Northwestern University and The University of Chicago are accepting applications for the inaugural Northwestern - UChicago Brinson Postdoctoral Fellowship in Astrophysics, to start in Fall 2024.

The Fellow will have the opportunity to pursue an independent research program and benefit from the diverse and dynamic intellectual environments at both Northwestern University CIERA (learn more about CIERA's programs and activities) and The University of Chicago (learn more about UChicago's Astronomy & Astrophysics Department programs and activities). Candidates in all areas of Astronomy and Astrophysics are encouraged to apply.

Northwestern provides institutional access to the Keck telescopes on Mauna Kea and will enable access to MMT as well as the forthcoming La Silla Southern Sky Survey (LS4) and SEDMv2 (an ultra-low resolution IFU spectrograph for transient classification). CIERA researchers have exclusive access to three high-performance computer clusters, providing access to 5,992 compute cores. Additional HPC resources, including high-memory nodes, are available through Northwestern's Quest cluster (see for more information). A dedicated Computational Specialist is also on staff to assist CIERA researchers. CIERA members are actively involved in the Vera C. Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), and the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). For current areas of research led by CIERA faculty, as well as research resources and facilities, see: https://ciera.northwestern.edu/research/.

The University of Chicago provides institutional access to the Magellan telescopes at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile and proprietary access to high-performance computing resources. Members of the UChicago community are actively involved in the Dark Energy Survey (DES), the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), the Vera C. Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-V), the South Pole Telescope (SPT), the CMB-S4 Experiment, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), the Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP), the Probe of Extreme Multi-Messenger Astrophysics (POEMMA), the X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM), the Line Emission Mapper Mission (LEM), the Atacama Cosmology Telescope, and the Simons Observatory, among many other projects. The University of Chicago is a founding partner of the Giant Magellan Telescope, and department members are involved in the Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics, the Enrico Fermi Institute, Fermilab, and Argonne National Laboratory. For more details about current areas of research by UChicago faculty, as well as resources and facilities, see https://astrophysics.uchicago.edu/research/.

Fellowship appointments will be for a three-year term starting in September 2024. The annual stipend is $80,000, and the position comes with a competitive benefits package and a research budget of $18,000 per year. A $5000 relocation budget will also be available. Successful candidates are expected to split their time, spending approximately half of their time at each institution. They will benefit from strong faculty mentoring at both institutions.

Please submit applications electronically. Applications should include a Cover letter (stating your interest in and relevant experience/skills for the position, and identifying a potential faculty mentor at both Northwestern and U Chicago), a Curriculum Vitae, a List of publications (with the most important 1 to 3 publications indicated with an asterisk), a three-page Statement of research accomplishments and plans, and email contact information should be provided for at least three references who can independently write a letter of support for the applicant. Please identify in the cover letter a potential mentor at both Northwestern University and The University of Chicago.

All questions should be sent by email to 2024northwestern-uchicago-brinson@box.uchicago.edu .

Applications received by November 6, 2023 will receive full consideration, and letters of recommendation will be due November 13, 2023. Later applications will be considered until all positions are filled. Please state that you are applying for the Northwestern - U Chicago Brinson Postdoctoral Fellowship in Astrophysics in your cover letter. Applicants must complete their Ph.D. requirements prior to appointment.

CIERA and The University of Chicago Astronomy & Astrophysics Department (UC A&A) are both committed to creating welcoming, safe, and inclusive communities for everyone. Every person connected to CIERA and UC A&A is expected to uphold our shared values by seeking diverse perspectives and deliberately working to increase access and equity of people from marginalized groups. We recognize that true excellence only comes from the meaningful integration of all perspectives in our community and culture. CIERA also participates with University-wide diversity & inclusion efforts: Northwestern's Mission and Vision, Northwestern's Office of Equity. UC A&A has adopted a Statement of Community Values and participates with other University resources in equity, diversity and inclusion.

Northwestern University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer and does not discriminate against qualified individuals on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, parental status, marital status, age, disability, citizenship status, veteran status, genetic information, or any other protected class. Individuals from all diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the United States. For more information, please see the University's Policy on Discrimination and Harassment.

Included Benefits: http://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html