Research Associate (Postdoctoral) in Epoch of Reionisation Data Processing

The Curtin Institute of Radioastronomy invites applicants for a three-year postdoctoral research associate software position to work within the Ionised Universe Theme of the ARC Centre of Excellence for All-Sky Astrophysics in 3D (ASTRO 3D). Based in the Epoch of Reionisation project at the Curtin node, this position will calibrate and process data from the Murchison Widefield Array EoR project. The incumbent will contribute to defining and improving the approach to data calibration, apply these techniques to data from the MWA to calibrate the dataset, process through to an EoR power spectrum, and compute the associated uncertainties. Part of the role may form an understanding of the impact of calibration method on the data, exploit the MWA’s redundant and non-redundant baselines, and/or contribute to maintenance of the data curation and quality database. This position is funded by The ARC Centre of Excellence for All-Sky Astrophysics in 3D (ASTRO 3D), a seven-year Centre of Excellence with six nodes across Australia. The position is funded for three years, with a potential extension for a further year, and has the opportunity for research visits to other ASTRO 3D nodes and partner institutions.

As an ASTRO 3D postdoctoral researcher, this position works within the Ionised Theme of ASTRO 3D and the MWA EoR project, co-led by Dr Cathryn Trott and Prof. Rachel Webster (University of Melbourne). The incumbent will,

Calibrate and process data, and produce power spectra for subsets of the MWA EoR dataset
Develop, improve, test and apply new calibration approaches
Assist in maintenance of the data curation and quality databases
Contribute to the execution of the MWA Epoch of Reionisation science experiment
Work directly with internal Curtin and external MWA EoR collaboration members
Present results internally in the MWA collaboration, and publish in high-quality journals
Develop and maintain effective relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.
Interact and collaborate broadly with ASTRO 3D researchers and staff, participate in ASTRO 3D events

The successful candidate will have experience with processing radio astronomy data and knowledge of the challenges and methods of EoR 21cm signal extraction and will preferably have a doctoral qualification in radio astronomy, EoR science or equivalent research field and experience with low-frequency interferometer datasets, EoR data processing or CMB signal extraction.

CIRA comprises one half of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) Joint Venture with The University of Western Australia, as well as being a node of the ARC Centre of Excellence for All-sky Astrophysics (CAASTRO) and ARC Centre of Excellence for All-sky Astrophysics in 3 Dimensions (ASTRO 3D). CIRA researchers maintain excellent linkages with these and other national and international groups, and, in addition CIRA has excellent access to the new $80M Pawsey Supercomputing Centre.

CIRA is at the forefront of low frequency radio astronomy research as the manager and operator of the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) (www.mwatelescope.org) The MWA is an SKA precursor facility, it is fully operational,
undertaking a number of important science programs spanning Galactic and extragalactic radio astronomy, pulsars, transients, the Epoch of Reionisation, solar and ionospheric physics, as well as radio astronomy engineering. The results of these programs also contribute to the design process for SKA_LOW (www.skatelescope.org).

CIRA has an active and successful research group in the area of Epoch of Reionisation, playing major roles in the MWA and future SKA EoR programs. The Research Fellow will join this growing research group at CIRA, contributing to and helping to direct its research activities, and supervising undergraduate and postgraduate students.