MIT Magellan Postdoctoral Associate

MIT’s Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research (MKI) invites applications for a postdoctoral position to support and enhance remote observing operations with the 6.5 m Magellan telescopes while at MIT. The initial appointment is for 2 years, and is renewable beyond 2 years contingent upon performance. The start date is nominally September 1, 2024.  

The successful candidate would spend 50% of their time pursuing independent research in astronomy, and would devote the remaining 50% of their time to supporting Magellan operations at MIT. This would include assisting with remote observing sessions, traveling to Las Campanas in Chile multiple times per year to train astronomers with in-person observing, developing a more streamlined submission process for internal proposals for both Magellan and WINTER observations, reviewing observing proposals twice annually, managing a Target-of-Opportunity program, maintaining workstations with up-to-date data reduction pipelines and general astronomy software, assisting astronomers with learning and operating data reductions, and other tasks focused on maximizing the efficiency with which MIT astronomers use Magellan and WINTER.

The successful applicant would be encouraged to collaborate with MKI’s community of astrophysicists for their own research, and to utilize resources available to the MKI community, including access to the Magellan and WINTER telescopes and participation in the NICER, LIGO, TESS, Chandra, and XRISM Observatories.

Applicants must have a PhD in physics, astrophysics, or a closely related field by the start of the position. Expertise in ground-based optical/IR observing, data analysis, and computing are required. The successful applicant must have the ability to carry out an independent research program, and work collaboratively with students and other members of the MKI community as part of their telescope support duties. The applicant should be comfortable working through the night during observing sessions, for an average of 20 nights (but potentially as many as 50 nights) per year. These nights would typically be scheduled as multi-night runs from MIT (remote) or in Chile (in person).