CSIRO Engineering Fellowship in Superfast, Wide-field Radio Cameras for Aperture Arrays

The CSIRO Early Research Career (CERC) Fellow will develop an FPGA prototype of a groundbreaking all-sky radio camera for large aperture arrays that will occupy the landscape of modern radio astronomy. This innovative radio camera prototype will generate high-speed (over 1000 FPS) real-time images while consuming significantly less energy than current methods, making it energy-efficient and cost-effective for discovering explosive and transient astrophysical phenomena. This high-speed, all-sky radio camera will be the first of its kind, advancing our understanding of the fundamental nature of matter and high-energy phenomena in the universe.
 
The prototype, designed for dense, large-N arrays, will enhance the capabilities of large aperture arrays and amplify their impact potential. This project will support the upcoming CSIRO Space & Astronomy initiatives on all-sky transient monitor stations being planned at CSIRO sites. The project will be a pathfinder for fast, all-sky imaging with future aperture arrays consisting of thousands to tens of thousands of antennas being conceived by CSIRO Space & Astronomy and several international groups for monitoring the sky for transient phenomena at radio wavelengths.
 
The CERC Fellow will work in close collaboration with the principal investigator and radio astronomer, Dr. Nithyanandan Thyagarajan, and co-principal investigator and digital hardware engineering expert, Dr. David Humphrey, at CSIRO Space & Astronomy. In addition, the selected candidate will have the unique opportunity of working with co-located engineers and astronomers at CSIRO Space & Astronomy in this 3-year role.
 
CSIRO Early Research Career (CERC) Fellowships provide opportunities to scientists and engineers who have completed their doctorate or masters and have less than three years relevant research experience.