General information
Offer title : Laboratory and Modeling activity in preparation of MIRS/MMX (M/F) (H/F)
Reference : UMR8254-SYLDES-017
Number of position : 1
Workplace : MEUDON
Date of publication : 15 October 2025
Type of Contract : Researcher in FTC
Contract Period : 5 months
Expected date of employment : 1 February 2026
Proportion of work : Full Time
Remuneration : Based on experience, between €3,081 and €4,756 gross monthly
Desired level of education : Doctorate
Experience required : Indifferent
Section(s) CN : 01 - Interactions, particles, nuclei, from laboratory to cosmos
Missions
As part of the JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission, first sample return mission of the Phobos satellite, plans to explore the Mars system. LIRA (Paris Observatory, PSL) is the prime contractor for the MIRS instrument .The MIRS (MMX InfraRed Spectrometer) instrument, developed under the responsibility of LESIA (now LIRA), is an imaging spectrometer that will characterize the composition of the Martian system and help select candidate sites for sampling.
The main objective of the mission is to decipher the origin of the Martian moons, which will provide important information on the formation of planets and on the conditions for the appearance of water on terrestrial planets.
The engineering model (EM) has been installed in the new lab MIRS at LIRA (Paris Observatory -Meudon).
The mission of the agent is to support MIRS activities: calibrations in laboratory with EM MIRS model, tests and measures with meteorites, develop necessary pipeline for MIRS spectral data interpretation and analysis.
For more information on MIRS/MMX:
https://lira.observatoiredeparis.psl.eu/-Spectro-imageur-MIRS-pour-la-mission-MMX-de-la-JAXA-
Activities
-Model on physical properties of Phobos and Deimos
-Spectroscopic measurements in laboratory
Skills
- Expertise in spectroscopy and hyperspectral data
- Data processing
- Knowledge on scientific programming
- Work in team
Work Context
MMX is a mission of JAXA, and MIRS instrument involve researchers from Japan, France and Italy. Even if the activity will be essential at LIRA (Paris Observatory in Meudon), it needs collaborations and trips to Japan.
The agent will be integrated into the LIRA's planetology division.