Postdoctoral Research Associate in Extragalactic Astrophysics

The Texas A&M University astronomy group invites applications for a postdoctoral research position in high-redshift galaxy formation and evolution. Applicants with experience in optical/infrared imaging, grism and/or IFU spectroscopy, or radio/submillimeter interferometry are especially encouraged to apply.

The successful applicant will work in collaboration with Prof. Justin Spilker to study galaxy formation and evolution and galactic feedback processes using data from HST, JWST, and/or ALMA, among others. This includes opportunities in the TEMPLATES JWST Early Release Science Program, the new CRISTAL ALMA Large Program, the South Pole Telescope’s working group on dust-obscured galaxies, and the SQuIGGLE collaboration focused on intermediate-redshift post-starburst galaxies. The applicant will have substantial freedom to work in any of these projects or beyond, depending on mutual research interests. The applicant will be encouraged to develop and lead future observing programs, develop collaborations with other TAMU astronomers, and serve as a mentor for graduate and/or undergraduate student researchers.

Over the past decade, Texas A&M has built an energetic extragalactic astronomy group with research activities spanning a wide range of areas. Texas A&M is an institutional member of the Dark Energy Survey (DES), the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT), the Hobby Eberly Telescope Dark Energy eXperiment (HETDEX), the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), the Maunakea Spectroscopic Explorer (MSE), and the AST-3 project at Dome A in Antarctica.  Astronomers in the group have a successful track record of obtaining time on JWST, HST, ALMA, Keck, Gemini, and Magellan. High performance research computing resources include three clusters at Texas A&M and access to the Lonestar5 cluster at the Texas Advanced Computing Center.  Astronomy at Texas A&M is supported by the George P. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Institute for Fundamental Physics and Astronomy.

The start date is flexible from May – December 2022. The appointment is expected to continue for three years assuming satisfactory performance.  Applicants must be able to provide proof of completion of an earned Ph.D. in astronomy or physics before the anticipated start date.  Salary will be commensurate with experience.  The position includes funding to support travel and other research activities.

Applicants should submit CV, list of publications, statement of current and future research plans and interests (maximum 5 pages), and contact information for three professional references. Reference letters will be solicited from these contacts for primary candidates. Application materials should be submitted as a single PDF to https://jobs.tamu.edu for position R-043279 Postdoctoral Research Associate:  ASTR.  Consideration of applications will begin on January 10, 2022, and applications will continue to be considered until the position is filled. Applicants are also strongly encouraged to apply to the more broadly focused Texas A&M astronomy group postdoctoral positions under listing R-043499, due January 3, 2022.