GSFC/TESS Mission Support Scientist - CRESST II

Cresst Ii • Greenbelt, MD

2d

About The Position

The Mission Support Scientist will contribute to the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) team, resident within the Astrophysics Science Division at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. The position supports TESS scientific communities’ research activities and the development of scientific user tools for the TESS General Investigator program. The scientist will be employed by the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP), hold a UMCP faculty appointment, and be funded by GSFC through the CRESST II cooperative agreement.

The role combines program support and scientific work. The scientist will assist with peer review for the annual General Investigator proposal call; staff the TESS Help Desk; maintain the Science Support Center website and existing user tools; develop new tools to broaden participation in TESS science; and support community initiatives such as workshops and seminar series. The scientist is also expected to conduct research using TESS data.

The UMCP faculty title will be Postdoctoral Associate or Assistant Research Scientist. The salary range is $83,000–$110,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications. The start date is flexible but must be no later than August 2027. The initial appointment is two years, with possible extension contingent on performance and funding availability. Offers are contingent on completion of a background check, and the successful candidate must complete employment eligibility verification.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Astronomy, Physics, Computer Science, or a closely related field.
• 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.
• Strong software development skills.
• Familiarity with Python/AstroPy and GitHub.
• Excellent collaboration and communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to function well as a member of a team.

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated ability to serve as a professional representative of a major project.
• Experience with science support roles or web development.

Responsibilities

• Support the research activities of TESS scientific communities and development of scientific user tools for the TESS General Investigator program.
• Assist with peer review for the annual General Investigator proposal call.
• Staff the TESS Help Desk.
• Maintain the Science Support Center website and existing user tools.
• Develop new user tools to enable broad participation in TESS science.
• Support community-focused initiatives, including workshops and seminar series.
• Conduct scientific research using TESS data.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree