Applicants are invited for a postdoctoral position based in the Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics (KIAA) at Peking University. The successful applicant will work with Prof. Xiaowei Liu on an ongoing photometric and spectroscopic survey DSS-GAC: a Digital Sky Survey of the Galactic Anti-Center, designed to exploit the unique capability of the newly built 4m wide-field spectroscopic telescope LAMOST to address outstanding problems in the study of the stellar populations, the chemical and dynamical evolution and the assemblage of the Milky Way and the Local Group. The photometric part of the survey, a CCD imaging survey in the SDSS g-, r- and i-band for a sky area of over five thousand square degrees centered on the Galactic anti-center, plus an extension of over six hundred square degree covering the M31/M33 area, has already been completed, yielding a stellar catalog of about 100 million stars with accurate photometry and astrometry, reaching a limiting magnitude of 20. The catalog will be used to select targets for a follow-up spectroscopic survey with the LAMOST, yielding optical spectra for a statistically complete sample of over 3 million stars distributed in a contiguous sky area of over three thousand square degree centered on the Galactic anti-center (c.f. http://kiaa.pku.edu.cn/DSSGAC/news.html). Applicants with expertise in observations or modeling of stellar populations, in chemical abundance analysis, galactic dynamics or numerical simulations are particularly encouraged to apply. Candidates of any nationality are welcome.
The appointment will be for two years with a possibility for a third. Salary and compensation depend on qualifications and experience. The successful applicant will receive a generous research budget and will be encouraged to pursue international collaborations. There are four starting dates available, April 1 / July 1 / Oct 1, 2013 / Jan 1, 2014. The applicant should hold a PhD in Astronomy, Physics, or a related field by the effective date. Applicants should submit via email a cover letter, curriculum vitae, list of publications and a 1-2 page statement of current and future research interests, and arrange for three letters of recommendation to be sent directly to x.liu@pku.edu.cn. Applications received before Jan 1, 2013 will receive full consideration, but applications after this date may also be welcome if no suitable candidate has been found.
The Institute is designed to be a forum for global scientific exchange and a training center for international postdocs and students. KIAA organizes a variety of academic activities and programs to stimulate research and promote interdisciplinary interactions. The working language of KIAA is English and there is a broad mix of international faculty and postdocs. The successful applicant will be given the opportunity of supervising some of the highly talented Peking University graduate students.
