Research Associate B - NASA

Dartmouth College - Hanover, NH

Full-time - Entry Level

Hanover, NH

Educational Services

About the position

The Research Associate B position at Dartmouth College is a term role focused on conducting experimental research in planetary science, specifically related to NASA projects on habitable worlds and cold technology. The role involves working in a state-of-the-art Ice Research Lab, collaborating with Dr. Jacob Buffo and his team to explore the thermophysical and biogeochemical properties of planetary analog ices. The position offers professional development opportunities and requires the candidate to lead research efforts, including paper writing and grant proposal submissions.

Responsibilities

• Conducts research related to NASA Habitable Worlds project (65%)
• Grows and maintains cell cultures and organic media for use in ice growth experiments.
• Conducts top-down ice growth experiments targeted at organic material and psychrophilic organism entrainment, dynamic interaction, and survivability in planetary analog ices.
• Leads physical and biogeochemical analysis of resultant ice cores (sample preparation, microscopy, microCT analysis, etc.).
• Leads paper writing efforts related to these tasks and presents findings at conferences.
• Conducts research related to NASA ColdTECH project (15%)
• Fabricates ice samples for use in fiberoptic cable ice adhesion experiments targeted at technology development for future ice-ocean world probe missions.
• Conducts uniaxial load experiments (fiber pull tests) on samples.
• Leads paper writing efforts related to these tasks.
• Works to find/obtain funding for research projects by writing grant proposals and applications.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• PhD with a major in planetary science, Earth science, microbiology, biogeochemistry, astrobiology, or equivalent.
• Four years of relevant research experience.
• Comprehensive knowledge of research methods, procedures, and techniques.
• Exceptional organizational and management skills to plan and organize the research approach and project parameters.
• Excellent oral communication and interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge of laboratory techniques, microscopy techniques/equipment, and computer software applications used for research investigations.
• Knowledge of biogeochemistry and ice-brine multiphase physics as applies to sea ice or planetary ices.
• Knowledge of psychrophilic organisms, their adaptation strategies in low temperature environments, and the limits of life as applies to ice-ocean world systems.
• Experience in culturing and maintaining cell/organism populations preferred.