FONDECYT Postdoctoral Fellowships at Universidad de Chile

The Department of Astronomy (DAS) of Universidad de Chile invites applications to the FONDECYT postdoctoral fellowships in observational, theoretical, and/or computational astrophysics and instrumentation. Selected candidates will be sponsored by a DAS professor to apply for a 3-year fellowship, awarded annually by the Chilean funding agency CONICYT. Sponsorship is required for the application but does not guarantee success. Successful applicants are expected to collaborate with their DAS sponsor and pursue their independent research for the duration of the fellowship. FONDECYT fellowships include an attractive package, covering salaries at the level of CH$20.640.000 (approx. US$31,400) per year, almost CH$5.000.000 (approx. US$7,600) annually for travel and operational costs, health benefits, and up to CH$3.000.000 (approx. US$4,500) for initial relocation and installation costs. 

The DAS fosters an engaging and scientifically productive environment composed of 23 faculty members, 20 postdoctoral researchers, and 30 international graduate students working on observational and theoretical astrophysics, and instrumentation. A wide array of research fields are covered by members of the DAS, information on current research lines can be found at our website (http://www.das.uchile.cl/web_en/index.html). The DAS is also an international scientific community and one of the leading astronomy centers in Chile, hosting large internationally recognised collaborations like the UMI-FCA, and the Chile-China center (CCJCA), along with major research and technology grants such as CATA (http://www.cata.cl/index_en.php), the MAS institute (http://astrofisica.cl) and MAD nucleus (http://madnucleus.com).

Postdocs can apply for the 10% time guaranteed to Chilean institutions on all facilities in the country. A list of currently available instrumentation can be found at http://www.das.uchile.cl/observatories.html. Super-computing facilities are also available locally, and through the National Laboratory for High Performance Computing (NLHPC) at Universidad de Chile. The DAS also hosts the Millimeter-wave Laboratory which designs, builds, and tests receivers for use in radio-astronomy, along with ALMA proto-types (http://www.das.uchile.cl/lab_mwl/).

Applications for sponsorship should be made directly with the DAS selected sponsor as early as possible, this will help to ensure that the required materials are collated before the FONDECYT deadline.  Materials include a CV, which must must include the PhD graduation date (eligibility is limited to PhD recipients between Jan. 1st, 2014 and Nov. 1st, 2017; Jan. 1st, 2013 for those applicants who gave birth within that period), list of publications, a research proposal describing the work to be carried out, and three letters of recommendation. All materials should be sourced by the applicant, in close collaboration with their selected sponsor.

As an equal opportunity employer the DAS emphatically encourages applications from proposers of all nationalities, underrepresented minorities, and especially those from women.