Our department is committed to diversity and making the field more equitable and inclusive (read more here). With this in mind, we will take into consideration personal experiences, as well as efforts in education, outreach or other service activities related to astrophysics or other sciences. Princeton University is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
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The following positions are offered in the Department of Astrophysical Sciences directly and may be applied to with one application:
The following department positions are applied to individually:
The following positions are also of interest:
The following positions are offered in the Department of Astrophysical Sciences directly and may be applied to with one application:
Lyman Spitzer, Jr. Postdoctoral Fellowship
The Department of Astrophysical Sciences at Princeton University invites applications for the Lyman Spitzer, Jr. Postdoctoral Fellowship in Astrophysics. Spitzer Fellows are expected to carry out original research in astrophysics, independently or in collaboration with Princeton faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and students. The fellowship is intended primarily to support researchers in theoretical astrophysics, but exceptional candidates in all areas of astronomy are encouraged to apply. The fellowship is open to postdoctoral or more senior researchers, and includes a substantial annual research fund. Applications from members of groups historically under-represented in Astrophysics are especially encouraged.
Applicants may work with the department’s distinguished faculty and research staff. For a full list of department members and activities, see https://web.astro.princeton.edu/. There are also strong research groups with interests in astrophysics at the Princeton Plasma Physics Lab and in the Physics, Geosciences, and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Departments, and at the nearby Institute for Advanced Study. Spitzer Fellows will have access to the extensive Princeton research computing facilities. These include a variety of high-performance (petaflop) clusters with both CPUs and GPUs, large shared-memory systems for data analysis and visualization, and multiple petabytes of data storage. Spitzer Fellows will also have data rights to the Hyper Suprime-Cam Survey and the Prime Focus Spectrograph Survey on the Subaru 8.2m telescope, and will have the opportunity to join the Atacama Cosmology Telescope and the Simons Observatory collaborations.
Appointments are for one year, renewable annually based on satisfactory performance, for a total of up to three years. The expected starting date is September 1, 2024, although this is flexible. A PhD in Astronomy or a related field is required.
Interested persons should submit a curriculum vitae, a publication list and a research statement, and provide contact information for three references by November 1, 2023 at 11:59pm EST. Our department is committed to diversity and making the field more equitable and inclusive. With this in mind, we will take into consideration personal experiences, as well as efforts in education, outreach or other service activities related to astrophysics or other sciences. Applicants are invited to describe such experiences and their commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in a separate statement, but this is not required.
Applicants should apply via the web at https://puwebp.princeton.edu/AcadHire/position/31924. Letters of recommendation will also be handled through this site. All applications received by November 1, 2023 at 11:59pm EST will be fully considered, but applications will continue to be accepted until all available positions are filled. All applications will be considered for all postdoctoral positions available in the department, including department fellowships and grant supported positions, but you will be asked in the application which positions you are interested in. For further inquiries, contact [email protected].
This position is subject to the University’s background check policy. Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
The Department of Astrophysical Sciences at Princeton University invites applications for a postdoctoral or more senior research position in cosmology. The successful candidate will work with Prof. Alexandra Amon on analysis and interpretation of large-scale structure & weak lensing data - in preparation for Rubin Observatory, as part of the Dark Energy Science Collaboration (DESC). The candidate will have access to data from the Dark Energy Survey (DES), the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), the Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC), the Prime Focus Spectrograph (PFS) and opportunities for joint analyses with the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) and/or the Simons Observatory (SO) projects. The successful candidate will utilize state-of-the-art computational facilities, receive active mentoring in a supportive and inclusive environment, have the opportunity to supervise students and to collaborate with both the Princeton Rubin software team and other members of the department.
We endeavor to preserve the Astrophysical Sciences Department's reputation as a pleasant workplace with a lively and friendly scientific atmosphere which recognizes that technical innovations and software engineering are an important intellectual contribution to the science being produced by these surveys.
Appointments are for one year, renewable annually based on satisfactory performance and funding. The expected starting date is September 1, 2024, although this is flexible. A PhD in Astronomy or a related field is required.
Interested persons should submit a curriculum vitae, a publication list, and a research statement, and provide contact information for three references by November 1, 2023 at 11:59pm EST. Our department is committed to diversity and making the field more equitable and inclusive. With this in mind, we will take into consideration personal experiences, as well as efforts in education, outreach or other service activities related to astrophysics or other sciences. Applicants are invited to describe such experiences and their commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in a separate statement, but this is not required.
Applicants should apply via the web at https://puwebp.princeton.edu/AcadHire/position/31924. Letters of recommendation will also be handled through this site. All applications received by November 1, 2023 at 11:59pm EST will be fully considered, but applications will continue to be accepted until all available positions are filled. All applications will be considered for all postdoctoral positions available in the department, including departmental fellowships and grant supported positions, but you will be asked in the application which positions you are interested in. For further inquiries, contact [email protected].
This position is subject to the University’s background check policy. Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Plasma astrophysics of neutron stars and black holes
The Department of Astrophysical Sciences at Princeton University invites applications for a postdoctoral or more senior research position in plasma astrophysics of neutron stars and black hole magnetospheres. The successful candidate will work with Prof. Anatoly Spitkovsky on kinetic and multiscale modeling of processes in the magnetospheres of compact objects, including particle acceleration, magnetic reconnection, radiation processes, and QED effects that can affect the observational appearance of neutron star and black hole magnetospheres. This position is funded through the Simons Collaboration on Extreme Electrodynamics of Compact Sources (SCEECS) -- a multi-institutional collaboration that focuses on the theory of neutron stars and black holes in the presence of strong electromagnetic fields. The new postdoctoral researcher will be able to join ongoing projects within the collaboration and develop their own, original, research program. For more information about the collaboration, please see SCEECS website https://www.simonsceecs.com/.
A strong background in high-energy astrophysics, plasma physics, computational science, and parallel computing is preferred. The successful candidate will have access to state-of-the-art computational facilities, opportunities for collaboration, and support for travel. Appointments are for one year, renewable annually based on funding and satisfactory performance, for a total of up to three years. The expected starting date is September 1, 2024, although this is flexible. A PhD in Astronomy, Physics, or a related field is required.
Interested persons should submit a curriculum vitae, a publication list, and a research statement, and provide contact information for three references by November 1, 2023. Our department is committed to diversity and making the field more equitable and inclusive. With this in mind, we will take into consideration personal experiences, as well as efforts in education, outreach or other service activities related to astrophysics or other sciences. Applicants are invited to describe such experiences and their commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in a separate statement, but this is not required.
Applicants must apply via the web at https://puwebp.princeton.edu/AcadHire/position/31924. Letters of recommendation will also be handled through this site. All applications received by November 1 will be fully considered, but applications will continue to be accepted until all available positions are filled. All applications will be considered for all postdoctoral positions available in the department, but you will be asked in the application which positions you are interested in. For further inquiries, contact [email protected]. Applicants for the Princeton SCEECS position should also submit their application to https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/25399.
This position is subject to the University's background check policy. Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
We invite applications for a postdoctoral research position focused on transient science in the Department of Astrophysical Sciences at Princeton University. The successful applicant(s) will work with Prof. Gáspár Bakos, Dr. Joel Hartman, and a team of researchers, including graduate students, on developing and operating a software pipeline to study transient events with HATPI, an ultra-wide field optical time-domain instrument at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile. The HATPI instrument uses 64 wide-field lenses and cameras to simultaneously observe one fourth of the celestial sphere at a fast cadence and high photometric precision. Science topics to be explored with the instrument include transiting exoplanets, variable stars, transient phenomena and moving objects. The data reduction products, including high-cadence high-precision light curves for millions of stars, are to be made public.
Applicants should have knowledge of handling of large data sets and efficient automated data reduction. Knowledge of optical time domain astronomy and prior experience studying transient astrophysical events is desirable. Responsibilities include algorithm development and debugging; writing robust, efficient code; running and maintaining pipeline code; and evaluating the scientific performance of that code on real data. The researcher will also lead scientific investigations with the data. Experience in Python, Unix (Linux), and software engineering practices is essential, additionally experience in C/C++ would be an advantage. A PhD in Astrophysics, Computer Science, Physics, or a related field, and an expertise in scientific computing is required.
The Department is heavily involved in a number of related projects, and has a community of experienced astronomical software developers. Examples include: the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile; Hyper Suprime-Cam, a large-format camera on the Subaru telescope on Maunakea, Hawaii; and the HAT global network of telescopes.
We endeavor to preserve the Astrophysical Sciences Department's reputation as a pleasant workplace with a lively and friendly scientific atmosphere which recognizes that technical innovations and software engineering are an important intellectual contribution to the science being produced by these surveys.
Appointments are for one year, renewable annually based on satisfactory performance and funding. The expected start date is September 1, 2024, although this is flexible.
Interested persons should submit a curriculum vitae, a publication list, and a research statement, and provide contact information for three references by November 1, 2023, 11:59 pm Eastern Time. Our department is committed to diversity and making the field more equitable and inclusive. With this in mind, we will take into consideration personal experiences, as well as efforts in education, outreach or other service activities related to astrophysics or other sciences. Applicants are invited to describe such experiences and their commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in a separate statement, but this is not required.
Applicants must apply via the web at https://puwebp.princeton.edu/AcadHire/position/31924. Letters of recommendation will also be handled through this site. All applications received by November 1, 2023, 11:59 pm Eastern Time will be fully considered, but applications will continue to be accepted until the position is filled. For further inquiries, contact Prof. Gáspár Bakos ([email protected]).
This position is subject to the University's background check policy. Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
The following department positions may be applied to individually:
Future Faculty in the Physical Sciences Postdoctoral Fellowship
Princeton University invites applications for the newly established Future Faculty in the Physical Sciences (FFPS) Fellowship. We seek a diverse cohort of early career scientists who will conduct research in physics, broadly defined to include the subdisciplines of astrophysics, biophysics, and geophysics and planetary physics, independently or in collaboration with Princeton faculty, postdoctoral researchers and students. The Fellowship aims to increase excellence at Princeton by bringing scholars with unique backgrounds and insights, whose work will contribute to the promotion of groups that have been historically, and are presently, under-represented in physics and related fields. Candidates who have demonstrated a strong commitment to remedying the historical under-representation of people of color and women in the physical sciences by promoting inclusion, equity, and diversity through teaching, advising, mentoring, advocacy, or public outreach are especially encouraged to apply.
FFPS Fellows will have a primary home in the Department of Physics, of Astrophysical Sciences, or of Geosciences, and will be part of an actively mentored research community across institutional affiliations, including the Princeton Center for Theoretical Science, the Center for the Physics of Biological Function, the Princeton Gravity Initiative, and other Centers and Programs. The Fellowship includes an annual research fund. Appointments will be made at the postdoctoral or the associate research scholar rank. Postdoctoral appointments will be for one year, renewable annually based on satisfactory performance and funding, for a total of up to three years; associate research scholar appointments will be for three years. The expected starting date is September 1, 2024, although this is flexible. A PhD in the physical sciences or a related field is required. Interested persons should submit a curriculum vitae, a bibliography, a statement of research interests and plans, and should provide contact information for three references by November 1, 2023, 11:59pm EST.
A personal statement and/or a description of the applicant's work in broadening opportunities in the field should be included as a separate section of the research statement. Applicants must apply via the web at https://puwebp.princeton.edu/AcadHire/position/31881. Letters of recommendation will also be handled through this site. All applications received by November 1, 2023, 11:59pm EST will be fully considered, but applications will continue to be accepted until the position(s) are filled. Only submissions through the application website will be considered. For further inquiries, contact [email protected].
This position is subject to the University's background-check policy. Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Visiting Fellow in Space Physics Group
Princeton University Visiting Fellows in Space Physics Program
The Space Physics at Princeton Group (https://spacephysics.princeton.edu/) in the Department of Astrophysical Sciences is pleased to offer Visiting Fellow positions. The program supports faculty and equivalent senior researchers to do intensive research in residence at Princeton for periods from one month up to a full year. Visiting Fellows will work closely with Space Physics at Princeton Group members on one or more of several topical areas: 1) Energetic Particles observations from Parker Solar Probe, 2) Energetic Neutral Atom and/or Interstellar Neutral Atom observations from the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX), and 3) scientific preparations for the Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP). The environment is scientifically intense, highly collaborative, and extremely rewarding. The goal of the program is to strengthen the Group with new and diverse perspectives while carrying out world-class research and publishing numerous papers in collaboration with the Group. Visiting Fellow positions are suitable for faculty members on sabbatical and other comparable senior researchers on leave from their primary appointments. Financial support (including stipend and/or housing) may be offered. Interested researchers should submit to https://puwebp.princeton.edu/AcadHire/position/30982 the following: 1) a brief cover letter stating the specific reasons you'd like to visit the Space Physics at Princeton Group and the dates you're available to visit and 2) a CV.
The Space Physics Group in the Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, anticipates offering one or more postdoctoral or more senior research positions in experimental/observational space physics.
The Space Physics Group conducts research in many aspects of space physics (aka heliophysics), with a strong emphasis on experimental and observational space plasma physics. Among others, the Group currently leads NASA's Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) mission, the Parker Solar Probe (PSP) Integrated Science Investigation of the Sun (ISIS) instrument suite, and the Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) mission, in development for launch in 2025 to explore the details of particle acceleration and the Sun's interaction with the local interstellar medium. See https://spacephysics.princeton.edu/ for more information about the Space Physics Group at Princeton University.
The successful candidate(s) can play a major role in one or more of the following: 1) analysis and publication of Energetic Neutral Atom (ENA) and other observations from IBEX, 2) analysis and publication of energetic particle observations from ISIS, 3) development of the experimental capability of the Group, and development of space flight instrumentation for IMAP, and 4) other funded space physics research in the Group. Preferred qualifications include having prior experience in the development of space flight instrumentation, analyzing ENA and/or energetic particle data, and the proven ability to lead/participate in the rapid development and publication of numerous excellent research articles. A Ph.D. in Space Physics or a related field is required. Appointments are for one year, renewable annually based on satisfactory performance and continued funding, with the expectation of up to three years. Positions are available regularly so that starting dates may be negotiated.
Interested persons must apply online at https://puwebp.princeton.edu/AcadHire/position/26909 and submit a curriculum vitae, bibliography, a brief statement of research interests, and provide contact information for three references. Letters of recommendation will also be handled through this site. Applications will continue to be accepted until positions are filled. For further inquiries, contact spacephysicsATprinceton.edu.
These positions are subject to the University's background check policy.
Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Princeton University is seeking a postdoctoral or more senior researcher as part of a new multi-institution initiative 'Hidden Symmetries and Fusion Energy' funded by the Simons Foundation. The goal of the initiative is to build a mathematical and computational foundation for the design of stellarators for magnetic plasma confinement. Our multidisciplinary team includes experts in physics, mathematics, and computer science, specializing in areas such as magnetic field line flow, particle confinement, magnetohydrodynamics, multi-objective stochastic optimization, and scientific computing. The role of the Princeton researcher in this project will be to develop computational and analytical tools for optimizing magnetic field and coil shaping to achieve particle confinement, maximizing integrability and quasisymmetry.
Applicants should have a PhD in physics or a related area. Candidates will be expected to be proficient with analytic methods as well as able to program in Fortran and/or C. Previous experience with stellarators is not essential. The initial appointment is for one year, with the expectation of renewal for a second year. Salary and rank will be commensurate with experience. The start date is negotiable. Note this position would be based at Princeton University; for opportunities with the Simons team at other institutions, please refer to the information below. Applicants must apply online and submit a cv, cover letter and contact information for three references at: https://puwebp.princeton.edu/AcadHire/position/29162. Letters of recommendation will also be handled through this site.
Application materials:
*1-3 page cover letter, describing your previous research, future research goals and career plans, and interest in the Simons project. Please comment on your experience with both analytic methods and scientific computing.
*CV, including complete list of publications.
We are seeking to recruit from as diverse a pool of talent as possible, and endeavor to preserve the Department of Astrophysical Sciences' reputation as a pleasant workplace with a lively and friendly scientific atmosphere which recognizes that technical innovations are an important intellectual contribution to the science produced.
Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis as they are received. Applications should be submitted by March 31, 2023 for full consideration, but applications will continue to be accepted until the position is filled. Further information about the 'Hidden Symmetries and Fusion Energy' project can be found here: https://hiddensymmetries.princeton.edu/. This position is subject to Princeton University's background check policy.
Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
The following positions are also of interest:
Gravity Initiative - Associate Research Scholar
The Princeton Gravity Initiative is seeking exceptional Ph.D. recipients in theoretical gravitational theory for an honorific postdoctoral fellowship program. The Princeton Gravity Initiative is a new collaborative effort between Princeton University's Astrophysics, Mathematics, and Physics Departments to explore the fundamental nature of gravity; see https://gravity.princeton.edu for more information. Candidates from all areas of research
focusing on gravitational theory, including gravitational wave astrophysics, mathematical relativity, early universe cosmology, and quantum gravity, will be considered.
These appointments will be at the rank of Associate Research Scholar. Several positions may be available. The appointments will be annual with the expectation of renewal for two additional years subject to satisfactory performance. We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and thus seek to recruit candidates who, through their research, teaching, and service, will contribute to the diversity and excellence of the academic community.
This position is subject to the University's background check policy. To apply online, please visit https://puwebp.princeton.edu/AcadHire/position/30902 and submit a cover letter (which can include a research statement of up to three pages in length), CV, and contact information for three references.
To ensure full consideration, all materials, including letters of reference, must be received by October 30, 2023.
Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
51 Pegasi b Fellowship in Planetary Astronomy
The 51 Pegasi b Fellowship provides exceptional postdoctoral scientists with the opportunity to conduct theoretical, observational, and experimental research in planetary astronomy.
Established in 2017, the Heising-Simons Foundation 51 Pegasi b Fellowship is named for the first exoplanet discovered orbiting a Sun-like star. The growing field of planetary astronomy studies objects both within and beyond our solar system, bridging planetary science and astronomy. From improving our understanding of planetary system formation and evolution, to advancing new technologies for detecting other worlds, 51 Pegasi b Fellows make a unique contribution to the field.
The Heising-Simons Foundation is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Thus, we particularly welcome applications from individuals who belong to groups that have been historically underrepresented in planetary sciences and astronomy, such as women, persons with disabilities, racial and ethnic minorities, gender and sexual minorities, and others who may contribute to the diversification of the field.
51 Pegasi b Fellowship research must be pursued at one of the following participating institutions:
- Arizona State University
- California Institute of Technology
- Cornell University
- Johns Hopkins University
- Harvard University / Harvard Smithsonian
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Pennsylvania State University
- Princeton University
- The Ohio State University
- University of Arizona
- University of California, Berkeley
- University of California, Los Angeles
- University of California, Santa Cruz
- University of Chicago
- University of Colorado Boulder
- University of Hawaii
- University of Maryland
- University of Michigan
- University of Texas, Austin
- University of Washington
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Yale University
For guidelines and application information, see here.
The Space Telescope Science Institute is collaborating with The Brinson Foundation to support the Brinson Prize Fellowship program. These fellowships are awarded to early career astrophysicists and cosmologists who are committed to chasing bold ideas with creative, nimble, and innovative research. The fellowships focus on supporting research in observational cosmology, particularly complementing and capitalizing on space science, including topics such as the first stars, the cosmic distance scale, and the development of large-scale structure.
Brinson Fellowships are tenable at participating U.S. host institutions. The fellowship provides up to three years of support for independent research, including an annual research stipend.
Participating Institutions:
- California Institution of Technology
- University of Chicago
- Princeton University
- Stanford University
For guidelines and application information, see here.
Research Software Engineer II (Astrophysics)
Princeton University is seeking candidates for a new position within the fast-growing Research Software Engineering (RSE) Group. The successful candidate will have a strong background in software development and high-performance computing (HPC), as well as interest in numerical modeling in Astrophysics.
In the RSE Group, we collectively provide computational research expertise to multiple divisions within the University. As a central team of software experts, we are focused on improving the quality, performance, and sustainability of Princeton's computational research software. Our group is committed to building collaborative and inclusive environments in which the best software engineering practices are valued, and to sharing and applying cross-disciplinary computational techniques in new and emerging areas.
In this position, you will be an integral part of research groups in the Astrophysical Sciences department that focus on Computational Astrophysics. You will collaborate with several research groups who use similar computational techniques to model the evolution of astrophysical systems. Some examples of the scientific codes used in those research groups are Fornax, Pegasus++, Athena++, Tristan-MP, and RAMSES. These groups are intensive users of computing resources both at Princeton University as well as at national supercomputing facilities (DOE, NSF, NASA). Through this work, you will have the opportunity to run on the nation's state-of-the-art systems. One of your main tasks will be to port CPU codes to GPU codes suitable for the new GPU and hybrid architectures being implemented by federal agencies for their top-level supercomputers. As part of your role, you will work on different projects sequentially with various research groups. These projects will focus on enhancing the performance and scalability of existing codes, creating new GPU-specific features, and teaching the department members the most effective techniques for profiling and optimization.
If you have a strong background in HPC as well as in Astrophysics or plasma physics, you have the right skill set to immediately impact multiple high-profile research projects. This role functions within a dynamic, supportive team environment that permits diverse backgrounds to thrive, including those wanting to make a career change and those with non-traditional career tracks, educational paths, or life experiences. If this environment sounds like a strong match or even an exciting challenge, we encourage you to apply and use your cover letter to explain why you would be a good fit for the role.
Responsibilities
- Through directed independent studies, including reading publications and studying existing code bases, gain an understanding of relevant topical areas and corresponding numerical methods in Astrophysics, as needed for software development projects.
- Collaborate with scientific researchers to understand their needs and develop software solutions to support their work.
- Foster open collaboration via regular meetings and effective communication, to ensure software development aligns with the research objectives.
- Working independently, or as a self-directed team member, design, develop, and maintain software tools and applications for scientific research projects.
- Write efficient, robust, and maintainable code that is well-documented and tested.
- Optimize code performance for large-scale data processing and analysis.
- Write technical reports and documentation to communicate research findings and software development processes.
- Manage software projects by developing project scopes and planning delivery timelines. Communicate project plans and progress updates with the scientific research team to ensure that software development aligns with research objectives.
- Communicate software engineering concepts to project teams with varying levels of software engineering knowledge.
- Develop software for post-processing and analyzing data from massively parallel simulations for scientific studies.
- Keep up-to-date with new software technologies and tools that could improve research outcomes.
Essential Qualifications
- A minimum of 4 years as a Research Software Engineer or equivalent experience (e.g., graduate school, industry experience, open-source software development, etc.)
- Extensive experience with numerical methods for solving partial differential equations on structured meshes.
- Strong programming skills, particularly in C/C++ and Python.
- Strong experience in High-Performance Computing (HPC).
- Particularly: Parallel computing (MPI, OpenMP, hybrid CPU/GPU code).
- GPU programming.
- Experience with code performance tuning using performance analysis tools (e.g. profilers).
- Demonstrated success in:
- Consistently using conventional and readable coding style.
- Creating comprehensive and well-written documentation.
- Developing and maintaining reproducible build systems.
- Using modern software development workflows based on Git and Continuous Integration/Continuous Development methods.
- Ability and interest in learning new concepts and technologies beyond current areas of core knowledge.
- Ability to communicate effectively with a diverse user base with varied technical proficiencies.
- Experience working in an academic research environment.
- Experience with HPC cluster environments (e.g., workflow manager, parallel file system).
- Demonstrated successes working in a collaborative software development environment ("team science," often geographically distributed) and independently.
- Scientific and mathematical background appropriate to understand the algorithms used in the Astrophysical Sciences department and communicate effectively with researchers.
- Education: A Bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, physical science, or a related computational field is required.
Preferred Qualifications
- Knowledge of computational fluid dynamics and/or plasma kinetics.
- Experience with the Kokkos library.
- Background in Astrophysics and/or Plasma Physics research.
- A Master's/Ph.D. in Astrophysics, Plasma Physics, or another related field with a strong computational focus or equivalent experience in a research setting is preferred.
Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Simons Observatory - Postdoctoral Research Associate
The Department of Physics at Princeton seeks applicants for a postdoctoral or more senior research associates to work on data analysis with the Simons Observatory (SO) project. SO is a cosmic microwave background survey experiment currently being built for observations from the Atacama Desert in Chile, and due for first light in the coming year. This position, working with Jo Dunkley, Simone Aiola and the SO team, will involve making and characterizing sky maps for scientific analysis. The successful candidate will contribute to developing, refining and testing pipelines and methods for generating and characterizing new SO maps from the 6-meter Large Aperture Telescope, as part of the broader SO data analysis efforts. Appointments are for one year, with the possibility for renewal pending satisfactory performance and continued funding for a total of three years.
Requirements:
Ph.D. in physics or astrophysics.
Experience with data analysis, preferably with CMB data.
Ability to work with a cross-section of post-docs, graduate students and software engineers in a large collaboration environment.
This position is subject to the University's background check policy. To apply online please visit https://www.princeton.edu/acad-positions/position/32069 and submit a research statement of up to three pages in length, CV, and contact information for three references. To ensure full consideration, application materials should be received by December 1st, 2023, 11:59 (EST).
Princeton University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
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Q: You have several postdoc ads here. Do I need to apply separately for each postdoc position I'm interested in?
A: Most of our positions may be applied for with a single application, found here: https://www.princeton.edu/acad-positions/position/31924. You should indicate in that application which positions you are interested in.
However, the following department positions must be applied to individually:
- Future Faculty in the Physical Sciences Fellowship
- Visiting Fellow in the Space Physics group
- Researcher Space Physics
- Researcher in Hidden Symmetries and Fusion Energy
For the positions of interest, please see the individual ads for application information.
Q: I don't see the Russell Fellowship or the Carnegie-Princeton Fellowship listed here. Are they available?
A: Unfortunately, we are not advertising these positions this year. We hope to do so in future years, however.
Q: How long should my research statement be?
A: For all of our positions, we will accept the AAS Postdoctoral Application Guidelines (see https://jobregister.aas.org/postdoc-application-guidelines). For other positions, please see the individual ads for guidance.
Q: Can I list Princeton as a host institution for the external fellowship for which I am applying?
A: Princeton University is an eligible host institution for national fellowships such as the NASA Hubble Postdoctoral Fellowship and the NSF AAPF. Candidates should contact the proposed faculty sponsor.
Princeton is also one of a select group of institutions eligible to host both the Brinson Prize Fellowship sponsored by STScI and the 51 Pegasi b Fellowship in Planetary Astronomy sponsored by the Heising-Simons Foundation. Princeton is home to a vibrant research program, including theoreticians, observers, and instrument builders, as well as links to major international projects such as the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, the HATNet, the HATSouth global network of telescopes, the HATPI all-sky survey, and the Terra Hunting Experiment. Postdoctoral candidates who may be interested in designating Princeton as a host institution for the 51 Peg Fellowship are encouraged to contact Professor Josh Winn in advance, to explore possible projects and connections to existing efforts.
Q: When are recommendation letters due?
A: Recommendation letters are due about a week after you submit your application. No application will be discounted due to late letters, although it will delay our full and careful review of your application. Once you submit your application, you will have one day to make any changes on your own. At the conclusion of that one day, your references will receive an email, each with a unique url to upload their letter for you. The email will ask them to please upload their letter within one week.
Q: Who do I contact if I have more questions?
A: Please send an e-mail to [email protected] with any questions. We will do our best to reply in a timely manner.
Lyman Spitzer, Jr.
(1914-1997)
