The South African Inter-University Institute for Data Intensive Astronomy (IDIA) is seeking applications for an IDIA postdoctoral fellowship in the field of combined stellar radio-optical astrophysics, based in the Department of Astronomy at the University of Cape Town.
MeerKAT is the mid-frequency SKA precursor telescope array comprised 64 13.5-meter antennas located at the SKA central site in South Africa. It is undertaking several wide field imaging large survey projects in advance of the SKA. The IDIA fellow will join the MeerKAT MIGHTEE large survey project, which is carrying out deep, wide-area, full-polarization imaging of selected extragalactic fields, and the ThunderKAT large survey project which is undertaking fast imaging with MeerKAT to search for transient and variable radio sources. During night time observations, simultaneous wide field, multiband optical observations are obtained with the MeerLICHT telescope at Sutherland.
The IDIA fellow will work with MIGHTEE, ThunderKAT and MeerLICHT data sets to search for and characterize stellar sources of transient and persistent radio emission in the microJy and sub-microJy flux density regimes and will undertake independent research programs utilizing the data. The IDIA fellow will also be involved in developing the symbiosis between MeerKAT and MeerLICHT data, such as developing combined radio-optical transient and/or stellar source identification and classification techniques.
Candidates will be asked to help out with light departmental duties (e.g. seminars), with postgraduate students’ supervision and with some outreach activities. The appointment is for two years, with possibilities of extension for an extra year, subject to sufficient progress. The salary is tax-free and at the top of the postdoc scale. Equipment and travel funding are available.
We are seeking applicants who have:
• Obtained a PhD within the last 5 years,
• A track record of research and publications in stellar radio astrophysics, and preferably also in optical astrophysics,
• Experience in observations with radio interferometer antenna arrays, and
• Scientific programming and data processing experience.
For further information regarding this position, kindly contact Prof Russ Taylor (russ@idia.ac.za), Prof Paul Groot (pgroot@ast.uct.ac.za), or Prof Patrick Woudt (pwoudt@ast.uct.ac.za).
To apply, please e-mail the documents below in a single pdf file to Mrs. Nicky Walker at admin@idia.ac.za before 15 October 2019.
1. A cover letter
2. A Curriculum Vitae
3. A statement of research interest
4. The names and contact details of three individuals who are willing to serve as a reference.
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Photo Credit: South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)