Research Associate (Limited Term) – Radio Polarimetry in University of Toronto

Job Number: 1701829

Description: The Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Toronto invites applications for a Research Associate in Radio Polarimetry (Limited Term). The appointment is for three years, with the possibility of renewal, subject to funding. The anticipated start date is September 1, 2018.

The responsibilities will be as follows:

• 75%: the production of science-ready data products from new radio polarization surveys using the Very Large Array Sky Survey (VLASS), the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) and the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP), supervised by Prof Gaensler and in collaboration with the rest of the VLASS, CHIME and ASKAP teams.
• 25%: self-directed research in Galactic or extragalactic radio astronomy, in consultation with Prof Gaensler.

In all these activities, there is the expectation that the appointee will supervise the work of undergraduate and graduate students.

The Dunlap Institute pursues groundbreaking astronomical research across the electromagnetic spectrum, through innovative approaches to instrumentation, data-driven science and observations, alongside a substantive commitment to outreach and training. The Dunlap Institute is co-located with and has strong ties to the University’s Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics (DAA) and to the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics (CITA). These three units together host over 130 staff and students in astronomy, who conduct a diverse research program across instrumentation, observations, computation and theory.

The Dunlap Institute is located on a beautiful 19th century campus in the heart of one of the world’s great cities. Rated as having one of the highest standards of living in the world, Toronto offers a huge range of indoor and outdoor pursuits, outstanding food and music, and a vibrant and diverse cultural community.

Qualifications: Education

PhD or equivalent certification in astrophysics, astronomy or physics

Required Experience

• Experience in radio polarization processing
• Advanced skills in radio interferometry, radio polarimetry, radio astronomy pipelines, and survey science
• A record of lead-author publications on Galactic or extragalactic radio astronomy in high-impact scientific journals
• Demonstrated excellence in scientific writing and scientific communication
• Demonstrated ability to work with students
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with a team

Preferred Experience

• At least one year of relevant postdoctoral experience
• Some understanding of radio astronomical instrumentation and polarization calibration.

Travel: Extended

Notes: Applicants should apply online at the link below and include a covering letter, curriculum vitae, list of publications, and the e-mail addresses of three referees by December 1, 2017. Questions regarding this position should be directed to Prof. Bryan Gaensler at bgaensler@dunlap.utoronto.ca.

The University of Toronto is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from racialized persons/persons of colour, women, Indigenous/Aboriginal People of North America, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ persons, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.

All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

Employee Group: Research Associate, Limited Term
Appointment Type: Grant – Term
Schedule: Full-time
Pay Scale Group and Hiring Rate: R01 — Research Associates (Limited Term): $42,264 – $79,245
Job Field: Research Associate (Limited Term)
Job Closing: Dec 1, 2017

To apply: https://utoronto.taleo.net/careersection/10000/jobdetail.ftl?job=1701829

Two Postdocs in Extragalactic Astrophysics and Data Science at U. Manitoba

Deadline: Dec 31, 2017
Contact: Prof. Christopher O’Dea, University of Manitoba, odeac@umanitoba.ca

The Faculty of Science at the University of Manitoba has two (2) open post-doctoral positions in extragalactic multi-wavelength astrophysics with emphasis on active galactic nuclei and clusters of galaxies, and requiring skills and experience in either data science and/or data visualization. The candidates will be part of a multidisciplinary team of researchers from the University of Manitoba analyzing the data from the Very Large Array Sky Survey (VLASS) and collaborating with experts at the Universities of Toronto and Alberta, covering the domains of astrophysics, data science and scientific visualization. The positions will be 50% astrophysics research and 50% computer science.

The astrophysics research will consist of reduction and analysis of multi-wavelength (e.g., Chandra X-ray, Gemini and HST optical/infrared, ALMA and VLA radio) observations of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) and Clusters of Galaxies with emphasis on the interaction of the AGN with its environment. This will be in collaboration with Profs. Stefi Baum and Chris O’Dea and will involve working with several undergraduate and graduate students. Successful candidates will be expected to publish research results in the refereed journal literature.
The computer science component of the position is a joint project between research groups in Computer Science (Profs. Pourang Irani and Neil Bruce) and Astronomy (Profs. Chris O’Dea, Stefi Baum, Samar Safi-Harb, Jayanne English, and Dr. Gilles Ferrand). The science data products that will emerge from the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) will not be in a final state optimized for data analysis, and the data volumes will be so large that direct delivery to users will not be feasible. The SKA project therefore envisages an international collaborative alliance of inter-operating centres. A Canadian SKA Regional Centre would need to provide services
such as archiving, processing, user support and pipeline development. We are part of a large collaboration of Canadian Universities supported by a Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) grant to develop a pilot virtual regional centre for radio astronomy, using data from VLASS, the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME), and the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP).
Candidates must have a PhD degree or equivalent in astrophysics with skills in computational and/or data sciences and software development; or, demonstrate the ability to acquire skills in these areas. Programming competence and fluency in written and spoken English are required. Experience in radio astronomy and/or multi-wavelength data analysis is highly desired.

Analysis tasks may include creation of a catalog of VLASS continuum data products, development of algorithms for multi-band data matching and source classification, and development of perception-based visualization schemes for large, multi-waveband data and products of data mining tools. The candidates will merge expertise from the fields of astrophysics with that of visual analytics, to combine human interaction via visual representations with machine learning, including dimensionality reduction and clustering. The candidate may also explore promising emerging technologies such as virtual and augmented reality.
We offer:
* Full-time employment at University of Manitoba with a negotiable starting date but ideally April 1, 2018 or soon after for a period of 3 years.
* A competitive salary $40,000 to $60,000 CAD per year (with benefits) depending on qualifications and seniority.
* A budget allowing the postdoctoral fellow to hire and supervise co-op students, and travel to related scientific conferences.
* We invite applications from those who can support and enhance our diversity, including women, Indigenous peoples, other visible minorities, and those committed to a diverse environment. Application materials, including letters of reference, will be handled in accordance with the “Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act”. Please note that curricula vitae may be provided to participating members of the search process.
*Applications will be accepted until Dec 31, 2017

Multiple postdoctoral fellow positions at McGill University

Name: Kelly Lepo
Email address: kelly.lepo@mcgill.ca
Affiliation: McGill Space Institute

We invite applications for multiple Postdoctoral Fellowships in space-related fields to be held in the McGill Space Institute at McGill University (http://msi.mcgill.ca/).

McGill Space Institute Postdoctoral Fellowships
https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/9850

Postdoctoral Fellowships in Astrophysics at McGill
https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/9851

CITA National Fellowship at McGill University
https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/9852

The McGill Space Institute is an interdisciplinary center that brings together researchers engaged in space-related research at McGill. Currently there are 18 active faculty members affiliated with the center, from the Physics, Earth and Planetary Sciences, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, and Natural Resource Sciences departments from McGill (http://msi.mcgill.ca/index.php?page=faculty-staff).

The successful applicant will have a strong research record in theoretical, observational, or experimental work in astrophysics, cosmology, planetary science, atmospheric science or astrobiology. Postdoctoral fellows will work under the supervision of one or more faculty members at the MSI. Fellows are expected to spend at least 50 percent of their time on research that complements that of their supervisor.

Applicants should submit a cover letter, a curriculum vitae including a list of publications and a statement of research plans (not to exceed 2 pages) which demonstrates how the proposed research program complements current MSI activities, and should arrange for three letters of recommendation to be sent through AcademicJobsOnline (https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/9850)

Applicants should indicate that they are applying for the McGill Space Institute Postdoctoral Fellowship and state potential MSI faculty supervisors in their cover letter.

This position offers a competitive salary and will be for two years, with a possible renewal for a third year, dependent on supervisor approval and the availability of funds. Preference is given to applicants within 3 years of the PhD. All application materials including letters of recommendation must be received by the deadline of November 30, 2017.

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Applicants in the fields of astrophysics should also consider applying for the McGill Astrophysics Fellowship (see https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/9851, Deadline November 30) and/or the CITA Fellowships at McGill University (see https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/9852, Deadline October 31). A single copy of the application materials may be submitted and the intended fellowships indicated in the cover letter.

The McGill Astrophysics group currently includes 14 active faculty members. The group’s research spans theory, observations, and instrumentation, in the fields of cosmology, large scale structure, gravitational lensing, galaxy formation and evolution, active galactic nuclei, gamma ray astronomy, the physics of compact objects, radio transients, nuclear astrophysics, and exoplanets.

We also have strong ties to the early universe cosmology/high energy theory group (http://www.physics.mcgill.ca/research/thep.html) and the McGill Space Institute (MSI, http://msi.mcgill.ca) that brings together several different areas of space related research across the University.

The successful applicant will have a strong research record in theoretical, observational, or experimental astrophysics or cosmology. Postdoctoral fellows will work under the supervision of one or more faculty members at McGill.
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McGill University is committed to diversity and equity within its community. We welcome applications from: women, Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, persons of minority sexual orientation or gender identity, visible minorities, and others who may contribute to diversification.