Post-Doctoral Fellow in Astronomy/Astrophysics - Elaine P. Snowden Fellowship in Astronomy/Astrophysics/Instrumentation

The School of Physical and Chemical Sciences welcomes applications for the inaugural Elaine P. Snowden Fellowship at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. The three-year research fellowship is open to any area of astronomy and astrophysics. Aapplicants should be nearing submission or within 4 years of their PhD. People from historically marginalized communities are particularly encouraged to apply.

UC SPCS has a dynamic research community in New Zealand’s second largestecond largest city. Our research strengths include astroparticle & high-energy physics; black holes & cosmology; dark energy & dark matter; exoplanets & planetary systems; galactic archaeology; microlensing; Solar System small bodies; stellar systems & populations; supernovae & transients; variable & pulsating stars. Major collaborations include Comet Interceptor, DART, 4MOST, GALAH, IceCube, IAU-CPS, KMTNet, LISA, LSST, and SALT. We operate UC's Mt John Observatory with 4 telescopes: a 1-m with a high-res fibre-fed echelle spectrograph, 1.8-m with 2.2 sq. deg. imager & two 0.6-m. Applicants with interests in instrumentation or in Indigenous astronomy are also welcomed.

Engagement opportunities include outreach with the Observatory, which hosts Ngāi Tahu’s Dark Sky Project; an annual Astronomy School for high school students; mentorship of undergrad Snowden Scholars; and undergraduate teaching and supervising experience (capped at 15% of time).

Salary NZ $85k, 4 wks/yr leave, parental leave available, $15k/yr independent research fund, airfare to NZ. The nominal start date is 1 November 2023; flexibility is possible.

To apply please identify a faculty mentor in UC SPCS, and discuss your proposed research program with them. Only then submit a CV, 2-page research statement linking plans to this post, cover letter with contacts for three referees, and mentor’s statement of support to by 15 July, 2023.