Postdoctoral Fellow in Astronomy & Astrophysics, UC Santa Cruz

The Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics invites applications for a two-year Postdoctoral Fellowship position at the University of California, Santa Cruz, funded by the Moore Foundation. The search is open to applicants from any area of astronomy or astrophysics; we are particularly interested in candidates whose research complements and enhances current department strengths and who will collaborate directly with department faculty. Our department combines leading research in observational astronomy, theoretical astrophysics, and instrumentation with a strong commitment to collaboration and education. We work to explore key questions in cosmology, galaxy formation, exoplanets, stellar evolution, and high-energy astrophysics.

The Postdoctoral Fellow will be a part of the UC Santa Cruz Astronomy and Astrophysics community, with close ties to the Departments of Earth & Planetary Sciences, Physics, Applied Mathematics, and UC Observatories.  UC Santa Cruz also hosts a cross-departmental Astrobiology Initiative.  

Fellows will have access to University of California Observatories facilities, including Lick Observatory, which has the Shane 3m and 2.4m Automated Planet Finder (APF) telescopes, as well as Keck Observatory via access through UCSC faculty. Fellows will also have access to campus high-performance computing resources.  A research and travel budget of $15,000/year is available. Relocation expenses up to $5000 will be covered. This position will be located on the UC Santa Cruz campus.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: Ph.D. in Astronomy and Astrophysics, Physics, Planetary Sciences, or a related field. Ph.D. must be in hand at time of the initial appointment.

POSITION AVAILABLE: Upon selection, and ideally the candidate would start no later than October 1, 2026, but there is some flexibility.

MAXIMUM DURATION: Postdoctoral Scholar appointments are full-time; the initial appointment is for two years, with an end date is 9/30/2028. Extension of the position beyond 9/30/2028 is pending the availability of funding.

Full consideration will be given to applications completed by July 15, 2026. Applications received after this date will be considered if the position has not been filled.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct. “Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment or discrimination, as defined by the employer.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by the UC Anti-Discrimination Policy.

If you need accommodation due to a disability, please contact Disability Management Services at [email protected] or (831) 459-4602.

Notice of Availability: In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (the Clery Act), UCSC publishes an Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. This report is published by October 1st of each year and includes current institutional policies and procedures concerning campus safety and security; fire safety and evacuation policies; sexual misconduct and relationship violence reporting and response protocols; and crime and fire statistics for the three previous calendar years. A paper copy of the ASFSR is available upon request by contacting the UCSC Police Department at 114 Carriage House Rd., Santa Cruz, CA 95064, or by calling 831-459-2231 Ext. 1.

Under Federal law, the University of California may employ only individuals who are legally able to work in the United States as established by providing documents as specified in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Certain UCSC positions funded by federal contracts or sub-contracts require the selected candidate to pass an E-Verify check. The university sponsors employment-based visas for nonresidents who are offered academic appointments at UC Santa Cruz, as outlined in campus policy CAPM 102.530.

UCSC is a smoke & tobacco-free campus.

The University of California offers a competitive benefits package and a number of programs to support employee work/life balance. 

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.