disciplines needed to achieve NASA’s scientific...
November 5, 2012 / Posted by: Julie Fletcher -
Student Opportunity: LPI Summer Intern Program in Planetary Science
Application Deadline: January 18, 2013
Applications Now Being Accepted for the 2012 Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) Summer Intern Program in Planetary Science. The LPI invites undergraduates with at least 50 semester hours of credit to experience research in the planetary sciences. As a summer intern, you will work one-on-one with a scientist either at the LPI or NASA Johnson Space Center on a research project of current interest in planetary science. Furthermore, you will participate in peer-reviewed research, learn from top-notch planetary scientists, and preview various careers in science.
The 10-week program begins June 3,...
October 30, 2012 / Posted by: Julie Fletcher -
Ph.D. studentship in Physics at the Stockholm University Astrobiology Centre
The Stockholm University Astrobiology Centre jointly announces a fully funded, 4-year PhD student position. The successful applicant will work in the research project “Negative ions in the universe”
The position at the Physics Department will concern investigations of gas-phase processes of anions. Although many studies have been carried out on anions in solution, little research has been performed on anions in the gas phase. However, interest in these species and their formation and destruction processes has been spurred by the recent detections of anions in dark clouds and circumstellar envelopes as well as in Titan’s ionosphere by the Cassini spacecraft. At...
October 5, 2012 / Posted by: Julie Fletcher -
2012 Early Career Research Focus Group
For the past four years, early career scientists have organized a Research Focus Group (RFG), preceding the Astrobiology Graduate Student conference (AbGradCon) in which participants are grouped into interdisciplinary groups to develop original research projects, draft a written proposal, peer-review the proposals of other groups and then vote on the best proposals.
For 2012 the RFG was held at USC’s Wrigley Institute on Catalina Island, CA in late August. The group selected the following proposals:
1st choice: Characterization of Residual Biosignatures in Arctic Glacial Environments: A Remote Sensing Study for Biosignature Detection on Mars and Icy Worlds
Group 8:...October 2, 2012 / Posted by: Julie Fletcher -
5 week course on Astrobiology and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life
This 5 week course beginning January 28th, 2013 at the University of Edinburgh will explore what we know about life’s ability to live in extreme environments on the Earth. We will look at some of the missions to search for life in our own Solar System and on planets orbiting distant stars. We will discuss some of the extreme environments on the Earth that help us understand the limits of life and how life has adapted to cope with extremes. We will explore the possibility of intelligent alien life and some of the implications of its detection. The course will...
September 24, 2012 / Posted by: Julie Fletcher -
Volunteer Opportunity: Morocco 2013 Mars Analog Field Simulation
February 1 – 28, 2013, the Austrian Space Forum – in partnership with the Ibn Battuta Center in Marrakesh – will conduct an integrated Mars analog field simulation in the northern Sahara near Erfoud, Morocco.
This could be your chance to get involved in frontline space research! PolAres is organized by making use of both professionals and volunteers, as it has been demonstrated through the AustroMars project very successfully. Hence, the Austrian Space Forum offers volunteers the opportunity to become part of the program by providing their individual expertise (e.g. management, arts, engineering, expedition safety etc…).
For more information visit:
June 28, 2012 / Posted by: Julie Fletcher
