Tenure-track Assistant Professor in Astronomy

The Department of Astronomy together with the College of Natural Sciences at the University of Texas (UT) at Austin invites applications for a tenure-track (Assistant Professor) faculty position. The primary selection criteria will be excellence and leadership in astrophysics research, as well as a commitment to excellence in teaching and supervision of undergraduate and graduate students. We particularly seek candidates who will significantly contribute to the diversity and equity of our program, and who have experience working with diverse and underserved populations, and have demonstrated a commitment to improving the diversity of academic communities. The College views inclusiveness and excellence as interconnected in the work of its faculty.

We seek applications from candidates in all fields of astronomy, open to observers, theorists, and instrumentalists. The search will be targeted at a junior tenure-track level, but outstanding candidates at more senior ranks may be considered. Applicants should have a Ph.D. in Astronomy or Physics. We encourage applicants to develop a plan to lead transformational science with next-generation observational and computational facilities, and to creatively utilize the resources of the Astronomy Department and McDonald Observatory.

All positions are subject to the availability of funding.

Information on departmental resources and research programs can be found at https://astronomy.utexas.edu

• UT Austin is a major founding partner in the consortium for the next-generation Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT; http://www.gmto.org).
• UT faculty members have access to McDonald Observatory, which hosts the upgraded 10-m Hobby-Eberly Telescope, 2.7-m, 2.1-m, and 0.8-m telescopes, and cutting-edge instrumentation, such as the VIRUS integral field spectrograph and the Immersion Grating INfrared Spectrometer (IGRINS) and the Habitable Zone Planet Finder Spectrograph (HPF). The department provides vibrant collaborative opportunities on large astronomical surveys, including the Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment (HETDEX). Through its role as a node host, UT also has access to the Las Cumbres Observatory (LCO) network.
• Computational resources include the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC; https://www.tacc.utexas.edu), which designs and operates some of the world's most powerful computing resources, and is known for its leadership in High Performance Computing, Visualization, Big Data Analytics, and Machine Learning.
• Our Astronomy program benefits from the strong support of over 200 members of the McDonald Observatory and Department of Astronomy Board of Visitors.

Application materials must be submitted electronically through Interfolio. (http://apply.interfolio.com/80894) Submissions should include solely a cover letter (~2 pages) and a Curriculum Vitae (including a list of publications). In addition to research and teaching interests, the cover letter should include a description of the applicant’s contributions to diversity and equity, to help identify candidates who have professional skills, experience and/or willingness to engage in activities that would enhance campus diversity and equity efforts. The cover letter should also include the names of three referees who are willing to provide letters of recommendation. We will request letters for select candidates later in the process.

Complete applications received by Dec. 11, 2020 will be assured of full consideration.