Optical Scientist (Civil Servant) in the Exoplanet Technologies group at NASA Ames Research Center

The Exoplanet Technologies group at the NASA Ames Research Center is seeking candidates for an Optical Scientist position (civil servant, GS12-13). The successful candidate shall advance the technology to directly image exoplanets in support of NASA’s future missions and concepts such as WFIRST, LUVOIR, HabEx, as well as possible smaller missions. This includes participating on existing and future projects of the NASA Ames Exoplanets Technology group, as well as inventing new technologies. In particular, the candidate shall perform some or all of the following:

(1) designing and simulating coronagraphs, both at a geometrical optics level (e.g. with Zemax), as well as at a wave optics level, with the goal of increasing science yield of future missions;

(2) designing and simulating adaptive wavefront control systems, especially in connection with Super-Nyquist and Multi-Star Wavefront Control (MSWC);

(3) improving the test environment and capabilities of the Ames Coronagraph Experiment laboratory by optimizing the hardware to be more stable mechanically and thermally, and improving the speed, stability, and user-friendliness of the data acquisition software;

(4) participating on tests at JPL’s High Contrast Imaging Testbed, which in particular includes testing the Phase-Induced Amplitude Apodization coronagraph, as well as Multi-Star Wavefront Control technologies, and may include ~10-20% travel to JPL;

(5) writing and supporting proposals for technology development and small missions. The successful candidate shall also attend scientific conferences, write peer-reviewed papers, as well as stay closely in touch with exoplanet direct imaging science by performing or supporting exoplanet observations.

For more details and to apply, please follow this link: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/search/?currentJobId=1752714450&f_C=2003%2C2000%2C2001%2C1999