Harvard CMB Group Postdoctoral Fellow

The Harvard CMB group invites applications for two Harvard Postdoctoral Fellow positions to pursue research related to cosmic microwave background measurements with the BICEP Array telescopes, the South Pole Observatory, and CMB Stage 4. The multi-institutional BICEP program produces extremely deep maps of polarization of the CMB at multiple frequencies from the South Pole, measuring gravitational lensing and galactic foregrounds and placing leading constraints on primordial gravitational waves. The BICEP Array project is upgrading the current program with new instrumentation to include over 30,000 detectors and five frequency bands, to be deployed and operated over the next five years. The program will continue to produce maps with groundbreaking sensitivity, while validating technologies and methodologies essential to Stage 3 and Stage 4 CMB science goals. A major focus is analysis of current and upcoming BICEP data, including joint analysis with data from the 10m South Pole Telescope and external datasets, to continue to improve lensing measurements, component separation, and constraints on primordial cosmology, as well as forecasting and design optimization for future efforts of the South Pole Observatory and CMB Stage 4.

Successful candidates will play a variety of leading roles spanning receiver and telescope design, deployment and operation, real time control code, optimization of data reduction and simulation on leading HPC infrastructure at Harvard and NERSC, and development of high-level analyses for survey combination and cosmological interpretation. Applicants should indicate which roles best match their experience and interest. Successful candidates will actively represent this research at conferences and take leading roles in preparation of results for publication. The postdoctoral fellow positions offer a highly competitive salary, an independent research fund and an allowance for relocation expense. The position will be renewed annually based on satisfactory performance, for an expected total length of three years. Joint appointments with collaborating institutions are possible and may be considered on a case by case basis.

For full consideration, applications should be submitted as soon as possible to the attention of Irene Coyle, Administrator for the Harvard CMB Group,via email: [email protected], using subject line “CMB Postdoc”. Applications will be reviewed starting December 2019 and will continue to be accepted until all positions are filled. Applications should consist of a curriculum vitae, publication list and a description of past research and future plans. Applicants should also arrange to have three letters of reference sent directly to Ms Coyle at [email protected]. Please ensure the candidate’s name is included in the subject line and that letters are on letterhead and signed. Start dates may be between January and September 2020, with earlier starts desirable; applicants should have a PhD before the anticipated start date. Harvard University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer, and welcomes applications from women and members of underrepresented group.