Post Doctoral Research Associate

The newly established National Science Foundation (NSF)-Simons CosmicAI Institute seeks to hire a postdoctoral fellow to help initiate a new comprehensive research program to foster foundational advancements in AI through the curation, analysis, and processing of astronomical data at the NSF NOIRLab, located in Tucson, Arizona. The postdoctoral fellow will lead a project on the curation and analysis of multi-epoch time-domain training data for real-time classification algorithms in the context of alert brokers, such as ANTARES, for the Vera Rubin Observatory and its Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST). This work will be carried out in close collaboration with CosmicAI team members at various institutions, including NOIRLab (Tom Matheson), SLAC (Adam Bolton), and the University of Virginia (Maryam Modjaz). Although stationed at NSF NOIRLab, CosmicAI fellows will have full access to Institute facilities and equipment (e.g., world-class computational resources at the Texas Advanced Computing Center, including Vista, a newly instantiated 600 GPU node cluster) and routinely collaborate with Institute members across all sites to facilitate the development of cutting-edge AI tools and methodologies.

The NSF-Simons AI Institute for Cosmic Origins (CosmicAI) aims to grow transformative AI advances with the overarching goal to increase the accessibility of astronomy data and knowledge for researchers, students, and the public. CosmicAI leverages partnerships between academia (UT Austin, U. of Virginia, U. of Utah, UCLA), national facilities (NRAO and NSF NOIRLab), nonprofits, and industry to develop capabilities that enable astronomical researchers to conceptualize, define, and execute research projects via trustworthy, efficient, robust, and explainable AI methods. By building next-generation AI tools, the Institute aims to accelerate discoveries related to the most basic human question: Where do we come from?

CosmicAI fellows at NSF NOIRLab will be expected to spend 50% of their time on institute-related research efforts, with the remaining 50% available for independent research; ideally, there will be substantial overlap between the two. The CosmicAI Fellowship appointment will be awarded initially for a two-year period that is renewable for a third year.

Who you are

• You have a PhD in Astronomy, Astrophysics, Physics, or a related field.
• Previous experience in data science, data reduction and analysis, and/or software development.
• Established record of independent research.
• Research expertise in time domain astronomy 
• Proficiency working with a geographically distributed, multi-disciplinary team.
• Interested in creating new capabilities through deeper integration of your scientific research work with modern astronomical data systems and ML/AI models.

Preferred Skills

• Experience with modern machine learning / deep learning techniques and software packages
• Experience with time-series data of astronomical transients, especially Supernovae
• Experience with high-performance or high throughput computing (HPC/HTC)

Competency Summary

Excellent communication skills, including both presentations and writing technical reports.

Location

Flexible, preferably onsite or hybrid in the Tucson, AZ office. Remote options may be considered for candidates in states where AURA is registered as an employer. 

Work Environment

This position operates in a professional office environment and routinely utilizes standard office equipment, including computers, phones, and copiers. The work environment is generally quiet and may involve working in close proximity to others, depending on the needs of the specific function.  

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position at least 50% of the time. 
• Occasional need to move about inside the office environment to access files, office tools, attendance in a meeting room, etc. 
• Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity tools that require fine motor skills, such as a calculator, copy machine, computer printer, etc. 
• May occasionally need to position self to maintain computer and related tools. 
• Seldomly needed to move objects up to 10 pounds. 
• Constant communication with other individuals. Must be able to discern and exchange information as appropriate to the situation. 
• Constant need to distinguish, discern, and identify a variety of objects and fine details with accuracy. 
• Some travel may be necessary in or outside the contiguous United States including travel to the various observatory sites (Arizona, Chile and Hawai`i). 
• Occasional work at high elevation summit sites may be required (summit elevations range from 6,800 feet to 14,000 feet) 

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities and skills required by personnel so classified.

This Institute promotes Equal Employment Opportunity workplace that includes reasonable accommodations to otherwise qualified, disabled applicants and employees. 

Salary Range

$50,000 - $73,000 annually. The final salary will depend on skills, qualification, and experience. 

AURA offers an excellent benefits package including paid time off and retirement contributions, competitive salary commensurate with experience, and a very attractive work environment. Details on benefits can be found at Benefits by Location - Aura Human Resources.

How to Apply

Apply by July 1, 2025 for priority consideration. This position will remain open until it is filled. Please submit a cover letter and a CV or resume, PDF files preferred. Please name any attachments with the following format: LastName DocName.

Individuals needing assistance with the employment process can request assistance at employment@aura-astronomy.org