Employment type: Fixed term contract (2 years commencing 1 September 2014, with a possible extension)
Employment basis: Full-time
Salary: £27,854 – £31,331
Date published: 12 December 2013
Closing date: 3 February 2014
Interview dates: Interviews will be scheduled between 24 and 28 February 2014
The Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation (ICG, www.icg.port.ac.uk) intends to appoint a Postdoctoral Researcher with expertise in integral field unit (IFU) spectroscopy and data processing development to support its research in the Faculty of Technology at the University of Portsmouth.
The post is offered as a fixed-term contract for two years with a possible third year extension contingent upon progress and funding.
The successful applicant will work on the upcoming project Mapping Nearby Galaxies at APO (MaNGA), which is part of the fourth generation Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-IV) to be conducted on the Sloan 2.5m Telescope. MaNGA is an optical fiber-based multi-object IFU that will target 10,000 galaxies over a 6 year campaign with start of survey operations on July 1st 2014. MaNGA will allow the internal kinematics and spatially-resolved properties of stellar populations and gas inside galaxies to be studied as a function of local environment and halo mass for the very first time. The successful candidate will participate in the development of MaNGA’s data processing software and in the scientific analysis of MaNGA data with Dr Daniel Thomas, Dr Karen Masters, Dr Claudia Maraston, and other MaNGA team members at the ICG and within the SDSS-IV collaboration.
The ICG consists of 12 academic staff, 12 postdoctoral researchers and 20 PhD students, and is a member of the Sloan Digital Sky Surveys (SDSS-III and SDSS-IV), the Dark Energy Survey, the UK Low Frequency Array (LOFAR:UK) and the UK National Cosmology Supercomputer Consortium (COSMOS). The University of Portsmouth is a member of the South-East Physics Network (SEPnet) and hosts the 1000-core SEPnet-ASTRO supercomputer (SCIAMA). More information is available at http://www.icg.port.ac.uk.
The start date will be 1st September 2014, or as soon as possible thereafter. We expect to make an appointment for two years with the possibility of renewal for a third year based on satisfactory performance and available funding. The salary range will be from £27,854 to £31,331 per year, and will be based on experience of the successful applicant.
A PhD in astronomy or physics is required. Experience with data processing of large data sets and software development is preferable, and previous involvement in IFU observations and analysis will be considered an advantage. Experience with or interest in stellar population analysis and/or kinematics would be useful.
Applications (application form, CV, publication list and research statement) should be submitted via the online application system at https://port.engageats.co.uk by the closing date, 3rd February 2014. Applicants should also arrange for up to three reference letters and application materials to be sent by email to icg-admin@port.ac.uk, to arrive by the same date.
Late applications may be considered; please contact the HR Recruitment team via hrrecruitment@port.ac.uk for details on how to apply.
We welcome applications from all qualified applicants, but applications are particularly encouraged from traditionally under-represented groups in science. The University of Portsmouth is member of the Athena SWAN charter and an Institute of Physics Project Juno Supporter; these projects show a commitment to introduce organisational and cultural practices that promote gender equality in science and create a better working environment for men and women.
For informal enquiries please contact Daniel Thomas and Karen Masters via email at (daniel.thomas@port.ac.uk, karen.masters@port.ac.uk) or by calling +44 (0)23 9284 5151.
For detailed information about the vacancy, please select this link: 10010556 – Senior Research Associate in IFU Galaxy Evolution.doc