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Current jobs in the Institute of Astronomy at the University of Cambridge.
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Executive Assistant and Project Coordinator (Fixed Term)

Wed, 29/01/2025 - 00:00

We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Executive Assistant and Project Coordinator to join the prestigious Institute of Astronomy (IoA). You will play a pivotal role in supporting the renowned Professor of Astrophysics (1909) and the Plumian Professor of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy (position currently vacant), who are both esteemed leaders in their respective fields of research.

The key purpose of this role is to coordinate, implement and oversee administrative procedures for the efficient running of the offices of Professor of Astrophysics (1909), and the Plumian Professor of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy at the Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge.

The ideal candidate will possess a degree or equivalent qualification and demonstrate practical experience in supporting programme delivery, preferably within a higher education environment. Exceptional communication, organisational, and planning skills are essential for success in this role, as is the ability to work collaboratively within a team.

For detailed information regarding the required skills, experience, and knowledge for this role, please refer to the further information link provided.

This position offers a competitive salary at Grade 6 (£33,232 - £39,105), commensurate with the applicant's level of expertise and experience.

In addition, working at the University of Cambridge presents numerous benefits, including:

  • A supportive and inclusive work environment that fosters collaboration and prioritises employee well-being;

  • Competitive compensation with automatic service-related pay progression and annual cost of living increases;

  • Generous annual leave entitlement of 36 days, inclusive of bank holidays, for full-time employees (pro rata'd for part-time employees);

  • Extensive maternity, adoption, and shared parental leave entitlement, along with other family-friendly schemes such as workplace nurseries and salary exchange schemes for childcare;

  • Auto-enrolment pension scheme with a generous employer contribution;

  • Travel benefits and retail discounts at over 2,000 local and national stores;

  • Regular meetings with your line manager and an annual development review to support your personal growth;

  • Provision of IT equipment to enable hybrid working, where feasible;

  • Access to University training courses for continuous learning and development opportunities .

Fixed Term: This is a full-time, fixed term position with funding available until November 2026 in the first instance, with the possibility of further extension subject to funding.

Once an offer of employment has been accepted, the successful candidate will be required to complete a confidentiality agreement.

Applications are welcome from internal candidates who would like to apply for the role on the basis of a secondment from their current role in the University.

The Institute of Astronomy is located at the University of Cambridge on Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0HA.

The University of Cambridge has a Hybrid Working Policy that aims to enable as many staff as possible to work in a hybrid way if they so wish, whilst recognising that some roles will include tasks that can only be performed on University premises.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

You will need an email address to register for our online system. Please complete the application in full, including giving details of 2 referees, which are essential. Please advise referees that references will be requested before the interview week, such contact will be to your referees via our recruitment system.

We welcome informal inquiries, which can be directed via email to Angela Macharia at departmental.administrator@ast.cam.ac.uk . If you have any questions regarding the application process, please contact HR@ast.cam.ac.uk .

The closing date for applications is: 23:59 GMT on Friday 21st February 2025.

Applications will be reviewed after the closing date, and short-listed candidates will be interviewed shortly afterwards.

The post holder will ideally start in March 2025.

Please quote reference LG44872 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University of Cambridge is a signatory of the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA). DORA recognises the need to improve the ways in which the outputs of scholarly research are evaluated. The University expects candidates to apply the principles of DORA when preparing their applications. We do not use journal-level metrics when assessing the quality of research outputs. Applicants should not include journal-level metrics, such as the Journal Impact Factor, anywhere in their application materials. More information about DORA, its principles and aims can be found at: https://sfdora.org/ and https://www.research-strategy.admin.cam.ac.uk/research-policy/DORA.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

Research Associate/Assistant in Supernovae / Astrostatistics / Data Science (Fixed Term)

Fri, 13/12/2024 - 00:00

The Institute of Astronomy (IoA), Cambridge University expects to appoint one or more postdoctoral researchers to work with Professor Kaisey Mandel on projects in supernova cosmology, transient astronomy, astrostatistics and/or machine learning. Prof Mandel's interdisciplinary research group is funded by the European Research Council and spans the Institute of Astronomy, Kavli Institute for Cosmology, and the Statistical Laboratory of the Department of Pure Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics. Appointments to the StatsLab (DPMMS) are possible. Negotiable starting dates from ASAP through to October 2025.

Experience in statistical modelling / computation, machine learning, supernova observations / data analysis, transient surveys, and/or cosmological analysis is desirable. The successful applicants will have opportunities to work with novel optical / near-infrared datasets from current time-domain surveys, including the Young Supernova Experiment, and participate in upcoming next-generation surveys including LSST with VRO and TiDES with 4MOST.

The role-holder will contribute to research excellence as a member of a highly collaborative international research team, with the role providing substantial scope for exercising academic judgement, originality, interpretation and presentation of results. The role-holder will develop a high degree of interaction with staff and students, disseminate their research findings via publications or other appropriate media, such as international workshops and conferences, and will be encouraged to participate in teaching, learning, and outreach activities.

Applicants must have a PhD in Astronomy, Statistics, or a related field, or have satisfied the requirements for the PhD, by the time of appointment. Applicants must possess a scientific publication record and a clear outline of current and future research areas of interest. Applicants must have excellent communication and computing skills and are expected to produce scientific articles for publication in peer-reviewed journals

Salary will be on the Research Associate scale (grade 7, from £36,924 to £45,163). Appointment as a Research Associate (grade 7) is dependent on having a PhD. Those who have submitted their thesis but not yet been awarded their PhD will initially be appointed as a Research Assistant and amended to Research Associate when the PhD is awarded. The Research Assistant salary (grade 5) falls within the range £33,882 to £34,866.

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 3 years in the first instance.

The University of Cambridge thrives on the diversity of its staff and students. We have an active Equality and Diversity Committee which continually works to further the aims of the Athena SWAN charter. The University has several family-friendly policies and initiatives, including a returning-carer scheme, childcare costs support, university workplace nurseries, university holiday play-schemes, and a shared parental-leave policy. As part of its commitment to providing a family-friendly environment for researchers, the IoA ensures that should parental leave be needed during the course of employment, there is provision for extension to contract to compensate for the parental leave taken.

Conversations about flexible working are encouraged at the University of Cambridge. Please feel free to discuss flexibility prior to applying (using the contact information below) or at interview if your application is successful.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Please upload your CV, cover letter, publications list and research statement (3xA4 pages max, 11pt font) in the Upload section. Names and contact details of 3 academic referees are essential. Please advise referees that references will be requested for 13th January 2025, such contact will be direct to your referees via our recruitment system.

The University of Cambridge is a signatory of the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA). DORA recognises the need to improve the ways in which the outputs of scholarly research are evaluated. The University expects candidates to apply the principles of DORA when preparing their applications. We do not use journal-level metrics when assessing the quality of research outputs. Applicants should not include journal-level metrics, such as the Journal Impact Factor, anywhere in their application materials. More information about DORA, its principles and aims can be found at: https://sfdora.org/ and https://www.research-strategy.admin.cam.ac.uk/research-policy/DORA.

Closing date: 23:59 GMT, Monday, 13th January 2025. Where applicable, referees will be requested to provide references by Monday 13th January 2025.

Applications will be reviewed after the closing date and short-listed candidates selected for interview.

Interviews are provisionally planned for w/c 20th January 2025.

Starting date: October 2025 or earlier.

Please quote reference LG44290 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

If you have any queries about your application, please contact hr@ast.cam.ac.uk. Informal enquires may be addressed to Professor Kaisey Mandel (kmandel@ast.cam.ac.uk) .

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

Research Associate/Assistant in Cosmology and large-scale structure (Fixed-Term

Thu, 28/11/2024 - 00:00

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 3 years in the first instance.

Position Overview

The Institute of Astronomy (IoA) at the University of Cambridge invites applications for a three-year postdoctoral research associate position in cosmology and large-scale structure, under the supervision of Dr. Boryana Hadzhiyska. We seek an enthusiastic and motivated researcher holding a PhD in astronomy, physics, or a closely related field.

Research Focus

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to engage in advanced research on topics relevant to large-scale structure, early Universe cosmology, and galaxy formation and evolution. Potential research areas include, but are not limited to:

  • Baryonic feedback and its impact on structure formation

  • Galaxy-halo connection and galaxy formation and evolution

  • Thermal and kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effects

  • Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) primary and secondary anisotropies

  • Tests of inflationary physics

  • Lyman alpha forest

  • Reionization

  • Baryonic tracers: X-rays, Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs), absorption/emission lines

In addition, the successful candidate will have access to cutting-edge data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), the CMB experiments Simons Observatory (SO) and the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT), Rubin Observatory's Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), and other cosmological surveys, as well as state-of-the-art hydrodynamical and N-body simulations such as MillenniumTNG and AbacusSummit.

Qualifications

  • PhD in astronomy, physics, or a closely related field

  • Strong background in theoretical or observational cosmology

  • Experience or interest in working on one or more of the above-listed topics

  • Demonstrated ability for independent research and effective collaboration

Other details

The University of Cambridge provides a vibrant research environment in cosmology. The interdepartmental Kavli Institute for Cosmology, Cambridge (KICC) is co-located on the IoA site, fostering connections with other groups conducting complementary cosmological research across Cambridge.

Salary will be on the Research Associate scale (grade 7, from £36,924 to £45,163). Appointment as a Research Associate (grade 7) is dependent on having a PhD. Those who have submitted their thesis but not yet been awarded their PhD will initially be appointed as a Research Assistant and amended to Research Associate when the PhD is awarded. The Research Assistant salary (grade 5) falls within the range £33,882 to £34,866. Further benefits of University employment are outlined at: https://www.hr.admin.cam.ac.uk/pay-benefits

Conversations about flexible working are encouraged at the University of Cambridge. Please feel free to discuss flexibility prior to applying (using the contact information below) or at interview if your application is successful.

The University of Cambridge thrives on the diversity of its staff and students. Applications from underrepresented groups are particularly welcome. The University has several family-friendly policies and initiatives, including a returning-carer scheme, childcare costs support, University workplace nurseries, University holiday play- schemes, and a shared parental-leave policy. As part of its commitment to providing a family-friendly environment for researchers, the Institute ensures that should parental leave be needed during the course of employment, there is provision for extension to contract to compensate for the parental leave taken.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Please indicate the contact details of three academic referees on the online application form and upload a full curriculum vitae (CV), list of publications, and a research statement (three pages max), including a description of how your research expertise can be applied to the project. Please ensure that your referees are aware that they may be contacted by the Institute of Astronomy.

The University of Cambridge is a signatory of the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA). DORA recognises the need to improve the ways in which the outputs of scholarly research are evaluated. The University expects candidates to apply the principles of DORA when preparing their applications. We do not use journal-level metrics when assessing the quality of research outputs. Applicants should not include journal-level metrics, such as the Journal Impact Factor, anywhere in their application materials. More information about DORA, its principles and aims can be found at: https://sfdora.org/ and https://www.research-strategy.admin.cam.ac.uk/research-policy/DORA.

The application deadline is 23:59 GMT on Friday 10th January 2025. Where permission is given by candidates on application, referees will be requested to provide references by the application closing date.

Applications will be reviewed after the closing date and interviews are provisionally planned for: w/c 20th January 2025

The anticipated start date of the appointment is 1st September 2025, or as soon as possible thereafter.

Informal enquires can be addressed via email to Dr Boryana Hadzhiyska via the HR Department, please contact HR@ast.cam.ac.uk.

Please quote reference LG44148 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

Research Assistant/Associate: Cosmological Simulation Based Inference (up to 3 posts) (Fixed Term)

Fri, 22/11/2024 - 00:00

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 4 years in the first instance.

Applications are invited for up to three Postdoctoral Research Associate positions to support an ambitious research programme at the University of Cambridge, focusing on cosmological data analysis using cutting-edge AI techniques.

The successful candidates will join a vibrant team led by Will Handley, dedicated to harnessing advanced methodologies such as simulation-based inference, Bayesian forecasting, and experimental design to extract maximal information from next-generation cosmological surveys and experiments.

Our research spans a range of cosmological probes, including the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO), weak lensing, and gravitational wave data.

These positions offer a higher than usual level of research freedom, allowing candidates to tailor their projects according to their interests and expertise while leveraging the strengths of the Cambridge cosmology cluster. Researchers with theoretical inclinations will have opportunities to develop models collaboratively with theorists within the Cambridge community.

The postholders will be expected to:

  • Develop and apply advanced Bayesian & AI techniques, including simulation-based inference and leveraging new AI tools exemplified by large language models (e.g., GPT, Claude, Gemini), to enhance the scientific discovery process.

  • Be responsive to emerging techniques, tensions, and data, addressing key issues such as the Hubble tension, weak lensing discrepancies, curvature constraints, and evolving dark energy scenarios.

  • Analyze data from various cosmological probes according to their expertise, contributing to projects that may vary over time.

  • Collaborate closely with team members and engage with the wider Cambridge cosmology community, fostering interdisciplinary research.

  • Contribute to the supervision and mentoring of PhD and Masters students, as well as summer students, supporting a dynamic learning environment.

  • Stay abreast of advancements in AI and cosmology to ensure the research group remains at the cutting edge of these disciplines.

These positions are funded for four years, commencing in October 2025 or earlier.

We are seeking to appoint candidates of the highest calibre to contribute to this transformative research initiative. The successful applicants will have a strong background in cosmology, astrophysics, or a related field, and experience with AI techniques is highly desirable. This is an excellent opportunity to engage in pioneering research within a world-leading institution and to make significant contributions to our understanding of the Universe.

For more information regarding relevant matters please visit:

https://handley-lab.co.uk

https://willhandley.co.uk

https://www.ast.cam.ac.uk

https://www.kicc.cam.ac.uk

Applicants must have a PhD in Astronomy or related field*. Applicants must possess a scientific publication record and a clear outline of current/future research areas. Applicants must have excellent communication and computing skills.

The appointment will be at Grade 7 (Research Associate) £36,924 - £45,163 p.a. (Grade 7, Pts 41-48), depending on experience/qualifications. *A successful candidate not yet awarded a PhD will be appointed at Grade 5 (Research Assistant) £33,882 - £34,866 (Grade 5, Pts 38-39) and amended to Research Associate (Grade 7) upon confirmation of PhD.

The post is full-time, but applications are welcome from those who would like to work flexibly. Conversations about flexible working are encouraged at the University of Cambridge. Please feel free to discuss flexibility prior to applying (using the contact information below) or at interview if your application is successful.

The University of Cambridge thrives on the diversity of its staff and students. The IoA particularly welcomes applications from women and/or candidates from a BME background for this vacancy as they are currently under-represented. We have an active Equality and Diversity Committee which continually works to further the aims of the Athena SWAN charter. The University has several family-friendly policies and initiatives, including a returning-carer scheme, childcare costs support, university workplace nurseries, university holiday play-schemes, and a shared parental-leave policy. As part of its commitment to providing a family-friendly environment for researchers, the IoA ensures that should parental leave be needed during the course of employment, there is provision for extension to contract to compensate for the parental leave taken.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Please indicate the contact details of three academic referees on the online application form and upload a full curriculum vitae (CV), list of publications, provide your github username (or equivalent evidence of computational skills and experience) and a research statement (three pages max), including a description of how your research expertise can be applied to the project. Please ensure that your referees are aware that they may be contacted by the Institute of Astronomy.

The University of Cambridge is a signatory of the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA). DORA recognises the need to improve the ways in which the outputs of scholarly research are evaluated. The University expects candidates to apply the principles of DORA when preparing their applications. We do not use journal-level metrics when assessing the quality of research outputs. Applicants should not include journal-level metrics, such as the Journal Impact Factor, anywhere in their application materials. More information about DORA, its principles and aims can be found at: https://sfdora.org/ and https://www.research-strategy.admin.cam.ac.uk/research-policy/DORA.

The application deadline is 23:59 GMT on Thursday 2nd January 2025. Where applicable, referees will be requested to provide references by Friday 10th January 2025.

Applications will be reviewed after the closing date and interviews are provisionally planned for: w/c 20th January 2025.

The anticipated start date of the appointment is October 2025 or earlier.

Informal enquires can be addressed via email to Dr Will Handley: wh260@cam.ac.uk . If you have any queries regarding the application process please contact: HR@ast.cam.ac.uk.

Please quote reference LG44063 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

Research Assistant/Research Associate in Survey Cosmology and Astrophysics (Fixed Term)

Fri, 08/11/2024 - 00:00

We seek to appoint a highly-motivated postdoctoral researcher to conduct original research on advanced machine-learning for analysis of photometric and spectroscopic extragalactic survey datasets. The research will prepare the path for the Vera C. Rubin Observatory's Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST). The successful applicant will be part of the European Research Council Advanced Grant CosmicExplorer project, led by Professor Hiranya Peiris at the Institute of Astronomy in Cambridge (www.ast.cam.ac.uk). The position will involve original research in cosmology and/or galaxy evolution using survey data.

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory is a next-generation astronomical facility currently under construction in Chile with first light expected in the next few months. Rubin's LSST will be one of the largest and most comprehensive astronomy surveys of its kind, enabling countless astronomical and physics discoveries. Within the ERC Advanced Grant CosmicExplorer project, the successful candidate will join a highly collaborative international team building advanced machine-learning methodologies to solve analysis challenges posed by the coming Rubin data.

Candidate information

We seek candidates with significant experience of one or more of the following: developing and applying novel statistical and machine learning techniques, writing production-level code for analysis of relevant cosmological datasets, and/or preparing for the coming LSST data by analyzing precursor surveys. In the appointment process, special attention will be given to research skills in one or more of: image-level and/or spectroscopic data analysis (for the latter, especially with DESI); modelling the galaxy-halo connection; and/or expertise in relevant spectral synthesis tools (stellar population synthesis, photoionization simulators).

The role-holder will contribute to research excellence as a member of a highly collaborative international research team, with the role providing substantial scope for exercising academic judgement, originality, interpretation and presentation of results. The role-holder will develop a high degree of interaction with staff and students, disseminate their research findings via publications or other appropriate media, such as international workshops and conferences, and will be encouraged to participate in teaching, learning, and outreach activities.

A successful candidate with a PhD will be appointed at Grade 7 (Research Associate - £36,924 - £45,163 per annum). A candidate who has not been awarded their PhD will initially be appointed at Grade 5 (Research Assistant - £33,882 - £34,866 per annum) and, upon award of PhD, promoted to Grade 7.

The University of Cambridge provides a vibrant research environment in cosmology. The interdepartmental Kavli Institute for Cosmology, Cambridge (KICC) is co-located on the IoA site, fostering connections with other groups conducting complementary cosmological research across Cambridge.

The University of Cambridge thrives on the diversity of its staff and students. Applications from underrepresented groups are particularly welcome. The University has several family-friendly policies and initiatives, including a returning-carer scheme, childcare costs support, University workplace nurseries, University holiday play- schemes, and a shared parental leave policy. As part of its commitment to providing a family-friendly environment for researchers, the Institute ensures that should parental leave be needed during the course of employment, there is provision for extension to contract to compensate for the parental leave taken.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Please upload your CV, cover letter, publications list and research statement (3x A4 pages max, 11pt font) in the Upload section. Please carefully read the Further Particulars for the role, and ensure your cover letter briefly describes how you meet the criterion detailed in the Person Specification grid and why you are applying for this role. The names and contact details of 3 academic referees are essential. Please advise referees that references will be requested for 13 January 2025.

Closing date: 09:00am GMT, Monday, 13 January 2025.

Applications will be reviewed after the closing date. Short-listed candidates will be invited to attend an online interview via Zoom shortly after.

Starting date: To be agreed.

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 3 years in the first instance.

If you have any queries about your application, please contact hr@ast.cam.ac.uk. Informal enquiries may be addressed to Professor Hiranya Peiris: hiranya.periris@ast.cam.ac.uk

Please quote reference LG43994 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society. The Institute particularly welcomes applications from women and/or candidates from a BME background for this vacancy as they are currently under-represented.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

Research Assistant/Associate: CMB Cosmology (Fixed Term)

Wed, 30/10/2024 - 00:00

We invite applications for a postdoctoral researcher to work on CMB cosmology as part of the Simons Observatory (SO):UK project. The SO is a CMB experiment under construction in the Atacama Desert in Chile with full operations expected in early 2025. Successful candidates will work with Anthony Challinor, Blake Sherwin and their groups on development of the SO data-processing pipeline and delivery of Science Ready Data Products (SRDPs), focusing on validation of SRDPs for gravitational lensing studies and developing simulations to interpret high-resolution data from the Large-Aperture Telescope.

SO:UK is the UK contribution to the US-led SO project consisting of: a data centre; a program of algorithm development contributing to pipeline development; and an instrumentation contribution, including provision of two Small-Aperture Telescopes for degree-scale B-mode measurements. A key area is delivery of SRDPs.

Candidates must possess significant theoretical/analytic skills and experience in developing/applying analyses for precision CMB studies/relevant fields. Candidates will collaborate internationally with colleagues, will interact closely with staff and students, disseminate research findings via publications/media (international workshops/conferences), and are encouraged to participate in teaching and learning.

The IoA provides a vibrant research environment in cosmology. The interdepartmental Kavli Institute for Cosmology is located on the same site as the IoA, fostering connections with those conducting complementary research.

Applicants must have a PhD in Astronomy or related field*. Applicants must possess a scientific publication record and a clear outline of current/future research areas. Applicants must have excellent communication and computing skills.

The appointment will be at Grade 7 (Research Associate) £36,024 - £44,263 p.a. (Grade 7, Pts 41 - 48), depending on experience/qualifications. *A successful candidate not yet awarded a PhD will be appointed at Grade 5 (Research Assistant) £32,982 - £33,966 (Grade 5, Pts 38 - 39) and amended to Research Associate (Grade 7) upon confirmation of PhD.

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for two years in the first instance, with the expectation of extension for a further year (subject to funding availability)

The post is full-time, but applications are welcome from those who would like to work flexibly

The University of Cambridge thrives on the diversity of its staff and students. The IoA particularly welcomes applications from women and/or candidates from a BME background for this vacancy as they are currently under-represented. We have an active Equality and Diversity Committee which continually works to further the aims of the Athena SWAN charter. The University has several family-friendly policies and initiatives, including a returning-carer scheme, childcare costs support, university workplace nurseries, university holiday play-schemes, and a shared parental-leave policy. As part of its commitment to providing a family-friendly environment for researchers, the IoA ensures that should parental leave be needed during the course of employment, there is provision for extension to contract to compensate for the parental leave taken.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Please upload your CV, cover letter, publications list and research statement (three A4 pages maximum, 11pt font) in the Upload section. Names and contact details of three academic referees are essential. Please advise referees that references will be requested by 8 December 2024.

Closing: 23:59 GMT, Friday 29 November 2024. Applications will be reviewed after closing and short-listed candidates invited for interview in early January 2025.

Starting: October 2025 or earlier.

If you have queries re. applying, please contact hr@ast.cam.ac.uk. Informal inquiries may be addressed to Prof. Anthony Challinor (a.d.challinor@ast.cam.ac.uk)/Prof. Blake Sherwin (sherwin@damtp.cam.ac.uk).

Please quote reference LG43858 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University of Cambridge is a signatory of the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA). DORA recognises the need to improve the ways in which the outputs of scholarly research are evaluated. The University expects candidates to apply the principles of DORA when preparing their applications. We do not use journal¿level metrics when assessing the quality of research outputs. Applicants should not include journal-level metrics, such as the Journal Impact Factor, anywhere in their application materials. More information about DORA, its principles and aims can be found at: https://sfdora.org/ and https://www.research-strategy.admin.cam.ac.uk/research-policy/DORA.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

Kavli Institute (Senior) Fellowship in Cosmology and Astrophysics (Fixed Term)

Fri, 30/08/2024 - 01:00

The Kavli Institute for Cosmology, Cambridge, is offering one or more Kavli Institute Fellowships or Senior Fellowships in the areas of Cosmology and Astrophysics. These are prestigious independent research fellowships, for a fixed term of three-years in the first instance, with the possibility of two further years (subject to funding) if appointed to a Senior Fellowship.

Applicants must have a PhD in Astrophysics, or a related field, or have submitted their PhD thesis by the start date of the fellowship. We welcome applications from observers and theorists with interests relevant to one or more of the following scientific themes of the Kavli Institute (see http://www.kicc.cam.ac.uk): the cosmic microwave background and the early Universe; the formation and evolution of galaxies and of supermassive black holes; the epoch of cosmic reionization; evolution of the intergalactic medium; the nature of dark matter; large-scale structure and precision cosmology; and gravitational waves.

The Kavli Institute brings together astrophysicists and cosmologists from three departments across the University of Cambridge. We provide an extremely lively and stimulating scientific environment, bridging the gap between the departments to further our understanding of the Universe from the Big Bang to local galaxies.

We are located two kilometres west of the centre of Cambridge, in extensive grounds and woodland shared with the Institute of Astronomy and the Battcock Centre for Experimental Astrophysics (Department of Physics). The site provides an extremely pleasant working environment.

Successful applicants will be expected to build an independent research program but will have many opportunities for collaborative work with members of the Kavli Institute. They will disseminate their research findings through publications and presentations and contribute to the Institute's public-engagement activities. Successful applicants will have opportunities to assist with the supervision of graduate students. Applicants must have excellent communication and computing skills.

Salary will be either on the Research Associate scale (grade 7, from £36,024 to £44,263) if appointed as Kavli Institute Fellow or, for exceptional and established researchers, on the Senior Research Associate scale (grade 9, from £45,585 to £57,696) if appointed as Kavli Institute Senior Fellow. A research allowance of £10,000 per annum and a generous relocation package will be provided. Further benefits of University employment are outlined at http://www.induction.admin.cam.ac.uk/.

Appointment as a Research Associate (grade 7) is dependent on having a PhD. Those who have submitted their thesis but not yet been awarded their PhD will initially be appointed as a Research Assistant and amended to Research Associate when the PhD is awarded. The Research Assistant salary (grade 5) falls within the range £32,982 to £33,966.

The University of Cambridge thrives on the diversity of its staff and students. Applications from under-represented groups are particularly welcome. The University has several family-friendly policies and initiatives, including a returning-carer scheme, childcare costs support, University workplace nurseries, University holiday play-schemes, and a shared parental-leave policy. As part of its commitment to providing a family friendly environment for researchers, the Kavli Institute ensures that should parental leave be needed during the course of employment, there is provision for extension to contract to compensate for the parental leave taken.

Informal enquiries can be addressed via email to kavlisec@ast.cam.ac.uk.

The post is full-time, but applications are welcome from those who would like to work flexibly.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Please ensure that you upload your Curriculum Vitae (CV), cover letter, publications list and research statement (three A4 pages maximum including references in 11pt font) in the Upload section of the online application. The names and contact details of three academic referees are a necessary part of the submission.

Referees will be contacted automatically following an application, but applicants are strongly advised to prepare nominated referees for the need to provide references by 27 October 2024. Please note in your cover letter whether you wish to be considered for a Kavli Institute Fellowship or a Kavli Institute Senior Fellowship.

As a signatory of the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment, the University of Cambridge does not use journal-level metrics when assessing the quality of research outputs. Applicants should not include journal-level metrics, such as the Journal Impact Factor, anywhere in their application materials.

Closing date: 20th October 2024 (applications to be received by 23:59 BST)

Applications will be reviewed after the closing date and short-listed candidates will be interviewed in December 2024.

Appointees shall ideally start in October 2025, but alternative starting dates can be arranged with some flexibility.

Please quote reference LG42951 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

Research Associate in CASU Data Science

Tue, 30/07/2024 - 01:00

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available until 31 March 2026 in the first instance with good prospects for further extension subject to grant funding. The anticipated start date is 1st December 2024 or as early as possible thereafter.

This is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic Astronomical Data Scientist to work within the Cambridge Astronomical Survey Unit (CASU) at the Institute of Astronomy (IoA) as part of CASU's spectroscopic analysis system development team.

WEAVE, MOONS and 4MOST are major massively-multiplexed optical/NIR spectrographs currently under advanced stages of development, to be deployed on the 4.2-m William Herschel, ESO VLT and VISTA telescopes respectively. They will enable large, cutting-edge spectroscopic surveys to be undertaken across both hemispheres, observing millions of stars and galaxies during their initial multi-year survey periods. The CASU team has developed the spectroscopic pipelines for WEAVE and 4MOST and has responsibility for the final development, commissioning and operations of the data pipelines. CASU is developing the data flow system and housing the survey operations centre for MOONS.

The successful candidate will join CASU's software development team, developing novel scientific algorithms and applications in the areas of spectroscopic analysis and mining of the science data catalogues extracted from the pipelines. Responsibilities range from monitoring instrument health and scientific quality of the data, tracking progress of the surveys, to preparing for community observing campaigns and data releases. The role's additional duties involve supporting computational infrastructure, coordinating with wider spectroscopic project teams and external science users, contributing to documentation and user manuals, and collaborating on research programs to optimise data interpretation and usage. There are also opportunities to participate in data analysis science under CASU's broader astronomical and medical programmes.

Applicants will have a Ph.D. in astronomy or a related field and have a strong computing and programming background. Candidates are expected to be familiar with the acquisition and reduction of data from astronomical facilities and with the use of database and web-based systems. Previous experience in the development of software for large-scale spectroscopic surveys is desirable. Experience and practical knowledge of Python to query databases, manipulate large datasets, visualise data and perform numerical and statistical analysis is a requirement. Experience in handling 'big data', machine learning and working in distributed teams, is useful. Systems engineering experience is also relevant for this position.

Working at the crucial interface between the instrument and the scientific output, this role would encompass on-site commissioning and support for world-leading facilities such as WHT (WEAVE), VISTA (4MOST) and VLT (MOONS). The post-holder will be required to attend meetings both elsewhere in the UK and overseas.

Salary will be on the Research Associate scale (grade 7, from £36,024 to £44,263). Appointment as a Research Associate (grade 7) is dependent on having a PhD. Those who have submitted their thesis but not yet been awarded their PhD will initially be appointed as a Research Assistant and amended to Research Associate when the PhD is awarded. The Research Assistant salary (grade 5) falls within the range £32,982 to £33,966.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Please indicate the contact details of three academic referees on the online application form and upload a full curriculum vitae (CV), list of publications, and a research statement (three A4 pages max, minimum font size 11), including a description of how your research expertise can be applied to the project. Please ensure that your referees are aware that they may be contacted by the Institute of Astronomy.

The University of Cambridge is a signatory of the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA). DORA recognises the need to improve the ways in which the outputs of scholarly research are evaluated. The University expects candidates to apply the principles of DORA when preparing their applications. We do not use journal level metrics when assessing the quality of research outputs. Applicants should not include journal level metrics, such as the Journal Impact Factor, anywhere in their application materials. More information about DORA, its principles and aims can be found at: https://sfdora.org/ .

The application deadline is 23:59 BST on Friday 13th September 2024. Where applicable, referees will be requested to provide references by 30th September, 2024.

Applications will be reviewed after the closing date and interviews are provisionally planned for: w/c 7th October 2024

The anticipated start date of the appointment is 1st December 2024, or as soon as possible thereafter.

Informal enquires can be addressed via email to Dr Nicholas Walton: naw@ast.cam.ac.uk. If you have any queries regarding the application process please contact HR@ast.cam.ac.uk.

Please quote reference LG42614 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society. The University thrives on the diversity of its staff and students. Applications from underrepresented groups are particularly welcome. See the further particulars for the detail of the family friendly initiatives on offer.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.