Assistant Curator of Computational Astrophysics

The Department of Astrophysics of the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) seeks a tenure-track Assistant Curator and Professor in astrophysical computation or data science, to start on or after July 1, 2018.  The position will begin with a three-year 50% joint appointment as an Associate Research Scientist with the Center for Computational Astrophysics (CCA) at the Flatiron Institute, renewable for up to three more years, and followed by a full-time appointment at the Museum.  Tenure and promotion evaluations will follow standard AMNH practices during or after the joint appointment as appropriate. Since its founding in 1869, the Museum has advanced its mission to discover, interpret and disseminate information about the external universe, our planet and the life it hosts, and human cultures through wide-ranging programs of scientific research, education, and exhibition. The CCA mission is to create new computational frameworks that allow scientists to analyze big astronomical datasets and to understand complex, multi-scale physics in a cosmological and astronomical context. It possesses substantial high-performance computing assets. The primary responsibility of curators at the Museum is to perform and supervise original scientific research, as well as to curate any relevant collections. They are also expected to provide service to the Museum. This can include advising programs in exhibition, including Hayden Planetarium Space Shows, education, including participation in the Richard Gilder Graduate School, or other forms of public outreach. An Associate Research Scientist at the CCA is expected to carry out research and to interact with the other members of the CCA staff and the broader NYC astrophysics community, and will have full access to the Flatiron Institute’s facilities. Applicants are required to have a PhD or equivalent, and to have demonstrated scientific creativity and the potential to build and sustain an innovative research program. We are particularly interested in applicants working in planet formation or exoplanetary science, and related fields, but applications will be considered in all fields of computational research overlapping departmental interests, including: planet formation (including meteoritics); star formation; the interstellar medium; galaxy formation; comparative exoplanetary science; planet and brown dwarf atmospheres and dynamics; star cluster origins and dynamics; and the final stages of single and multiple stellar evolution. Applications should be in PDF format and include a cover letter; a CV with a list of publications; a research statement of no more than five pages including figures and references; a statement addressing Museum service interests and relevant experience; and copies of five significant publications.  We are committed to building a broadly diverse educational environment, so the service statement should also address this objective. Applicants should request three letters of reference to be sent separately. (Others may be solicited during the search process.) All materials should be submitted to [email protected]. Evaluation of applications will begin on 15 December 2017. For more information about Flatiron Institute positions, please visit the Simons Foundation careers website linked below. Further inquiries about the position should be directed to Mordecai-Mark Mac Low ([email protected]). The American Museum of Natural History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. We strongly encourage applications from women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans.