Carnegie-Princeton Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Observatories at the Carnegie Institution for Science and the Department of Astrophysical Sciences of Princeton University invite applications for a four-year postdoctoral fellowship in astronomy, to begin in September 2018. The Fellow is expected to work two years at the main offices of the Observatories in Pasadena and two years at Princeton, in an order to be negotiated with the applicant. The Carnegie-Princeton Fellow is expected to carry out original research in any area of astronomy or astrophysics, either independently or in collaboration with staff, faculty or students at the host institutions. The principal selection criteria will be outstanding research accomplishments and promise of future achievement. Preference will be given to researchers working in those areas in which Carnegie and Princeton have active research interests. The Fellow will have access to all of the resources and facilities of both institutions. In particular: The Carnegie Institution owns and operates the Las Campanas Observatory in Chile, which includes the twin 6.5-meter Magellan telescopes, the 2.5-meter Dupont and 1.0-meter Swope telescopes. Carnegie is also a full institutional member of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey IV. Based in Pasadena, between the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the California Institute of Technology, the Observatories provide an exceptional intellectual environment and access to resources for theorists, observers, and instrumentalists alike. The Department of Astrophysical Sciences at Princeton is a major partner in the Atacama Cosmology Telescope and the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, and is collaborating with the Japanese astronomical community on large imaging and spectroscopic surveys with the Subaru Telescope, focused on extragalactic astronomy and planetary systems around other stars. In particular, the Department is part of the SEEDS survey and the Hyper-Suprime Camera Survey, and the successful applicant will have full access to these surveys. In addition, we are heavily involved in planning for the Prime Focus Spectrograph Survey and invite participation in this new project as well. Together with research groups in other departments in the university and the nearby Institute for Advanced Study, the department offers an unparalleled environment for research in theoretical and observational astrophysics and cosmology. The fellowship provides support for observing, travel, computing and publications, and the observing and computational facilities will be accessible for the entire duration of the fellowship. Further information on the host institutions is available at http://www.obs.carnegiescience.edu/ and http://www.princeton.edu/astro. Applicants must send curriculum vitae, bibliography, and research plan to BOTH the Observatories and to Princeton via the web at http://www.obs.carnegiescience.edu/fellowships/ AND (https://www.princeton.edu/acad-positions/position/3062) by November 1, 2017. Letters of recommendation will also be handled through both of the online application systems. The research plan should address how the applicant intends to use the resources and facilities available at both host institutions. Selection of the successful candidate will be made by a joint Carnegie-Princeton committee. All applicants will automatically be considered for all postdoctoral positions in the Astrophysical Sciences department at Princeton and for the Carnegie Fellowship at The Observatories; however, they should clearly state in the cover letter that they wish to be considered for the Carnegie-Princeton Fellowship. A PhD in Astronomy or a related field is required. This position is subject to Princeton University’s background check policy. Princeton University is 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 expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. For questions or additional information, please send email to [email protected] and/or [email protected]. For additional information on the fellowship program at Carnegie, please visit: http://www.obs.carnegiescience.edu/fellowships.