Spatially-resolved infrared spectroscopy with GIRMOS and JWST

Spatially-resolved infrared spectroscopy with GIRMOS and JWST

We invite applications for a postdoctoral position from astronomers expert with infrared and/or integral field spectroscopy. The fellow will lead the design and development of the observing preparation and data reduction tools for GIRMOS — an AO-fed multi-IFU infrared spectrograph funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation and now under development for Gemini. GIRMOS recently and successfully completed its Conceptual Design Phase and is now moving forward with commissioning expected in 2024.  For more information on GIRMOS see https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2018SPIE10702E..1JS/abstract

The fellow will also be invited to participate in our 200-hour JWST Guaranteed Time Observer (GTO) program that within the first year of JWST science operations will use JWST’s NIRISS slitless spectrograph to carry out an imaging and spatially-resolved low-resolution grism survey of ~10,000 galaxies behind five massive z~0.5 clusters. This will be supported by comprehensive JWST NIRCam imaging as well as by follow-up NIRSpec spectroscopy budgeted within the GTO allocation. These data will result in maps of key physical quantities such as stellar populations, ionized gas, metallicity, dust, etc., and will be ideal for studies of galaxies - many gravitationally lensed - out to the Epoch of Reionization.  For more information on the program, see http://www.stsci.edu/jwst/phase2-public/1208.pdf

The fellow will be located at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, a major centre on the Atlantic coast of Canada, that’s rich in culture and close to nature. They will work within Dr Marcin Sawicki’s research group, which will consist of 3 postdoctoral fellows and several graduate students embedded within the astronomy research ecosystem in the Department and the Institute for Computational Astrophysics and connected to the broader GIRMOS and NIRISS GTO teams. The fellow will have time for independent research and will be eligible to apply for Canadian observing time on Gemini, CFHT, ALMA, and JWST, and for major computing resources through Compute Canada.

The appointment is expected to start in mid-2020 and, subject to mutual agreement, may continue through the commissioning of GIRMOS in 2024 and early GIRMOS science operations beyond.

We appreciate and welcome diversity, and hire on the basis of merit. We encourage applications from qualified women, visible minorities, Aboriginal people, and people with disabilities, and are committed to the principles of employment equity.

Applicants should submit a CV, a statement of research interests and accomplishments, and arrange for three letters of reference to be sent separately.  All application material should be submitted electronically, by 6 January 2020, to [email protected] and addressed to Dr. Marcin Sawicki.