South African Radio Astronomy Observatory Postdoctoral Fellowships Commencing in 2023

South African Radio Astronomy Observatory Postdoctoral Fellowships Commencing in 2023

Call for Applications Now Open
Application Forms Available at: https://nrfconnect.nrf.ac.za

The South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) invites applications from suitably qualified candidates for five postdoctoral fellowships, commencing in 2023.

For 2023, SARAO will consider research project proposals that involve the scientific use or technical development of all radio astronomy and geodesy facilities located and operated in South Africa under the auspices of SARAO, including guest instruments. Priority will be given to projects directly associated with MeerKAT. Proposals linked to guest instruments will need to explicitly provide proof of the availability of all resources required, including the maturity of the particular instrument.

1. Applicants for SARAO Postdoctoral Fellowships must have been active in research since obtaining their Doctoral degree. In the case of a break in research, an applicant must have obtained their Doctoral degree on, or after, 30 September 2018.
2. SARAO postdoctoral fellowships are only tenable at South African universities, and successful applicants must commence with their postdoctoral fellowships in South Africa on, or before, 1 October 2023.
3. SARAO postdoctoral fellowships are awarded for a period of three years.
4. The current value of a SARAO postdoctoral fellowship is ZAR 422,000 per annum (non-taxable). (Please note that the value of the postdoctoral fellowship may be adjusted in 2023, to account for annual inflation changes.) The fellowship is supplemented by travel and equipment grants.
5. There is NO relocation grant, and successful applicants may NOT use their travel grant to cover the costs of their relocation to South Africa.
6. All applications must be endorsed by a host/supervisor, at the university in South Africa where the fellowship will be undertaken. A list of supervisors who have indicated that they are willing to host SARAO postdoctoral fellows in 2023 is provided on table 1 below. Applicants are required to investigate the research specialisations of the individual hosts and institutions to inform their choices, and match their own strengths and interests. Applicants must contact the respective hosts to discuss the willingness of a host to endorse the application, and to discuss and draft a research project and implementation plan, for submission as part of the application.

Queries with regards to the application requirements or the application procedure, may be directed to:

Dr. Mthuthuzeli Zamxaka

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: +27 11268-3424

Table 1: Supervisors/Host for SARAO-funded Postdoctoral Fellowships in 2023

Name University Host/Supervisor Email Address Research Specialisation Prof .James Chibueze North-West University [email protected] Star formation, radio galaxies and galaxy clusters. Prof. Lerothodi Leeuw University of the Western Cape [email protected] Galaxy Evolution Observations, HERA. Dr. Bradley Frank South African Radio Astronomy Observatory [email protected] HI Survey Science, Galaxy Evolution, Calibration and Imaging. Assoc. Prof. Sarah Blyth University of Cape Town [email protected] Extragalactic astronomy, galaxy evolution, HI surveys. Prof. Andrew Chen University of the Witwatersrand [email protected] Extragalactic astronomy, Multiwavelength and multimessenger astronomy. Dr. Ed Elson University of Western Cape [email protected] Low and high-redshift HI studies. Prof. Tinus Stander University of Pretoria [email protected] Microwave and mm-wave electronics, receivers. Dr. Kenda Knowles Rhodes University [email protected] Galaxy clusters (targeted surveys), radio galaxies. Prof. Yin-Zhe Ma University of KwaZulu-Natal [email protected] 21-cm intensity mapping, epoch of reionization, radio cosmology, calibration of radio instrument. Prof. Oleg Smirnov Rhodes University [email protected] Calibration & imaging & other algorithms. Prof. Mario Santos University of Western Cape [email protected] Cosmology with MeerKAT and HERA. Dr. Gyula Józsa Rhodes University [email protected] Galaxy dynamics and evolution, analysis software. Prof. Matt Hilton University of KwaZulu-Natal/ University of the Witwatersrand [email protected] Galaxy clusters, galaxy evolution, AGNs. Prof. Dirk de Villiers Stellenbosch University [email protected] Antenna systems. Dr. Gianni Bernardi Rhodes University [email protected] 21cm cosmology, galaxy clusters, fast radio bursts, interferometric techniques (calibration and imaging). Prof. Kavilan Moodley University of KwaZulu-Natal [email protected] Cosmology, intensity mapping, galaxy clusters. Dr. Jack Radcliffe University of Pretoria [email protected] Galaxy evolution, VLBI surveys, SKA simulations. Dr. Mpati Ramatsoku Rhodes University [email protected] HI surveys, Extragalactic Astronomy, Galaxy Evolution. Prof. Mattia Vaccari University of Cape Town [email protected] Multi-Wavelength Galaxy/AGN Evolution, Machine Learning. Dr. Geoff Beck University of the Witwatersrand [email protected] Multi-frequency probes of dark matter. Dr. Michelle Lochner University of the Western Cape [email protected] Cosmology, machine learning & statistical techniques. Dr. Kshitij Thorat University of Pretoria [email protected] Radio Galaxies, Machine Learning Techniques. Prof. Roger Deane University of the Witwatersrand / University of Pretoria [email protected] Extragalactic radio astronomy; strong lensing; VLBI; SKA surveys. Prof. John McKean University of Pretoria [email protected] Gravitational lensing (dark matter); AGN and star-forming galaxies; megamasers; VLBI surveys; machine learning. Dr. Sphesihle Makhathini University of the Witwatersrand [email protected] Radio Interferometry Algorithms and Pipelines, Imaging, Calibration, Extragalactic Radio Astronomy.