Several postdoctoral researcher positions and an engineering position are available at the Energetic Cosmos Laboratory (ECL).
Our lab is headed by Nobel Laureate George Smoot here at Nazarbayev University (NU) in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. ECL conducts research in cosmology (e.g. dark energy, inflation, gravitational lensing) and the transient sky (gamma ray bursts, fast radio bursts, ultrafast astronomy) through developing theoretical models and probes, advanced statistical and computational techniques of data analysis, and new instrumentation. The current hardware efforts focus on a rapid response telescope with a multichannel camera for gamma-ray burst science, instrumentation and observations for optical flux variations down to ~ nanoseconds, and new cryogenic detectors including MKIDs for both CMB and optical surveys; data analysis efforts focus on preparation for analyzing and interpreting CMB, GRB, FRB, DESI, and LSST data.
Postdocs at ECL have the opportunity for working visits to partner labs at UC Berkeley, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, APC Paris, or other labs in Asia. The starting date is anticipated to be January-May 2018. The working language of ECL and NU is English. NU is a modern research university, located next to the site of World Expo 2017, with strong ties to Berkeley and Paris universities. The ECL currently has three postdocs and aims to increase in size. Exceptionally qualified candidates can be appointed at the research scientist or project scientist level. Housing is provided free.
For observers, experimentalists, and instrumentation experts, one opening is immediately available (2018 Dec.) for optical instrumentation and/or GRB studies.
For those with skills relating to MKIDs or other cryogenic detector devices and instrumentation, we anticipate another postdoc opening in 2020 December.
Another two positions are opening in theory, one in cosmology with Eric Linder; we are particularly interested in candidates who can bridge the theory and experimental efforts. Another postdoc is available in topics broadly related to fast radio bursts (FRB), with collaborator NU Professor Ernazar Abdikamalov.
We recommend to promising candidates who do not work in the topics above (e.g. in String Theory) that they contact the Physics Department. We welcome all other qualified applicants.
Engineer Research Assistants with experience in high speed electronics, vhdl, and linux systems and coding experience are encouraged to contact us!
Regarding positions for professional engineers, We anticipate vacancies for late 2020 but depending on your skills and talents, start dates are negotiable.
Applicants should email a single PDF file containing curriculum vitae, list of publications, short statement of research interests and plans related to the ECL program, and at least three names and contact information for references to ecl @nu.edu.kz Applications will reviewed as they come in.
Are you interested in astrophysics or cosmology?
Are you skilled in engineering, computers or machining ?
We want you to join ECL.
Please contact us