Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Low Surface Brightness Imaging

• Position summary: Research focused on low surface brightness optical imaging with the Huntsman Telescope, a new telescope consisting of an array of Canon telephoto lenses.
• Salary Package: From $91,991AUD to $98,588AUD p.a., plus 17% employer’s Superannuation and annual leave loading.
• Appointment Type: Full-time, fixed term for 2 years, with the possibility of further extension
• Location: Macquarie University is located in Sydney, Australia
• How to apply: Submit an application here by Sunday 31th March 2019 at 11:55pm AEST

The Role

Macquarie University’s Department of Physics and Astronomy is currently seeking a suitably qualified Postdoctoral Research Fellow.  The successful applicant will be working collaboratively with an established and high-profile research team in the Centre for Astronomy, Astrophysics and Astrophotonics.

The successful candidate will be responsible for analysing imaging products from Macquarie’s new Huntsman Telescope located at Siding Spring Observatory in Australia. Based upon the successful Dragonfly Telephoto Array, Huntsman’s refractive-based telescope system minimises stray light allow for low surface brightness features to be detected. The system will allow new science to be conducted in a range of areas:

• Galaxy formation and evolution, including disk formation
• Galaxy growth through the assembly of satellite galaxies
• Mitigating and understanding gas turbulence in the Galactic ISM
• Understand the relationship between stellar and cold HI gas assembly

About Macquarie University

Macquarie University is set in an appealing park­like campus, equipped with its own train station, approximately 30 minutes' train ride to downtown Sydney. Sydney, set on a beautiful harbour and enjoying a mild, pleasant climate, has been voted the world's friendliest and most culturally diverse city.

In the Australian Government's Excellence in Research for Australia initiative, Astronomy and Astrophysics research at Macquarie received a top ranking of 5. In terms of staff numbers, research outputs and postgraduate student numbers the Department has undergone rapid expansion over the last 10 years.  It provides a nurturing and stimulating environment for early career researchers, with excellent facilities, regular seminars and colloquia, and internationally recognised researchers and supervisors.

In 2018, the main node of Australian Astronomical Optics (AAO) became a department within Macquarie University. AAO-Macquarie has over 40 world-leading experts in optical instrumentation, astronomy and e-research. As a researcher at Macquarie, you will get the opportunity to work closely with these teams on Huntsman and related projects.