Astrophysicist (Post Doctoral Researcher)
Applications are invited for a postdoctoral position in the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) group at Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO), part of the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. The EHT is an international project to directly image the supermassive black holes at the center of the Milky Way (Sgr A*) and in Virgo A (M87) using the technique of Very Long Baseline Interferometry, and to study physics on event horizon scales.
The purpose of this postdoctoral position is to conduct scientific research in the area of EHT analysis algorithms and software, including preparation of high quality scientific data sets for the project. There will also be opportunities to participate in the next-generation EHT (ngEHT) project, which is being designed to extend the EHT in the time domain to make movies of black holes. We are looking for highly motivated applicants with experience and expertise in some subset of the areas of radio interferometry, software, astronomy data pipelines, digital signal processing, mm/submm instrumentation, and black hole theory/simulation/modeling.
The successful candidate will have full access to proprietary EHT data and is encouraged to take leading roles in all aspects of the project, including observations, instrument development, and data analysis, as well as studies of black hole accretion, jet formation, and exotic spacetimes.
Applicants must have a PhD in astronomy, physics, or a related field. The grant-funded position is for three years and is open to all qualified candidates, including non-US citizens (or international applicants) who are eligible to work in the US. Starting salary is $74,129/year with full SAO benefits. This position provides full support for all travel, computing, and publishing expenses. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The postdoc can start as early as summer 2022.
To apply, please go to https://www.usajobs.gov/job/629599700. For further information about the EHT, ngEHT, or the BHI, please go to www.eventhorizontelescope.org,www.ngeht.org,or https://bhi.fas.harvard.edu. Please direct any questions about projects or programs to Shep Doeleman ([email protected]) or Michael Johnson ([email protected]).
Review of applications will begin on January 31, 2022, and continue until the position is filled.