Las Cumbres Observatory (LCO) invites applications for a postdoctoral position to aid in the continued development of the Treasure Map (https://treasuremap.space), an online software tool to aid the coordination of searches for electromagnetic counterparts to gravitational wave (GW) sources. The successful applicant may choose to spend up to half of their time doing science, and join the GW follow-up or supernova groups led by Curtis McCully and D. Andrew Howell. They will also work closely with the software group and scientists at LCO, and other Treasure Map developers at several institutions worldwide. They may also contribute to other software tools that LCO are leaders or partners in developing, including Kafka-based messaging systems Hopskotch and HERMES, and the Target and Observation Manager (TOM) Toolkit.
LCO postdoctoral scholars have the opportunity to gain experience from a wide variety of sources including LCO's professional software team, the astro group at University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) and collaborations at Kavli Institute for Theoretical. Postdocs can also look to Wayne Rosing, the LCO founder and a former Vice President at Google, for both his technical expertise and life experience in management at Apple, Sun, and Google.
Our global, robotic telescope network was custom-built specifically for time-domain astronomy providing instant access to the sky in both hemispheres making it uniquely capable for transient astronomy. LCO postdocs may join existing LCO Key Projects or apply for observing time on the network. They may choose to be affiliated with UCSB and gain access to the observing resources offered through the UC system.
The appointment starts in September 2024 or earlier. It is for a two-year term plus a third-year extension based on satisfactory performance and mutual agreement. The postdoc will be an employee of LCO and the position comes with an employee benefits package and support for travel, page charges, and computing. The starting salary is $72,000. LCO is a private, non-profit corporation, based in Santa Barbara, California.
Applicants should submit the following via email to lcojobs@lco.global by December 5, 2023.
- cover letter
- curriculum vitae
- research statement of no more than 3 pages
- names and contact information for three referees that will provide letters of reference
Applicants should arrange for three letters of reference to be emailed separately to lcojobs@lco.global by December 5, 2023.
All documents (except letters) should be in a single PDF file. Applications received by the deadline will receive full consideration. A Ph.D. in astronomy, physics, or a related discipline is required by the start of employment.
LCO is an Equal Opportunity employer. We are actively engaged in building and nurturing a culture that is welcoming and inclusive of people from diverse backgrounds with regard to race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, disability and veteran status.
Please direct any questions to lcojobs@lco.global.