Project Manager for LSST Software Effort

The Department of Astrophysical Sciences at Princeton University is involved in developing software pipelines for analyzing data from the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), an 8.4 meter telescope being constructed on Cerro Pachón in Chile, which will carry out a multi-band and multi-epoch survey of the Southern sky over a ten-year period, starting in 2022. Princeton is developing the software to perform deep detection and exquisitely accurate object characterization on LSST images, measuring the properties of billions of stars and galaxies.

We are looking for an individual to manage the LSST software effort at Princeton, and to contribute to the codebase, contributing roughly half their time to each of these two endeavors. The ideal candidate will have an advanced degree in Astronomy, experience in agile software development, strong project management skills, familiarity with LSST software development procedures, SDSS (Sloan Digital Sky Survey) sky background estimation, and artefact rejection in HSC (Hyper-SuprimeCam) data. Experience in industry is a plus. The individual will work with Robert Lupton, Michael Strauss, and the rest of the Princeton and international LSST team.

The successful applicant will join the Astronomical Data Group in the Department of Astrophysical Sciences at Princeton. In addition to LSST, the group is heavily involved in the -- complementary - development of the 2D reduction pipeline for the Prime Focus Spectrograph (PFS) on the Subaru Telescope, and development and exploitation of the HSC wide field imager on Subaru. We are also using the Advanced Atacama Cosmology Telescope to map the intensity and polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background at a variety of frequencies (ACTPol), and we expect to play a role in WFIRST, the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope. Collaboration with all of these projects will be encouraged, and the position includes full access to HSC data.

We endeavor to preserve the Department's reputation as a pleasant workplace with a lively and friendly scientific atmosphere which recognizes that technical innovations are an important intellectual contribution to the science being produced by these surveys.

The appointment will be made to the research or specialist staff at a level and salary commensurate with experience, for an initial period of one year, which may be extended depending on satisfactory performance and availability of funding.

Interested persons should send a curriculum vitae, bibliography, a statement of research interests, and provide contact information for three references. Applicants must apply online at https://www.princeton.edu/acad-positions/position/5941. Letters of reference will also be handled through this site. All applications received by March 1, 2018 will be fully considered, but applications will continue to be accepted until the position is filled. For further inquiries, contact [email protected].

This position is subject to the University's background check policy. Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.