Postdoctoral Research Assistant in Time Domain Astrophysics with SKA

We are searching for a motivated researcher whose expertise straddles traditional disciplinary boundaries, covering modern time-domain astrophysics, high performance computing, and algorithm development, to join the Oxford Pulsar and Fast Radio Burst group. Oxford Astrophysics is a vibrant environment promoting academic excellence and placing value on equality and diversity.  We support world-class research across multiple areas, including a broader group working on Astrophysical Transients.

The successful applicant will join a team working on Pulsars and FRBs, with emphasis on the Square Kilometre Array and pathfinder/precursor instruments. In addition to the team of astrophysicists and software engineers at Oxford Astrophysics, the role entails collaboration with teams in the UK, Italy, Germany and elsewhere, responsible for SKA development. The role comes with certain reporting responsibilities and deadlines set by a broader community, as well as possibilities for the design and execution of relevant experiments with the objectives of:

1. Obtaining ground-breaking scientific results in the areas of Radio Pulsars and Fast Radio Transients.
2. Testing algorithms on current telescopes to gain experience for applicability to SKA surveys.
3. Making informed decisions about the suitability to SKA surveys of new techniques for data processing.

We are particularly interested in applicants with experience in producing high quality software, aware of modern coding practices and modern software techniques, who also have a clear understanding of the astrophysics. Particular areas of interest for us are:

1.  Real time processing of streaming data for the discovery of pulsars and FRBs.
2.  Classification techniques for astrophysical and artificial signals (RFI), and real-time RFI mitigation in the time domain.
3. Using hardware accelerators (FPGAs, GPUs) within real time processing pipelines.

The successful candidate will Design, develop, and test software for the time-domain capabilities of SKA and pathfinder telescopes.

Follow software development guidelines and adhere to the continuous integration practices, as laid out by our lead Software Engineer Dr Chris Williams.

Report to the broader SKA time domain collaboration and work constructively with partners at different institutions towards time domain processing objectives.

Attend relevant SKA related meetings and present work.

Conduct independent research in the area of data processing for Pulsars and FRBs.

Contribute ideas for new research projects.

Review and refine working hypotheses.

Adapt existing and develop new scientific techniques to meet the goals of the project.