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Nasa Postdoctoral Program Jobs in Texas (NOW HIRING)

Postdoctoral Research Associate

El Paso, TX · On-site +1

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... program, Texas A&M AgriLife brings together a college and four state agencies focused on ... The successful candidate will work on a NASA-funded Transboundary Model and Data Homogenization ...

Postdoctoral Research Associate

El Paso, TX · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... program, Texas A&M AgriLife brings together a college and four state agencies focused on ... The successful candidate will work on a NASA-funded Transboundary Model and Data Homogenization ...

Nasa Postdoctoral Program information

See Texas salary details

$23.3K

$55K

$77.8K

How much do nasa postdoctoral program jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 19, 2026, the average yearly pay for nasa postdoctoral program in Texas is $54,988.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $45,700.00 and $62,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the NASA Postdoctoral Program?

The NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) provides early-career scientists and engineers the opportunity to conduct research in collaboration with NASA scientists at NASA centers and institutes. Fellows work on projects that contribute to NASA's mission in science, aeronautics, and space technology. The program is highly competitive and offers unique resources, mentorship, and exposure to cutting-edge research. Appointments are typically for one to three years and include a stipend and other benefits. The NPP is open to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and foreign nationals with a doctoral degree.

What skills and qualifications are needed to thrive in the NASA Postdoctoral Program?

To thrive in the NASA Postdoctoral Program, candidates generally need a Ph.D. in a relevant scientific or engineering field, strong research skills, and a record of scholarly achievement. Familiarity with specialized research tools, data analysis software, and sometimes experience with NASA mission systems or laboratory instrumentation is often required. Critical thinking, effective communication, and the ability to collaborate in multidisciplinary teams are standout soft skills. These competencies enable postdocs to contribute impactful research aligned with NASA's missions and advance their scientific careers.

What types of projects do participants in the NASA Postdoctoral Program typically work on, and how much autonomy do they have in shaping their research?

Participants in the NASA Postdoctoral Program usually engage in cutting-edge research aligned with NASA’s strategic goals, often spanning fields such as astrophysics, planetary science, Earth science, and engineering. While each postdoc is matched with a NASA mentor and joins an established team, there is significant autonomy to propose and develop independent research projects within their area of interest. Collaboration with multidisciplinary teams is common, and postdocs are encouraged to take initiative, contribute fresh ideas, and even lead projects, which can be a major advantage for career growth in academia or industry.

What is the difference between Nasa Postdoctoral Program vs Nasa Research Fellow?

FeatureNasa Postdoctoral ProgramNasa Research Fellow
CredentialsPhD in relevant fieldPhD in relevant field
Work EnvironmentResearch at NASA facilities or partner institutionsResearch at NASA centers or partner institutions
Employer & IndustryNASA, aerospace, space scienceNASA, space science, research institutions
PurposePostdoctoral research and trainingResearch fellowship for early-career scientists

The Nasa Postdoctoral Program and Nasa Research Fellow are both research-focused roles for early-career scientists in space science and aerospace. The main difference lies in their structure: the Postdoctoral Program offers structured research training at NASA facilities, while the Research Fellow is a fellowship providing independent research opportunities. Both require a PhD and involve work within NASA or affiliated institutions, but the Postdoctoral Program emphasizes training and mentorship, whereas the Research Fellow emphasizes independent research.

What cities in Texas are hiring for Nasa Postdoctoral Program jobs?

Cities in Texas with the most Nasa Postdoctoral Program job openings:

Infographic showing various Nasa Postdoctoral Program job openings in Texas as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 79% Full Time, 18% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 95% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $54,988 per year, or $26.4 per hour.

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service

El Paso, TX • On-site, Remote

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 17 days ago


Texas A&M University rating

7.8

Company rating: 7.8 out of 10

Based on 146 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

229th of 619 rated colleges and universities


Job description

Job Title

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Agency

Texas A&M Agrilife Research

Department

El Paso

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

El Paso, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

About Texas A&M AgriLife

Texas A&M AgriLife is comprised of the following Texas A&M University System members:

  • Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

  • Texas A&M AgriLife Research

  • College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University

  • Texas A&M Forest Service

  • Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory

As the nation's largest most comprehensive agriculture program, Texas A&M AgriLife brings together a college and four state agencies focused on agriculture and life sciences within The Texas A&M University System. With over 5,000 employees and a presence in every county across the state, Texas A&M AgriLife is uniquely positioned to improve lives, environments and the Texas economy through education, research, extension and service.

Click here to learn more about how you can be a part of AgriLife and make a difference in the world!

Position Information

A postdoctoral research associate will join the 'Arid Hydrology and Water Systems' research group at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center at El Paso. The current focus of the group is on transboundary and shared water resources modeling for sustainable management and binational cooperation, with a strong emphasis on hydrologic modeling, participatory numerical modeling, remote sensing applications, and the development of data-driven decision-support tools. The successful candidate will work on a NASA-funded Transboundary Model and Data Homogenization (TMDH) project that aims to integrate NASA Earth observation (EO) products, in situ and field-sensor records, and advanced hydro-geologic models into an operational platform to support U.S.-Mexico treaty-based water allocation and infrastructure planning. The postdoc will have opportunities to work at the interface of research and practice, interacting closely with U.S.-Mexico stakeholders and agency partners, including the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) and the North American Development Bank (NADBank).

Responsibilities:

  • Develop, implement, and validate remote-sensing-enabled models for transboundary surface-water and groundwater assessment, including the integration of NASA EO products (e.g., GRACE/GRACE-FO, SWOT, MODIS, GPM, Landsat, ECOSTRESS, OpenET, and others) with in situ and field-sensor data.

  • Configure, calibrate, and apply hydrologic and groundwater modeling systems (e.g., SWAT+ with gwflow/MODFLOW, ParFlow) for the Rio Grande and other arid and semi-arid basin settings.

  • Design and implement AI(ML/DL)-based predictive frameworks to assess water availability, drought impacts, groundwater depletion, and salinity risk under climatic and anthropogenic changes.

  • Lead data collection, QA/QC, harmonization, storage, and processing workflows across heterogeneous binational datasets for the TMDH framework.

  • Support to develop APIs, dashboards, and decision-support tools (e.g., web-based interfaces and visualization workflows) for IBWC, NADBank, and other regional stakeholders.

  • Coordinate usability testing, stakeholder workshops, and feedback loops, and contribute to advancing the platform from prototype to operational readiness.

  • Compose research articles for peer-reviewed journals and present results at scientific and stakeholder meetings.

  • Assist the supervisor in writing the project reports and potential grant proposals.

  • Train and supervise under/graduate student(s), interns, and other project team personnel.

  • Perform other assigned research and outreach duties related to ongoing research projects.

Required Qualifications:

  • Ph.D. in Hydrology, Water Resources Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, Geosciences, or a closely related field with remote sensing data application at the time of appointment.

  • Peer-reviewed publications in hydrology, water resources, environmental modeling, remote sensing, or related domains.

  • Strong knowledge of hydrologic processes, transboundary/shared water resources management, and coupled human-natural systems.

  • Proficiency in geospatial and scientific computing tools (e.g., Python, R, GIS, Google Earth Engine, or equivalent) to handle and process complex datasets.

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to interact with both technical and non-technical audiences.

  • Ability to work multi-tasking with project team, end-users, and binational stakeholders, complete project tasks before the deadline, and work cooperatively with the interdisciplinary project team.

  • Experience with surface water and groundwater modeling using tools such as SWAT/SWAT+ with gwflow/MODFLOW, ParFlow, and other similar models.

  • Experience with remote sensing and Earth observation data integration into hydrologic or environmental models.

  • Demonstrated experience with AI (ML/DL), data assimilation, or advanced statistical modeling for environmental or water resources applications.

  • Experience working with large, multi-source geospatial datasets, preferably in transboundary or data-scarce contexts.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Knowledge of arid and semi-arid water resources and systems, drought, surface-groundwater interactions, and water-treaty policies.

  • Experience in building web-based tools, APIs, or dashboards for environmental data and model output visualization.

  • A valid driver's license is required to commute to project-related fieldwork and meetings.

What You Need to Know

Salary: Compensation for this position is commensurate based on the selected candidate's qualifications.

Why Work at Texas A&M AgriLife?

When you choose toworkfor Texas A&M AgriLife, you become part of an organization that is an established leader in agriculture and life sciences with a wide range of capabilities to meet the needs of our statewide, national, and international constituents.

In addition, Texas A&M AgriLife offers a comprehensive benefit package including the following:

  • Health, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance with Texas A&M AgriLife contributing to employee health and basic life premiums

  • 12-15 days of annual paid holidays

  • Up to eight hours of paid sick leaveand at leasteight hours of paid vacation each month

  • Automatic enrollment in theTeacher Retirement System of Texas

  • Employee Wellness Initiative for Texas A&M AgriLife

Applicant Instructions

Interested candidate, submit your application in a single PDF including: (1) a cover letter, (2) an updated CV, and (3) contact information of three professional references. Failure to provide requested application could result in an invalid submission and a rejected application.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution's verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution's procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.


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