Postdoctoral Fellows at the Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology

The Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology (KIPAC) at Stanford University and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory seeks recent Ph.D. scientists for postdoctoral fellowships in astrophysics and cosmology. The positions offer opportunities to develop innovative and independent research programs in these areas using computational, experimental, observational, and theoretical approaches. Existing research programs at KIPAC span many areas of astrophysics and cosmology and include studies of dark energy, cosmic dynamics, structure formation, galaxy formation, the physics of inflation, studies of and searches for dark matter, interstellar medium physics, multi-messenger astrophysics, and studies of black holes, compact objects, galaxies, clusters of galaxies, the Milky Way, stars, and other astrophysical sources. KIPAC members are involved in several experiments and survey projects. KIPAC is active in large cosmic surveys, including DES, DESI, Euclid, and the Vera C. Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space & Time (LSST). Activities in Rubin/LSST include the construction and integration of the LSST camera, leadership of the LSST Dark Energy Science Collaboration, management of the Rubin US Data Facility, and operation of the Rubin Observatory system. KIPAC is playing a leading role in CMB experiments, including the BICEP/Keck Array, the South Pole Telescope, the Atacama Cosmology Telescope, LiteBIRD, AliCPT, the Simons Observatory, and planning for CMB-S4; dark matter experiments including WIMP searches with LZ and SuperCDMS, as well as axion searches with ADMX and DMRadio; gamma-ray and X-ray observatories including the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, NuSTAR, IXPE (X-ray polarization), as well as the future Athena mission and probe-class X-ray mission concepts; simulations and planning for the Nancy Grace Roman mission; surveying the Milky Way at high resolution with the Via Project; millimeter-wave line intensity mapping with SPT-SLIM; high energy density laboratory astrophysics; and studies of our Sun with the Solar Dynamics Observatory. KIPAC offers excellent laboratory facilities for instrument development and significant computational resources for theoretical astrophysics research and data analysis. Postdoctoral fellows can apply for time on the Magellan telescopes through KIPAC. KIPAC also provides the opportunity to participate in cross-disciplinary activities through Stanford Data Science, Human-Centered AI, and the SLAC Machine Learning Program. The positions offer a competitive salary in the range of 76-88K, depending on position and experience, and excellent benefits (https://postdocbenefits.stanford.edu). The Kavli, Porat, and Bunyan Fellowships include additional funds to support research and travel expenses. KIPAC typically appoints up to 10 postdoctoral fellows per year. Applicants will be considered for all available postdoctoral positions at KIPAC, including the Kavli, Porat, Bunyan, and KIPAC Rubin Fellowships, joint fellowships with Stanford Data Science, available positions associated with KIPAC activities at SLAC, and several positions with individual faculty and research groups; these opportunities are listed on our webpage here: https://kipac.stanford.edu/join-us/postdoctoral-opportunities-kipac. Candidates should have a recent PhD in astronomy or physics or expect to receive the degree before starting their appointment (generally, candidates for fellowships will have PhDs granted between June 2022 and August 2025; other candidates may be considered at the discretion of the committee or the hiring PI). Application materials should be submitted at https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/28480. Candidates should provide a curriculum vitae including a publication list, a 3-page statement of research interests and plans, and arrange to have at least three letters of recommendation submitted to the same site. We encourage applicants to follow the structure of the AAS advice on the contents of CVs and research statements given here: https://jobregister.aas.org/postdoc-application-guidelines. Applicants are encouraged to strengthen their application with an additional statement, up to one page, added to the end of the research statement, discussing their experience with or commitment to mentoring, outreach, teaching, public policy, fostering inclusive environments, or activities that broaden participation in the field. There are many opportunities for postdocs to engage in such activities at KIPAC. The deadline for applications and letters of recommendation is Monday, November 4, 2024 (by midnight Eastern Time). Late applications may be considered at the discretion of the search committee. When you submit your application, you’ll be asked to indicate your interest in each of the available KIPAC positions, and you may expand on this in your research statement or a cover letter. More information about KIPAC can be found at http://kipac.stanford.edu. KIPAC is committed to an inclusive work environment and encourages applications from candidates who will diversify the workforce in astrophysics and cosmology. At KIPAC, we strive to foster a welcoming and supportive research environment: please read more about our values and code of conduct here. More information about Stanford’s ongoing commitment to an equitable and inclusive environment can be found at ideal.stanford.edu.