CMB-S4

CMB-S4 Next Generation CMB Experiment

Job listings

This page is for advertising positions related to CMB research broadly defined, e.g., postdocs, faculty, laboratory and technical positions. To post positions, please send the description and link to C. Reichardt.

Postdoc in Galaxy Cluster Cosmology at Argonne, Aug 1, 2022, until filled

The Cosmological Physics and Advanced Computing (CPAC) group at Argonne invites applicants for a postdoctoral associate to conduct research on topics related to galaxy clusters and SZ cosmology from CMB surveys. The successful applicant will be expected to work on projects connected to the SPT-3G and CMB-S4 cluster cosmology efforts, related cross-correlation activities with DES and Rubin’s LSST, as well as to explore their own independent research program. The position, with an anticipated start date (with some flexibility) of January 3, 2023,  is renewable annually for up to three years based on satisfactory performance.

Our postdocs can benefit from strong collaborations with cosmologists, applied mathematicians, computer scientists, device physicists, materials scientists, and statisticians; they will also have access to  world-leading supercomputing resources. Interactions with research groups at Fermilab, the University of Chicago, and Northwestern University are highly encouraged. For more information on the CPAC group and our activities please see: https://cpac.hep.anl.gov/.

Applications Physicist for Cosmological Surveys at Fermilab, Jul 22, 2022

This position is for an astronomer/physicist to play a critical role in the reduction of the data of LSST. The position entails working with the interim data facility on a Google Cloud platform and with the United States Data Facility (USDF) at SLAC National Laboratory, using workflows for the data reduction that span the USDF, the UK Data Facility and the France Data Facility. For the right candidate there are options to extend your responsibilities to survey strategy and progress metrics and/or to the DESC data production at the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC). If you come from a physics background, we want to hear about data processing across multiple sites, the grid, or the cloud, about getting databases connected to processing, about data movement, about how you managed large campaigns of simulations or processing. If you are from an astrophysical background, we want to hear about experience in large surveys, about how you dealt with data flow from the telescope to the scientist, about databases and reduction software, how you work in large, distributed teams, and how fast you learn unfamiliar software systems that perform the astronomy you do understand. The position comes with a 20% research fraction for the time spent on Rubin operations.

Computational Physics Developer for Cosmological Surveys at Fermilab, Jul 22, 2022

This position is for a computational physicist to play a critical role in the operation of the Rubin Observatory United States Data Facility and the software that supports the LSST data production. The position entails working with specialized large scale data movement system Rucio (developed at CERN), combining it with the Rubin developed Butler metadata catalog and its Postgresql backend, to develop the system to handle data movement for production and the transport of metadata about the production back into the Butler. The role involves developing software for the management and tracking of campaigns of production for the yearly data releases. Expertise in Kubernetes systems and the deployment of infrastructure using infrastructure as code technologies such as Puppet or Terraform is part of the job of ensuring the distributed production system is ready for the differing needs of Rucio, the Butler, and production with the LSST software stack. The job is to make sure the complicated systems function for the data production scientists to move the campaigns of data through the system.

Italian PhD Course on Space Science and Technology – positions available at the University of Ferrara and SISSA, Aug 8, 2022

The Italian Ministry of University has started a new national PhD program on Space Science and Technology. The program includes a Curriculum dedicated to Observations of the Universe, which includes the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) future probes. The University of Ferrara (www.fe.infn.it/cosmologia/index.php/attivita-di-ricerca/) and the International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA, www.sissa.it/ap ) stimulate the application of candidates in relation to the preparatory work concerning the cosmological programs LiteBIRD, Euclid, Stage-IV, Simons Observatory, Legacy of Planck. The call will be issued officially on July 8th and applications will be accepted till August 8th, for  The procedures for application will be appearing at this link. For further information, please contact Carlo Baccigalupi ([email protected]) and Paolo Natoli ([email protected]).

Postdoc on MKIDs at Cardiff, Aug 16, 2022

The Astronomy Instrumentation Group at Cardiff University is seeking applications to fill the position of Postdoctoral Research Assistant / Fellow.

The successful applicant will work within the Astronomy Instrumentation Group (AIG) to work on an exciting and ambitious research programme to develop and deploy a full Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detector (MKID) based focal plane as part of the Simons Observatory. The arrays will be integrated into a full optical and cryogenic system being built at Cardiff and will be installed on the Simons Observatory’s 6-m large aperture telescope. This project will be the first deployment of Kinetic Inductance detectors in a Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) experiment and will be used to prove and accelerate the use of this technology for future CMB applications.

The successful applicant will work with a team of researchers developing detector technology at Cardiff as well as the wider Simon Observatory Collaboration and will contribute to the development of three MKID based multi-chroic and polarisation-sensitive detector modules totalling 5000 detectors. The successful applicant will also work closely with senior process engineers working in the new Institute for Compound Semiconductors (ICS) facility at Cardiff to develop the processing techniques and designs required to realise the MKID array architecture and meet the stringent requirements of a world-class observatory.

This post provides a unique opportunity for the successful candidate to demonstrate work on a large-scale and prestigious project as well as creating opportunities for the deployment of MKID technology in future CMB experiments.

Applicants can contact the PIs Dr Simon Doyle [email protected] or Prof Erminia [email protected] ahead of application and we reserve the right to close this application early.

Asst/Assoc Professorship in experimental astrophysics and cosmology at QUP/KEK, Jul 31, 2022

We seek a candidate at the rank of Associate Professor or Assistant Professor in experimental astrophysics and cosmology. The position is for five years with the possibility of renewal or promotion to a tenured position based upon satisfactory job performance, continuing availability of funds, and ongoing operational needs. Salary is comparable to those at other prestigious institutions. The appointee will receive financial support for starting-up research. 

The appointee will work with Professor Masashi Hazumi and the LiteBIRD team, and will serve as the project manager for the LiteBIRD low-frequency telescope focal-plane system development. Development and characterization of the new superconducting detector system for LiteBIRD, JAXA’s strategic L-class mission to be launched in the late 2020s to map polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), is QUP’s flagship mission. We are interested in outstanding scientists who are willing to take on new challenges, with an excellent track record, international recognition, experiences and skills in astrophysics, cosmology, particle physics, superconducting sensor development, cryogenic systems, or related fields.

Multiple roles at Simons Observatory: UK, Aug 16 – Sep 30, 2022

The Simons Observatory:UK (SO:UK) project is currently recruiting for six postdoctoral positions and two software engineer positions. SO:UK is a major UK contribution to the Simons Observatory (SO) (https://simonsobservatory.org) Cosmic Microwave Background project. In addition to a significant role in the SO instrumentation/infrastructure, the UK contribution includes a UK-based data centre and a program of data processing algorithm development. Both of these latter aspects are focussed on the production and delivery of the Science-Ready Data Products (SRDPs) arising from the SO observations. The available positions are as follows:

1. Data management/data processing postdocs – Closing date: 30th September 2022

There are five postdoctoral positions on offer in this area (at Manchester, Cambridge, Oxford and Imperial College London). One of these is the UK-based data centre manager role; the other four positions are to work on algorithm development and the production of the science-ready data products arising from the SO observations. There is a single application for all five positions. For further details, and to apply, see here: https://www.jobs.manchhttps://www.jobs.manchester.ac.uk/displayjob.aspx?jobid=22910

2. Data Centre Software Engineers – Closing date: 31st August 2022

We are also seeking two software engineers to work in the data centre at Manchester. For further details, and to apply, see here:https://www.jobs.manchester.ac.uk/displayjob.aspx?jobid=22746

3. Postdoc/fellow in KIDs development – Closing date: 16th August 2022

We are seeking a postdoc/fellow to work on Kinetic Inductance Detectors (KIDs) development at Cardiff. For further details, and to apply, see here:
https://krb-sjobs.brassring.com/TGnewUI/Search/Home/Home?partnerid=30011&siteid=5460#jobDetails=1973431_5460

Computational research support engineer at Princeton, until filled

Princeton Research Computing are seeking to recruit a computational research support engineer to work on the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) and Simons Observatory (SO) projects. These projects make high-fidelity microwave maps of half the sky, for a variety of scientific goals from probing the early universe to measuring asteroids in our solar system.

The position will involve a variety of work covering aspects of delivery of data and accompanying software both internally and to the public. It will include managing data movement between HPC clusters, upkeep of modules and the database that tracks products; working with the collaborations to prepare public data deliveries, visualizations and tutorials; and installation and deployment of custom map-manipulation software. Working with ACT and SO Data Management team members including Jo Dunkley, Simone Aiola, Matthew Hasselfield, Mathew Madhavacheril, Sigurd Naess & Adri Duivenvoorden, the position will initially focus on the final data releases of the ACT project, then transition to the SO project.

Ideal candidates will have significant experience in using Python for numerical analysis as well as data management tasks in a Unix environment, familiarity with collaborative development tools such as git and github, and significant familiarity with modern HTML and Javascript. Experience with client and server side web application frameworks is valued.

Research Scientist in meta-material coatings at FNAL, until filled

The Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics at the University of Chicago invites applications for the position of Research Scientist, working in Associate Professor Jeff McMahon’s lab. The primary responsibility for this position involves day-to-day management of the development and fabrication of a novel anti-reflection coating for Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) instruments in the metamaterial laboratory at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. Duties will include developing and optimizing the process and workflow, ensuring the design, fabrication, and testing of these optics meet the requirements. The Research Scientist will participate directly in this operation through calculations, fabrication, measurements, and analysis, as well as support the PI with mentorship of researchers who will collaborate on the project.

The Research Scientist will also have opportunities to collaborate more broadly in Simons Observatory and other CMB projects. This work could involve instrument development, instrument testing, calibration, and data analysis. The Research Scientist is expected to give public presentations at conferences and help prepare grants and reports on their research.

South Pole Telescope winterover, until filled

The 10-meter South Pole Telescope (SPT) Winter-Over will be a member of a two-person crew located at the NSF Amundsen-Scott South Pole research station in Antarctica. The crew will be responsible for the hands-on maintenance and operation of the SPT. The crew will participate in the preliminary analysis of the astronomical data and is an integral part of the SPT collaboration. A continuous stay at the South Pole, lasting approximately twelve months, is required. The position begins in November 2022 and ends in November 2023.

South Pole station machinist, until filled

The South Pole Machinist operates and maintains the MAPO machine shop, which is located in the Dark Sector Laboratory of the NSF Amundsen-Scott research station at the South Pole in Antarctica. The Machinist works as part of a team to provide on-site machinist services to scientists and engineers from several universities. A continuous stay at the South Pole, lasting approximately eleven months, is required. The position begins 1/15/23 and ends 11/30/23.

Postdoctoral positions at Stanford/SLAC, until filled

Applications are invited for 1-2 postdoctoral positions at the Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology (KIPAC) at Stanford University and the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory with a focus on Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) surveys. The positions are primarily intended to expand our work with the CMB experiments BICEP/Keck Array, the South Pole Telescope (SPT), Simons Observatory, and CMB-S4, but also to develop applications and methods in other areas of cosmology and physics.

We seek candidates with experience in instrumentation development, and/or data analysis and simulations in observational cosmology, particle astrophysics, or high-energy physics and expect them to work in one or more of the following areas:

1. Development of CMB-S4 instrumentation prototypes and software, especially in the area of superconducting transition-edge sensors and their SQUID-amplified readout.
2. Application of CMB detector and readout technology in new concepts for low-mass dark matter searches, THz photon sensing, and qubit-based sensors for physics.

Candidates with prior expertise in low temperature detectors and readout are particularly encouraged to apply.  Candidates interested in science analyses from current-generation CMB telescopes will have ample opportunities to engage with local expertise in related areas.

For further information regarding the positions, please contact Dr. Zeeshan Ahmed and Dr. Shawn Henderson. Additionally, several staff scientists and faculty are available to advise on this and related opportunities at KIPAC: Dr. Kimmy Wu, Dr. Noah Kurinsky, Professor Chao-Lin Kuo, and Professor Kent Irwin.