Research

Job Openings

 

 

Clean Technology Researcher

Department:  Mayor’s Office of Economic Development; Clean Technology Team

Position:  Graduate Level Intern

The Mayor is committed to building the green economy and making Los Angeles a global leader in the research, development, and production of clean technology.  The City has launched a number of significant efforts towards this goal, including the CleanTech Corridor, CleanTech LA, and the Harbor Green Cluster. 

New technologies relating to renewable energy, energy efficiency, water purification, recycling, pollution control, electric vehicles and alternative transportation fuels will be a major source of economic growth in the coming decade. The Mayor’s goal is to establish Los Angeles as a global leader in the development of the clean technology industry, to create jobs, stimulate demand for clean technology goods and services and facilitate environmental solutions made in Los Angeles.

The Clean Technology Intern is responsible for supporting the Clean Technology Team in advancing the Mayor’s policy priorities related to the green economy and clean technology.  The Clean Technology Intern will report to the Director of Economic Development Strategy and Clean Tech Liaison within the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development.   

The intern will have opportunities to interact with senior members of Los Angeles’ business community and entrepreneurs, senior leaders at local universities, and key policy-makers in City government.  The intern will have access to high level conferences and events relating to clean technology and local government.

The Clean Technology Intern will:

    1. Provide project support for some of the Mayor’s lead policies, including the CleanTech Corridor and CleanTech Los Angeles organization

    2. Provide timely, well-researched briefings for mayoral staff on technological, financial, and regulatory developments affecting the clean tech industry

    3. Assist in the attraction, growth and retention of clean technology companies, including researching cleantech firms, products and services

    4. Liaise with local universities (UCLA, USC, and Caltech) on technology transfer issues (e.g., facilitate pilot projects with city departments, etc)

    5. Support the development of a cleantech business incubator in Los Angeles

    6. Interact with City agencies that are working to implement the Mayor’s clean technology agenda, including Community Redevelopment Agency, Department of Water and Power, and Port of LA

    7. Support communications efforts relating to clean technology through www.CleanTechLA.org, the CleanTech LA e-newsletter, and various new media outlets

    8. Respond to communications received from cleantech companies, investors and others via email, telephone and new media

    9. Track federal Recovery Act funds and other grants that may support clean technology projects

    10. Conduct research and synthesize findings on an “as needed” basis on overall economic conditions, key industries, and local business news

 

Minimum Qualifications:

  • A strong interest in the work of Mayor Villaraigosa in the areas of economic development and environmental affairs.

  • Undergraduate degree required preferably in related area (eg. business, economics, political science, public policy, environmental science, engineering).

  • An interest in working with elected officials, government agencies and/or community based organizations.

  • Ability to manage multiple tasks, multiple goals, solve problems, and establish priorities among assignments.

  • Strong interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.

  • Technological savvy relating to web publishing, social networking, and graphic design a plus

  • The importance of public service as a noble calling is a deeply held value of Mayor Villaraigosa and must be shared by all who work for his administration.

 

Schedule:

This internship carries an expectation of 20 hours per week on a regular schedule for a minimum of one semester.  Some assignments may be completed remotely.

Location:

This position is based at City Hall in Downtown Los Angeles

Interested candidates should submit the following via email:

  • Resume

  • Cover letter

  • Writing sample of no more than 10 pages

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa

Attention: Alex Fay

Clean Tech Liaison

Los Angeles City Hall

200 N. Spring St., Room 303

Los Angeles, CA 90012

alex.fay@lacity.org

 

Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Atmospheric Chemistry at UCLA

The Department of Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), invites applications for two postdoctoral research fellows. Immediate emphasis will involve exploiting Earth satellite missions using regional and global three-dimensional chemistry and transport models (CTMs), with focuses on (1) the effects of wildfires on Southern California
regional air quality and climate, and (2) the use of atmospheric concentration measurements in combination with inverse modeling methods to constrain emissions of pollutants. The projects are close collaborations with Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and the successful candidate(s) will spend significant time at JPL working closely with related satellite science teams.

Applicants should have a recent Ph.D. in atmospheric science or a closely related field. A strong background in atmospheric chemistry and transport modeling and/or satellite data analysis is desirable. Experience with either CMAQ, WRF-Chem, or global CTMs like GEOS-Chem is a plus. The appointment is contingent upon completion of the Ph.D. The position is awarded initially
for a one-year period and may be renewed in one-year increments for a maximum of two additional years.

Interested candidates should send their curriculum vitae and a list of three references to: Dr. Qinbin Li, Department of Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), 7127 Mathematical Sciences Bldg., Los Angeles, CA 90095-1565. (Email: qli@atmos.ucla.edu)

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

Internship Opportunity: Australian Consulate-General, Los Angeles

Starting April 2009

More Information (PDF)

Postdoctoral position in Computer Sciences/ Atmospheric Remote Sensing

This is a new, full-time position. Initial consideration will be given to applications received prior to April 2nd, 2009. Thereafter, applications will be reviewed on an as-needed basis.

Point of contact: simone.tanelli@jpl.nasa.gov

BASIC JOB DESCRIPTION: A postdoctoral position in computer sciences/atmospheric remote sensing is available at the UCLA Joint Institute for Regional Earth System Science and Engineering (JIFRESSE). The successful candidate will contribute to the development of the Instrument Simulator Suite for Atmospheric Remote Sensing (ISSARS), a new project funded by NASA’s Earth Science Technology Office, lead by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and in collaboration with NASA Langley Research Center, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Colorado State University, and other research institutes.

The project will implement a modular, computationally efficient simulator capable of generating realistic observations by existing and future remote sensing instruments in space from simulated fields generated by atmospheric models. Simulated quantities will include measurements from real-aperture active and passive instruments, and from the microwave to the UV (e.g., radars, lidars, radiometers, imagers).

The candidate will work full time at JPL.

His/her main responsibility is to integrate multiple instrument simulator programs into a common framework by decomposing them into functional modules, building a standardized input and output interface and wrap them into web services. The candidate will also support the PI in the  development and testing of ISSARS infrastructure and web-based user interface, development and testing of new scattering and propagation algorithms, and analysis of simulated quantities from a set of case studies.

The appointment is for the duration of the project (3-years).

Qualifications: 

  • Ph.D degree in Computer Sciences, Atmospheric Sciences, Physical Sciences, or Electromagnetics within the past five years from an accredited college or university.

  • Required proficiency and proved experience in Fortran and/or C.

 Experience in one or more of the following fields is also desirable: 

  • Demonstrated knowledge of Matlab and or IDL.

  • Demonstrated skill in web authoring, web services and scripting languages (e.g., Java, Perl, MySQL).

  • Demonstrated understanding of remote sensing, electromagnetic wave propagation and scattering, atmospheric sciences.

 Other desirable skills:

  • Demonstrated capacity to work collaboratively as part of a team effort.

  • Ability to finish large projects and smaller assignments on schedule with some supervision.

  • Ability to communicate effectively with scientists of diverse backgrounds and to present research results accurately in both oral and written form. The applicant will be expected to publish peer-reviewed journal articles and effectively communicate with a wide range of scientists that include atmospheric scientists, physicists, and engineers.

Research Scientist in Ocean Remote Sensing

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory invites applications for a full-time position in the field of satellite oceanography and ocean remote sensing.  The applicant will join a broad-based team of researchers in oceanography, who analyze spaceborne and complementary in-situ observations, carry out ocean modeling and data assimilation, support existing ocean satellite missions and help develop new remote sensing techniques for future satellite oceanography missions.

The successful applicant should have a Ph.D. degree plus 8+ years of research experience in the field of satellite oceanography and ocean remote sensing, as evidenced by a significant record of peer-reviewed publications and funded research proposals.  Emphasis will be on remote sensing of sea surface height, salinity, temperature, vector winds, color and marine gravimetry.  Experience developing satellite data retrieval algorithms, instruments, methods for data analysis  or sensor calibration and validation, and in the design of satellite missions are desirable.   The incumbent will analyze and interpret data from an array of instruments, and participate in establishing the science foundation and requirements for future satellite oceanography missions.  Opportunities exist to participate in existing satellite oceanographic missions and science teams. The incumbent is expected to support future satellite oceanography missions as recommended by the Decadal Survey study.  There are collaborative opportunities with nearby universities such as the California Institute of Technology and the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA).  Joint research faculty appointments with UCLA can be made through the Joint Institute for Regional Earth System Science and Engineering (JIFRESSE).   Familiarity with NASA's satellite oceanography missions and programs is desirable.  Startup funds will be available for up to three years, during which time the successful candidate will develop an externally funded research program.

If you'd like to join the JPL Oceanography program, please apply online (Job ID#8012).  Applications will be reviewed as they are received.  The applicant should include a curriculum vitae, list of peer-reviewed publications, names and contact information of at least three professional references, and a statement of research interests.

Postdoctoral Research Position in Cloud Remote Sensing


The Joint Institute for Regional Earth System Science and Engineering (JIFRESSE) at the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA), in conjunction with the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, invites applications for a post-doctoral research position in the area of cloud remote sensing. The successful applicant will investigate the processes controlling cloud formation and their impact on climate from an innovative combination of NASA A-train sensors that includes (but not limited to) the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). Initially, responsibilities will include the development of optimal estimation-based retrievals of cirrus cloud properties. The resulting retrievals will be used to test global and regional model predictions of cirrus distribution and their role in climate. Furthermore, this analysis will be used in part to support mission definition for new NASA instruments proposed in the NRC Decadal Survey. The candidate will be expected to publish research results in the refereed literature and present at scientific conferences. The successful candidate will work with Drs. Brian Kahn and Kevin Bowman with the opportunity to collaborate with other UCLA/JPL scientists in an exciting and dynamic environment. The position is initially a 1-year appointment with the opportunity of continuation depending on progress and the availability of funding.

A recent Ph.D in the Atmospheric Sciences or a related discipline and experience in passive satellite remote sensing methods is required. Ideally, the successful applicant will have proficiency in radiativetransfer algorithms and codes in order to simulate AIRS and MODIS data, and in using large satellite remote sensing data sets. Furthermore, the applicant should have demonstrated technical communication skills through publications in the refereed literature, as well as presentations at scientific conferences and other meetings.

Applicants should submit (via e-mail) a curriculum vitae, a statement describing their research experience and interests, and the names, addresses, and e-mail contacts of three references to Brian Kahn (bkahn@jifresse.ucla.edu or Brian.H.Kahn@jpl.nasa.gov).

UCLA is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer

JPL Postdoctoral Researcher

The UCLA – NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Joint Institute for Regional Earth System Science and Engineering (JIFRESSE) at the University of California Los Angeles is seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher to perform remote sensing measurements of the temporal and spatial distributions of pollutants and greenhouse gases in the Los Angeles basin from JPL’s new California Laboratory for Atmospheric Remote Sensing. The project is a collaboration between the research groups of Stanley Sander (JPL/Caltech) and Jochen Stutz (UCLA). Scientists with experience in atmospheric chemistry, spectroscopy and/or radiative transfer are encouraged to apply. A PhD degree is required. The initial appointment is for one year, and may be extended for up to two additional years. Annual salary depends upon qualification, starting at $41,328.

The position is available immediately and will remain open until filled. Please send a CV with the names of three references by email to Jochen Stutz (jochen@atmos.ucla.edu).

The University of California Los Angeles is an equal opportunity employer committed to excellence through diversity.

Assistant Director (PDF)

The UCLA Joint Institute for Regional Earth System Science and Engineering (JIFRESSE), established in 2006 with the support of UCLA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (www.jifresse.ucla.edu), seeks an Assistant Director position to help oversee and manage its research operations, programs, and services. The Assistant Director will assist the UCLA Director and JPL Associate Director with the following responsibilities: (1) planning and executing strategic research initiatives and business plans to increase sponsored research support for JIFRESSE’s Regional Earth System Model development as well as climate change research conducted by UCLA and JPL investigators; (2) conducting outreach and promoting JIFRESSE’s mission and opportunities to researchers, educators and students, private industry leaders, and government officials and policymakers; and (3) sustaining JIFRESSE’s research enterprise, consisting of more than 60 scientists and engineers working collaboratively at JIFRESSE’s two parent organizations, by identifying new funding initiatives and opportunities, cultivating and creating strategic alliances with potential extramural funders, and assisting researchers with proposal development and submission as funding opportunities arise.

The Assistant Director will also work closely with both the Associate Director for new climate project initiatives as well as with the Director to organize and hold meetings with the Institute’s governing board, scientific advisory committee, and executive and merit committees, and to plan and implement website information, scientific workshops, colloquia, and public lectures that will expand opportunities for scientific interaction and collaboration and increase the Institute’s visibility.

The Assistant Director will hold an advanced degree in a scientific or engineering field, or possess equivalent experience, and have specific training and experience in Earth system science, atmospheric and/or oceanic sciences, and demonstrate an interest in and ability to catalyze collaborative research in areas of satellite remote sensing and regional climate change. Candidates must possess excellent communication skills and have a strong background facilitating dialogue, collaboration and partnerships between research personnel and government and industry stakeholders. This position requires at least 10 years of active experience as a principal investigator or research administrator with the ability to sell innovative research ideas, new technologies and applications to government and private sector investors. It is anticipated that the appointment will be a 50% career position at UCLA in the professional research series and a 50% faculty part-time position at JPL. Salary is negotiable and commensurate with
qualifications.

Interested applicants should email their curriculum vitae, a letter containing a statement of research interests and career goals, and the names and contact information for three references to: Search Committee Chair, Professor Robert Fovell (fovell@atmos.ucla.edu) by December 15, 2009. UCLA and JPL are affirmative action/equal opportunity employers with a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of diversity among their faculty and staff.