Postdoc in Astronomical Instrumentation – Astrophotonics

Applications are invited for a postdoctoral researcher in the group of Prof. Labadie at the Institute for Astrophysics of the University of Cologne, Germany. The institute is involved internationally in the state-of-the-art instrumentation projects (VLT/I, ELT, JWST, CCAT). The position is offered within the project NAIR (“Novel Astronomical Instrumentation through photonic Reformatting”), a collaboration between the University of Cologne, the Durham University and the AIP-Potsdam. NAIR aims at the deployment on-sky of photonic-based solutions for long-baseline interferometry, nulling and integrated field spectroscopy, in the near- and mid-infrared range. The successful applicant will take a leading role in the design, manufacturing and laboratory testing of fiber-linked integrated optics devices for astronomy. On-sky deployment and testing at the CHARA array in California, US, is one of the long-term objectives. She/He will also ensure transversal collaborations between the partners to maximize the scientific return. Beyond the NAIR context, the candidate may also contribute to tasks relevant to on-going instrumentation projects in Cologne (i.e., VLTI, ELT). The applicant should have a PhD (or equivalent) in astronomy/astrophysics, physics, or related discipline. She/He should have a strong background in fields associated with astronomical instrumentation. The working language is English. The position is for 3 years (2 years + 1 year extension). The salary is based on the E13 scale of German civil service. Applicants should send a CV and a statement of research to [email protected]. They should arrange the email addresses of two referees that can be contacted directly. The deadline for submission is 30.06.2023. Late applications are considered, but with no guarantee.