Funder: NRC Research Associateship Programs
Due Dates: May 1, 2025 (Application Deadline)
Funding Amounts: Base stipend approximately $95,000 plus $5,000 travel allowance; supplements based on experience; typical award duration 2-3 years.
Summary: Fellowship supporting research in physics-based adaptive radar signal processing to improve target detection while reducing computational cost and training data requirements.
Key Information: Open to U.S. citizens at postdoctoral and senior researcher levels; research conducted on-site at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH; relocation and health insurance benefits included.
Description
This fellowship opportunity supports research in phenomenology-based adaptive radar signal processing methods aimed at enhancing radar target detection and estimation. Traditional adaptive radar processing relies on forming and inverting sample covariance matrices, which can be computationally expensive and require large amounts of training data. Challenges such as nonstationary reflectivity, dense target environments, and clutter discretes introduce heterogeneities that degrade detection and false alarm performance.
The research focus is on exploiting a priori information derived from the physics or phenomenology of scattering scenarios to reduce training data support and computational costs. For example, clutter can often be modeled as low-rank interference from a few strong sources, which can be leveraged to improve adaptive processing algorithms. The goal is to maintain a constant false alarm rate and achieve robust target detection in complex environments.
Particular interest lies in developing and analyzing MIMO radar signal processing algorithms that incorporate these physics-based approaches. The research is conducted at the Sensors Directorate, RY/Sensors Division, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
Key Research Themes
- Adaptive radar signal processing
- Physics and phenomenology-based methods
- Constant false alarm rate techniques
- Sample support reduction
- Robust detection performance in challenging environments
- Knowledge-based and invariance principles
- MIMO radar algorithm development
Due Dates
- Application Deadline: May 1, 2025 (5 PM ET)
Funding Amount
- Base stipend: $95,000 per year
- Travel allowance: $5,000 per year
- Experience-based stipend supplements available for postdoctoral and senior researchers
- Typical award duration: 2-3 years
- Relocation assistance provided for awardees living more than 50 miles from the host laboratory
Eligibility
- Citizenship: U.S. citizens only
- Applicant Level: Postdoctoral researchers (within 5 years of PhD) and senior researchers (5+ years post-PhD or established investigators)
- Must not have current or recent prior affiliation with the sponsoring agency that disqualifies eligibility (e.g., current employment or previous postdoctoral fellowship at the agency)
- Research must be conducted on-site at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
- Applicants must have completed all degree requirements before starting tenure
Application Process
Steps to Apply
- Review eligibility criteria on the NRC RAP For Applicants page.
- Identify this research opportunity (Research Opportunity number: 13.35.01.B5790) and contact the Research Adviser, Dr. Muralidhar Rangaswamy (muralidhar.rangaswamy@us.af.mil), to discuss your research proposal and funding availability.
- Prepare application materials including:
- Profile information and education history (transcripts required for postdocs)
- Research proposal (max 10 pages) detailing problem statement, background, methodology, expected results, and significance
- Letters of recommendation (minimum 3, including dissertation adviser for postdocs)
- Submit your application via the NRC RAP online system before the May 1 deadline.
- Monitor application status and ensure all letters of recommendation are submitted on time.
Application Materials
- Contact and demographic information
- Education history and transcripts (postdocs only)
- Research proposal with clear objectives and methodology
- List of publications and presentations (last 5 years)
- Letters of recommendation uploaded by referees via the online system
Review and Selection
- Applications are reviewed by expert panels in relevant scientific disciplines.
- Scores are assigned on a 100-point scale; scores above 70 are recommended for awards.
- Final funding decisions depend on ranking, relevance to agency mission, and available slots.
- Feedback is provided approximately one week after review finalization.
Additional Information
- Health insurance coverage is available for awardees and qualifying dependents.
- Relocation expenses are reimbursed for those moving more than 50 miles.
- The fellowship offers a prestigious platform for career development in federal research laboratories.
- Applicants with prior NRC Research Associateships must wait at least two years before applying again.
- Security clearance or background checks may be required depending on agency policies.
External Links
Contact Information
For general questions about eligibility and application procedures, contact the NRC RAP Program Office at rap@nas.edu.