Postdoctoral positions in radio astronomy

Submission Information
Publish Date: 
Friday, November 18, 2022
Archive Date: 
Friday, January 13, 2023
Job Summary
Job Category: 
Post-doctoral Positions and Fellowships
Institution Classification/Type: 
Large Academic
Institution/Company: 
California Institute of Technology
Department Name: 
Astronomy
Street Line 1: 
1200 E. California Blvd
City: 
Pasadena
State/Province: 
CA
Zip/Postal: 
91125
Country: 
United States of America
Announcement
Job Announcement Text: 

Applications are invited for postdoctoral positions in radio astronomy at Caltech. Applicants must hold a Ph.D. degree in Astronomy, Physics, or a related field. Potential areas for a candidate to be involved span instrumentation, data analysis and interpretation. Candidates with experience in software pipelines for high time resolution observations, and technical aspects of interferometric calibration and imaging, are particularly encouraged to apply.

Active research projects include:

The Long Wavelength Array (OVRO-LWA): A low frequency (15-85 MHz) all-sky imaging and beam-forming array with focus on the auroral radio emission from exoplanets, prompt counterparts to gravitational wave events, extended air showers produced by cosmic-rays and the 21-cm power spectrum in the Cosmic Dawn epoch.

The Deep Synoptic Array (DSA-110): A 110-dish array that is localizing fast radio bursts (FRBs) to their host galaxies. The DSA will enable transformational advances in our understanding of the origins of FRBs, and of the unseen baryons in the CGM and IGM.

The Deep Synoptic Array (DSA-2000): The 2000-antenna Deep Synoptic Array(DSA-2000) is an upcoming world-leading radio survey telescope and multimessenger discovery engine, with first light anticipated in 2026. The array will consist of 2000 x 5 m dishes distributed over a 15km diameter area in Nevada, operating in the 0.7 - 2 GHz frequency range.

The Radio Camera Initiative: The RCI is developing a streaming pipeline for near real-time flagging, calibration and imaging with very large-N radio interferometer arrays (thousands of antennas) such as the 2000-element Deep Synoptic Array (DSA-2000). The RCI will enable future large arrays to replace traditional correlators with a ‘radio camera’ - an integrated digital back-end that will produce the final image data in near real-time.

SPRITE: A high frequency (~100 GHz) interferometer for the follow-up of transients, sited at the Owens Valley Radio Observatory. Multiple 10.4-m dishes will be used to follow-up a plethora of transient triggers, and monitor AGN and active stars.

VLA Transients: This project includes ongoing searches for radio transients in the VLA Sky Survey (VLASS) and follow-up of LIGO/Virgo detected compact binary mergers.

Associated faculty are Professors Gregg Hallinan, Vikram Ravi, Katie Bouman, Tony Readhead and Shri Kulkarni. Additional relevant personnel are Kieran Cleary, Casey Law, Sandy Weinreb, James Lamb, David Woody, Kunal Mooley. Candidates are encouraged to contact associated personnel to develop their research plans.

The postdoctoral fellowship position will start on September 1, 2023, or earlier. The initial term of the appointment is one year, renewable annually, for up to three years, subject to performance and availability of funds. Successful applicants will have the opportunity to propose for time on all of Caltech’s astronomical facilities, including those at Palomar Observatory and at the W. M. Keck Observatory.

Complete applications received by January 13, 2023, will receive full consideration. Applications should consist of a single PDF file, including a cover letter specifying the project area of interest from the list above, a CV, a list of publications, and a summary of previous and current research (up to 3 pages). Please include contact details for 3 potential letters of reference.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Caltech is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor. Click here to read more about Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO).

Caltech is committed to working with and providing access and reasonable accommodations to applicants with physical or mental disabilities. To request disability accommodations for any part of the interview or hiring process, please reach out to the contact on the job posting. 

Caltech has implemented a mandatory vaccination policy effective October 15, 2021, requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for all employees (with Institute-approved exemptions for religious or medical contraindications only). At present, an individual is deemed “fully vaccinated” when that person has received, at least 14 days prior, either the second dose in a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine series (e.g., Pfizer or Moderna) or a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine (e.g., Johnson & Johnson). Upon eligibility, employees are required to receive the COVID-19 booster as part of the vaccine mandate. As a condition of employment, employees must submit official COVID-19 vaccine documentation. More information may be found here.

Application Deadline: 
Friday, January 13, 2023
Selection Deadline: 
Friday, January 20, 2023
Current Status of Position: 
Accepting Applicants
Apply to Job
Attention To: 
Stephanie Cha-Ramos
Title: 
Sr. Administrator
Institution/Company: 
California Institute of Technology
Department Name: 
Radio Astronomy
Street Line 1: 
1200 E. California Blvd.
Street Line 2: 
MC 249-17
City: 
Pasadena
State/Province: 
CA
Zip/Postal Code: 
91125
Country: 
United States of America
Phone: 
626-395-3886
Inquiries About Job
Attention To: 
Stephanie Cha-Ramos
Subject: 
Postdoctoral Positions in Radio Astronomy