One Postdoctoral Contract in Developing the advanced data processing pipeline for WEAVE 2018

The IAC (Tenerife) invites applications for ONE postdoctoral contract to work on “WEAVE: the next-generation wide-field spectrograph for the Willam Herschel Telescope” (AYA2013-43188-P).” project, led by Dr. José Alfonso López Aguerri.

Research topics at the IAC include most areas of astrophysics: solar physics, planetary systems, stellar and interstellar physics, galaxy formation and evolution, and cosmology and astroparticles. These research lines are supported by an ambitious instrumentation program. The IAC has been selected as a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence by the Spanish Government in 2015, a prestigious recognition awarded for the second time to the IAC as a leading research institute in Spain. Further information about the IAC's research programme, its Observatories and the 10.4m GTC is available at the IAC's web page (http://www.iac.es).

Duties: The selected candidate will develop and optimize of the software for the analysis of astronomical data. In particular, the candidate will work in coding the Advanced Data System for WEAVE. This software will measure physical parameters of stars and galaxies from the spectra of the WEAVE instrument, which is in the construction phase. It is expected its first light by mid of 2019. The candidate will also participate in the coordination of the different software work packages related to the reduction, analysis and archival of WEAVE data.

Position requirements: The candidates must have a solid track record of research and are expected to have a strong publication.

Qualification requirements: To be eligible for admission, applicants must have obtained a Ph.D. degree in Astrophysics or Physics, within the application deadline (February 28, 2018).  A copy of the degree or corresponding stamped certificate (issued by the University where the degree was obtained), must be included. Applicants who have not completed the Ph.D. degree within the application deadline will not be considered.

Merits to value:

Section A:

• Scientific and technical contributions to your field of research.
• Scientific publications, in quality and quantity, collected in the Science Citation Index (SCI), paper in conferences; teaching tasks, scientific activity committees, scientific conference committees, conference organization, journal referee and stays in other centres.

Maximum score: 60 points.

Section B:

Adequacy of training and experience of the candidate to the contract he/she is applying for:

• Work experience in software development groups in major spectroscopic projects such as SDSS/BOSS, RAVE, or Gaia-ESO.
• Experience in the design and / or programming astronomical data processing pipelines, especially pipelines for spectroscopic data analysis.

Maximum score: 40 points.

In order to guarantee coverage of the effective equality of men and women, and developing the provisions of the Second Plan of Equality of the IAC, the merit values will be measured when certain documented situations exist, which can be presumed that they may diminish the performance of the personnel, with the aim that they do not detract from the evaluation of the career of each applicant. In any case, the following are considered to be special situations:

• Maternity, up to 18 months after the date of birth or adoption.
• Paternity, enjoyed as provided by Social Security, for the duration of the corresponding permit.
• Severe illness or accident with medical leave for a minimum of 3 months.
• Care for dependents for a minimum period of 3 months, as provided by Law 39/2006.
• Work Permits for care of dependent children or adults.

Training: Those candidates who have done their Ph.D. research at the IAC must have undertaken a period of training in other research centres. This period must consist of either one continuous year or 18 accumulated months (including periods of training during their doctoral period).

Duration: The starting date is expected to be during the first quarter of 2018. In any case the contract will not extended later than December 31, 2018.

Remuneration: The gross annual salary is 33,547 Euros, subject to up to 20% tax and Social Security deductions (depending on the personal situation of the candidate). Medical insurance under the Spanish National Health Service will be provided for the candidate and will also cover spouse or registered partner (de facto partner) and children (if relevant).

Relocation allowance: This call includes a relocation allowance (only for the selected candidate) comprising: the cost of the flight ticket (booked and issued by the IAC), temporary accommodation for up to two weeks (organised by the IAC) and per diem rate up to two weeks.  The maximum IAC will reimburse is 2,000 Euros.

Non-UE citizens: Applicants who are not citizen of a country belonging to the European Union are invited to apply for this position, but, if selected, will be allowed to sign the contract with the IAC only after obtaining the compulsory documentation required to live and work in Spain. 

How to apply: use the online application system, http://www.iac.es/jobs/research/, including the required information and documents. Alternatively, follow the instructions in the official announcement (only in Spanish).

The required documentation must be submitted using the online application system and received by the application deadline. The application form, CV, publication list, statements of research interests and suitability for the position, copy of the Ph.D. degree, and copy of the national identity or passport should be merged into a single PDF file.

Late applications or those that do not include the mandatory application form (Annex I), will not be considered. In case of incomplete applications, the applicant will have a period of five (5) days, starting from the day after publication of the provisional list of accepted and excluded candidates, to provide the missing documentation.