Pandora Research Graduate Student Intern

Company Description

Join us and make YOUR mark on the World!

Are you interested in joining some of the brightest talent in the world to strengthen the United States' security? Come join Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) where our employees apply their expertise to create solutions for BIG ideas that make our world a better place.

We are committed to a diverse and equitable workforce with an inclusive culture that values and celebrates the diversity of our people, talents, ideas, experiences, and perspectives. This is important for continued success of the Laboratory's mission.

Pay Range

$6,410 - $7,780 Monthly

This position is under a step structure. Please note that the step placement is determined by your most recent completed academic year.

Job Description

We have an opening for a PhD graduate student for a 6-month, in-person research position focused on the science objectives of the Pandora Small Satellite mission. Pandora will collect visible and near-infrared observations of nearby exoplanets, studying both their atmospheres and the variability of their host stars through long-term observations. The Pandora mission is funded by NASA's Pioneers program and is a collaboration between NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), NASA Ames Research Center, and various research and academic institutions.

This opportunity comes with a significant time allocation on LLNL's world-leading high-performance computing platforms so is particularly well suited for a student with interests in compute-intensive modelling and simulation projects. There will be also opportunities to directly interface with the Pandora engineering team based at LLNL and the potential to work on science projects related to instrumentation.

The student will work under the supervision of an LLNL scientist within the Pandora collaboration. The specific project topic is flexible and can be designed to align with the student's research interests and PhD thesis project. This position is in the Astronomy & Astrophysics Analytics Group within the Physics Division.

Applications are due by COB December 1, 2024. The start date for this opportunity is flexible but can be no later than March 31, 2025.

Depending on your assignment, this position may offer a hybrid schedule, blending in-person and virtual presence. You may have the flexibility to work from home one or more days per week.

You will

• Collaborate with LLNL scientists and engineers on research and development related to the Pandora Small Satellite.
• Attend weekly seminars, including the Space Science Institute seminar series
• Learn techniques related to high performance computing systems and cutting-edge statistical inference and modeling methods.
• Conduct independent research with limited supervision.
• Analyze research results and provide weekly updates to the Pandora collaboration.
• Present findings through presentations and poster sessions.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Must be a current graduate student in good standing at an accredited institution.
• Academic achievement in astrophysics, demonstrated through peer-reviewed publications.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to present complex concepts effectively.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.

Qualifications We Desire

• Experience with high-performance computing systems
• Familiarity with the science goals and requirements of the Pandora mission
• Experience with Gaussian process models and Bayesian inference libraries
• Experience with exoplanet atmospheric retrieval codes
• Experience with automatic differentiation programming frameworks such as JAX

Additional Information

#LI-Hybrid

Why Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory?

• Included in 2024 Best Places to Work by Glassdoor!
• Holiday Pay
• Sick leave accrual
• Individual 401(k) contributions
• Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accountability (IDEA) - visit https://www.llnl.gov/diversity
• Our core beliefs - visit https://www.llnl.gov/diversity/our-values
• Employee engagement - visit https://www.llnl.gov/diversity/employee-engagement

Security Clearance

None required.However, if your assignment is longer than 179 days cumulatively within a calendar year, you must go through the Personal Identity Verification process. This process includes completing an online background investigation form and receiving approval of the background check. (This process does not apply to foreign nationals.)

Pre-Employment Drug Test

External applicant(s) selected for this position must pass a post-offer, pre-employment drug test. This includes testing for use of marijuana as Federal Law applies to us as a Federal Contractor.

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Ifyou useamedical device, whichpairs with a mobile device,you must still follow the rules concerningthe mobile device in individual sections within Limited Areas. Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities requireseparate approval. Hearing aids without wireless capabilities or wireless that has been disabled are allowed in Limited Areas, Secure Space and Transit/Buffer Space within buildings.

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