Let $G$ be a connected reductive group of an arbitrary field $k$, $P$ a parabolic $k$-subgroup, and $U = \mathscr{R}_u(P)$ the unipotent radical of $P$ (so $U$ is what is unfortunately traditionally denoted as $N$). We have that $U(k)$-conjugation is simply transitive on the set of all
For any Levi $k$-subgroupssubgroup $M$ of $P$, so to answer your question it suffices to treat there is a single Levi1-parameter $k$-subgroup of $P$$\lambda:{\rm{GL}}_1 \rightarrow G$ such that (in$P = P_G(\lambda)$, $M = Z_G(\lambda)$, and $U = U_G(\lambda)$. In particular, $\lambda$ factors through the case of a nonmaximal split central $k$-archimedean field)torus $S_M$ in $M$, so $\lambda(t) \in S_M(k)$ for any $t \in k^{\times}$.
By By the Borel-Tits structure theory that is valid over all fields (and explained in Borel's textbook on algebraic groups), if we choose$S$ is a maximal split $k$-torus $S$ in $P$$M$ containing $S_M$ then it is also maximal as such in $G$, and there is a minimal parabolic $k$-subgroupthe set $B$$\Phi(G,S)$ of $G$ contained in $P$ and containingnontrivial $S$, with-weights on $\Phi(B,S)$${\rm{Lie}}(G)$ is a positive system of roots in the relative root system ${}_k\Phi = \Phi(G,S)$.
Letting $\Delta$ be the base of $\Phi(B,S)$, it is a basis of ${\rm{X}}(S)_{\mathbf{Q}}$. Let $\{a^{\ast}\}_{a \in \Delta}$ be the dual basis of ${\rm{X}}_{\ast}(S)_{\mathbf{Q}}$. Under the usual indexing of parabolic $k$-subgroups of $G$ containing $B$ (so-called "standard" parabolics) by subsets of $\Delta$, we have $P = P_I$ for a unique subset $I \subset \Delta$ (where $P_{\emptyset} = B$ andspanning $P_{\Delta} = G$${\rm{X}}(S)_{\mathbf{Q}}$). Explicitly, we have the dynamic description $P_I = P_G(\lambda_I)$ where $$\lambda_I = N \cdot \sum_{a \not\in I} a^{\ast}$$ for a sufficiently divisible integer $N > 0$ such that $\lambda_I$ lies in the lattice ${\rm{X}}_{\ast}(S)$. (The choice of $N$ doesn't matter, since $P_G(\lambda) = P_G(n \lambda)$ for any $n > 0$ and $\lambda \in {\rm{X}}_{\ast}(S)$)possibly non-reduced.
We have the Levi $k$-subgroup $M = Z_G(\lambda_I)$ of $P$ and also $U = U_G(\lambda_I)$, so in particular $\lambda_I(t) \in S(k)$ for any $t \in k^{\times}$. TheThe $k$-group $U$ is directly spanned in any order by the root groups $U_a$ for non-multipliable $a \in {}_k\Phi$$a \in \Phi(G,S)$ such that $\langle a, \lambda_I \rangle > 0$$\langle a, \lambda \rangle > 0$. (Of course, ${}_k\Phi$ might be non-reduced, and $\dim U_a$ might be very large, and $U_a$ might be non-commutative if $a$ is divisible.)
SoIf $a$ is not divisible in view of$\Phi(G,S)$ then $U_a$ is a vector group admitting a linear structure relative to which the explicit descriptioneffect of $\lambda_I(t)$$\lambda(t)$-conjugation on $U_a$ (namely, a vector group with actionis scaling by $t^{\langle a, \lambda_I\rangle}$ when $a$ isn't divisible$t^{\langle a, \lambda\rangle}$, and is an extension of such by another using $2a$ when $a$ is divisible),. In this way we see that any $t \in k^{\times}$ with $|t| < 1$ yields $s := \lambda_I(t) \in S(k)$$s := \lambda(t) \in S_M(k)$ that does the job (as $\langle a, \lambda_I \rangle > 0$$\langle a, \lambda \rangle > 0$ precisely for those $a$ occurring as $S$-weights on ${\rm{Lie}}(U)$).