POSTDOCTORAL POSITION IN COSMOLOGY

[Eli]

POSTDOCTORAL POSITION IN COSMOLOGY

CENTRE FOR RADIO COSMOLOGY UNIVERSITY OF THE WESTERN CAPE

DEADLINE: December 20, 2019

The Centre for Radio Cosmology (CRC) at the University of the Western Cape invites applications for a postdoctoral fellowship in the field of cosmology with radio telescopes. Particular emphasis will be given to HI intensity mapping with MeerKAT (calibration, data analysis and simulations), but other areas will also be considered.

The CRC is internationally recognised for its research combining data analysis techniques, simulation pipelines and theoretical work to fully exploit the next generation of radio telescopes for measurements in cosmology. CRC faculty are closely involved in the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), the South African SKA precursor MeerKAT (including several large survey and open time projects) and other telescopes such as HERA and HIRAX. There are currently 12 postdoctoral researchers, 9 PhD students and 10 MSc students in the group. UWC itself is located in the beautiful city of Cape Town, with excellent cultural and outdoor activities.

The selected candidate will work closely with Prof. Mario Santos and Dr. Phil Bull (Queen Mary University of London), who is a Visiting Researcher at UWC. The successful candidate will be encouraged to participate in regular visits to the Cosmology and Relativity Group at QMUL to work directly with Dr. Bull, as well as Dr. Alkistis Pourtsidou and the rest of the group. The CRC also has strong links with the South African SKA Project headquarters, the SAAO optical observatory, the University of Cape Town and the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), all within less than 30 minutes from the University.

Applicants must hold a PhD by the anticipated start date and should preferably have obtained the degree less than five years ago. The appointment will be for 2 years plus a one-year extension subject to satisfactory progress. The nominal start date is September 2020, although other dates can be negotiated (earlier is preferred). The value of the fellowship will be pegged at the standard SARAO post-doctoral bursary level, and adjusted annually for inflation. The 2020 level is ZAR 414,000 p.a., tax-free. An additional travel and equipment grant will be provided. The compensation package will also include a supplement to cover local expenses in London.

Applications consisting of a CV, publication list, and a short statement of research interests (3 pages or less), should be emailed to Prof. Mario G. Santos. Applicants should arrange for a minimum of two letters of recommendation to be sent the same way. Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to the same email.