Assistant Professor of Astronomy

The Department of Astronomy at the University of Virginia invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position in cosmology with an emphasis on research areas related to cosmic microwave background (CMB) studies.  This position is expected to begin in August 2025. The Department's current CMB research activities are focused on developing instrumentation; we are looking to expand the scope of this research area to include theory, observation, and data analysis activities. The Department is particularly interested in candidates whose future research plans might leverage the University of Virginia’s membership in Simons Observatory, which is a new CMB experiment in the Atacama Desert in Chile.  The review of applications is expected to begin on December 15th, 2024, and will continue until the position is filled.  

The successful candidate will join a diverse department with expertise in experimental, theoretical, and observational astronomy, astrophysics, and astrochemistry.  The Department is a partner in the new NSF-Simons AI Institute for Cosmic Origins (CosmicAI) and runs the Galaxy Evolution and Cosmology Initiative (GECO), the Virginia Institute for Theoretical Astronomy (VITA), the Virginia Initiative on Cosmic Origins (VICO), and the Virginia Astronomical Instrumentation Laboratory (VAIL).  The Department also has strong research ties with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) and the North American ALMA Science Center, which are located on the grounds of the University of Virginia, and the NRAO Central Development Laboratory, which is located nearby in Charlottesville, VA.  The Department is also a partner in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and has guaranteed access to the 2 x 8.4-m Large Binocular Telescope, the 6.5-m MMT, the two 6.5-m Magellan telescopes, and the Astrophysical Research Consortium telescopes at Apache Point Observatory. 

Candidates are expected to be passionate about research and teaching at a world-class institution and come with a willingness to contribute to the goals of the University and the scholarly life of the Department.  The selected candidate will be expected to teach astronomy and astrophysics at the graduate and undergraduate levels, carry out a dynamic research program, secure external funding, serve as a conscientious mentor to undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral research assistants, and contribute service to the Department, the University, and the professional research community, as expected for scientists at the forefront of their discipline.