University of California, Berkeley, Astronomy
** (posted 2025/11/07, listed until 2026/03/15)Position Description
The successful applicant will become part of the vibrant intellectual communities of the UC Berkeley Astronomy and Physics departments, and will pursue independent research to advance our understanding of the dynamic universe using multi-messenger observations, theory, big-data analysis and/or instrumentation. Multi-RAPTOR faculty affiliates carry out cutting-edge research in a wide area of multi-messenger astrophysics including observations across the electromagnetic spectrum (Raffaella Margutti, Multi-RAPTOR director; Ryan Chornock, Alex Filippenko), AI, machine learning and big-data analysis (Josh Bloom), theory of multi-messenger phenomena (Wenbin Lu, Dan Kasen, Liang Dai), and electromagnetic (Jessica Lu) and gravitational wave instrumentation (Victoria Xu).
UC Berkeley has access to the Keck telescopes and Lick Observatory. Amongst other collaborations, Multi-RAPTOR faculty are involved with the La Silla Schmidt Southern Survey (LS4, a new time-domain survey in the southern skies), the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF), the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) on the Vera C. Rubin Observatory (with focus on gravitational wave sources follow up), the UltraViolet EXplorer (UVEX) and the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO). Multi-RAPTOR faculty have active time-domain programs on a wide range of electromagnetic facilities (including Swift, Chandra, XMM-Newton, NuSTAR, Hubble, JWST, ATCA, VLA), and are leading the First VLBI Survey of Transients (NRAO Large Project). UC Berkeley researchers have access to high performance computing on the Savio cluster https://research-it.berkeley.edu/services-projects/high-performance-computing-savio
The positions are anticipated for three years contingent on satisfactory performance and funding. Applicants responding to this ad will also be considered for grant-supported postdoctoral positions with Multi-RAPTOR members.
Successful candidates must have a recent Ph.D. in astronomy/physics and the ability to work productively within Berkeley's diverse research environment, including the production and publication of original research and the effective presentation of research results in seminars and at scientific meetings. The position has a competitive salary and allowance for research and travel funds.
Requested application materials: Please submit your CV, a publication list, a statement of research interests (3 pages max), and arrange for three letters of reference to be sent on their behalf. Materials should be submitted online at AJO. To ensure full consideration, interested candidates are requested to submit their applications before the deadline of December 31, 2025.
The Multi-RAPTOR center is committed to creating and sustaining an environment that supports and values all members of our community and that is safe, accessible, and respectful of all individuals. UC Berkeley has an excellent benefits package as well as several policies and programs to support employees as they balance work and family life.
The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship, disability, age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or protected veteran status. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see: https://www.ucop.edu/human-resources/units/employee-and-labor-relations/employee-relations/eeo-affirmative-action.html All letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality: http://apo.berkeley.edu/evalltr.html prior to submitting their letters.
Application Materials Required:
- Cover letter
- Curriculum Vitae
- Research statement
- Publication list
- Three reference letters (to be submitted online by the reference writers on this site. Letters should be submitted by 2025/12/31 11:59PM )
Further Info: