2025 - 2027 Internship - Dragonfly Student Guest Investigator - Experimental Study of Titan's Deep Ocean at High Pressures

Dragonfly Student Guest Investigator - Experimental Study of Titan's Deep Ocean at High Pressures.

*CURRENTLY pursuing (or starting by Fall 2025) a Master's and/or Doctoral Degree and will continue throughout the entire TWO-year duration of the internship*

BACKGROUND:

Titan, the largest moon of Saturn, is believed to host a deep, potentially habitable ocean under its icy surface. The exact composition of this ocean is still unknown, but it is likely to contain major solutes such as NaCl and NH₃.

Both of these compounds are known to be excellent antifreeze agents, but very limited data exist on their behavior when subjected to the 8,000 atmospheres of pressure in Titan's Ocean. Such data are crucial for interior modeling of the Titan and analysis of seismological data that will be collected by the DraGMet geophysical and meteorology package on the Dragonfly mission to Titan.

More information on the Dragonfly mission and instruments can be found in the videos at Dragonfly - Gallery

Applications are due by June 9; selections will be made in August.

DESCRIPTION:

This project will experimentally quantify, for the first time at high pressures and low temperatures, the anti-freeze effect of combined NaCl and NH₃ solutes on ices expected inside Titan. The project will also characterize the speed of sound and thermodynamics in the NaCl-NH₃-H₂O system.

The student will be trained to use a diamond anvil cell high pressure apparatus, operate a Raman spectrometer, and conduct phase stability and sound speed measurements at the University of Washington. Specifically, the project entails:

• Conducting high pressure - low temperature phase diagram experiments using a diamond anvil cell and Raman Spectroscopy
• Measuring sound-speed in pressurized solutions directly relevant to thermodynamic characterization and seismological data analysis for Titan
• Developing a thermodynamic numerical representation tool useful for the planetary science and physical chemistry communities
• Depending on their progress, the student could be involved in applying the application of the measured data to models of Titan's interior

OUTCOME:

The collected data will provide the first estimates of the combined anti-freeze effects of NaCl and NH₃ in Titan's interior, and place constraints on associated thermodynamic properties such as sound speed. This project will directly aid the interpretation of data returned fromthe Dragonfly Geophysics and Meteorology Package (DraGMet), in particular seismological data.The results of this study could be publishable in a scientific journal and presented at a scientific conference.

MENTORS:

Prof. Baptiste Journaux, University of Washington, Department of Earth and Space Sciences, Seattle, WA

Dr. Mark Panning, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA

You meet our minimum qualifications for the job if you...

• Are CURRENTLY pursuing a Master's or Doctoral Degree in the physical sciences, biological sciences, computer sciences, mathematics or engineering at a U.S. institution, AND will continue doing so throughout the 2-year duration of the internship.
• Have at least a 3.0 GPA
• Have demonstrated ability to conduct independent research or development
• Have excellent organizational and communication skills (written and oral)
• Have a background in physics or chemistry and building and operating experiments in physical chemistry and thermodynamics
• Can work both independently and in a team environment.
• Have experience in computer-based coding, particularly in Python.
• In addition to a mentor on the Dragonfly team whose leads this project, applicants must identify a faculty member at their home institution who can serve as a faculty mentor for the 2-year duration of their participation in the program.
• Include as an attachment to your application...
• A cover letter
• A Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• The name and contact information for the prospective faculty advisor at your home institution
• A 2-3 sentence statement from the prospective faculty advisor in which they agree to support the student, as a faculty mentor, for the 2-year duration of their participation, should they be selected to work on Dragonfly
• To access APL's facilities and networks, U.S. Citizenship is required

This project does not require any background in astrobiology, planetary science, geology, or the study of Titan.

You will go above and beyond our minimum requirements if you...

• Have a background in spectroscopy and/or thermodynamics
• Have experience coding in MATLAB

More information on this and other Dragonfly Student and Early Career Investigator opportunities can be found at Dragonfly - Student-Opportunities

Why Work at APL?
The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) brings world-class expertise to our nation's most critical defense, security, space and science challenges. While we are dedicated to solving complex challenges and pioneering new technologies, what makes us truly outstanding is our culture. We offer a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere where you can bring your authentic self to work, continue to grow, and build strong connections with inspiring teammates.

At APL, we celebrate our differences of perspectives and encourage creativity and bold, new ideas. Our employees enjoy generous benefits, including a robust education assistance program, unparalleled retirement contributions, and a healthy work/life balance. APL's campus is located in the Baltimore-Washington metro area. Learn more about our career opportunities athttp://www.jhuapl.edu/careers.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, occupation, marital or familial status, political opinion, personal appearance, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

APL is committed to promoting an innovative environment that embraces diversity of perspectives, encourages creativity, and supports inclusion of new ideas. In doing so, we are committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals of all abilities, including those with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in any part of the hiring process, please contactAccommodations@jhuapl.edu. Only by ensuring that everyone's voice is heard are we empowered to be bold, do great things, and make the world a better place.

The referenced pay range is based on JHU APL's good faith belief at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as geographic location, work experience, market conditions, education/training and skill level with consideration for internal parity. For salaried employees scheduled to work less than 40 hours per week, annual salary will be prorated based on the number of hours worked. APL may offer bonuses or other forms of compensation per internal policy and/or contractual designation. Additional compensation may be provided in the form of a sign-on bonus, relocation benefits, locality allowance or discretionary payments for exceptional performance. APL provides eligible staff with a comprehensive benefits package including retirement plans, paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, education assistance, and training and development. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.