Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Fellow position in UCLA's Galactic Center Group to start anytime in 2018

Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Fellow position in UCLA's Galactic Center to start anytime in 2018.

UCLA GCG is looking for two successful candidates to work on the Galactic Center Orbits Initiative with team members on science and methodology development for precision measurements of stellar orbits around the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way. two-decade long data set offers a wide variety of science opportunities that the successful candidates could pursue, including tests of General Relativity with stellar orbits, Galactic dynamics & star formation history, extreme star formation, and black hole accretion physics. The two methodology development areas that we are looking for are (1) high precision astrometry and reference frame construction (using a combination of Adaptive Optics data from W. M. Keck Observatory and WFC3-IR data from Hubble Space Telescope) and (2) advanced modeling of stellar orbits (implementing tests of GR and alternative theories of gravity).

Applicants for this postdoctoral position must have received (or expect to shortly a PhD degree in astronomy, astrophysics, physics or a related discipline. For the astrometry position, experience with image data analysis and astrometry is desirable. For the GR modeling position, deep knowledge of theory as it relates to General Relativity and/or alternative theories of gravity and experience with orbital modeling is desirable. Interested applicants should send a curriculum vitae, bibliography, three letters of reference and a brief statement of research interest to [email protected], specifying which position (astrometry or GR) by Jan 15, 2018. For further information, please contact Prof. Andrea Ghez ([email protected]).

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status. For the complete UC nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy please cut and paste the following link into a browser: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct