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Position ID
UChicago-A&A-SOPOSTDOC [#32213]
Position Title
Postdoctoral Researcher for Simons Observatory Data Management and Instrument Operations
Position Type
Postdoctoral
Position Location:
Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States of America
Subject Areas
Astrophysics / Astronomy, Astrophysics
Appl Deadline
none (posted 2026/06/18 04:00 AM UTC)
Position Description
Position Description
The Simons Observatory (SO) is a leading cosmic microwave background (CMB) experiment located in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. SO is a collaborative effort among institutions worldwide, working together to advance our understanding of the early universe, dark energy, neutrino masses, and the large-scale structure of the cosmos. The observatory is currently operating a 6 meter Large Aperture Telescope and three 0.5 meter Small Aperture Telescopes with over 90,000 transition edge sensor detectors.
Position Overview: The Simons Observatory seeks a Postdoctoral Scholar in Performance Optimization and Data Management. The position is based at the University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory, working with Dr. Katie Harrington and Prof. Jeff McMahon. The successful candidate will work at the intersection of telescope and detector operations, data infrastructure, and quality assurance; playing a central role in ensuring SO's data systems operate reliably and at the cadence required by current and future survey operations. The candidate must reside in or be willing to relocate to the Chicago area. The anticipated annual salary for this position is $75,000. The initial appointment will be for one year but renewable for additional years contingent on performance and available funding. The successful candidate may start work some time between Aug 1st 2026 and Nov 1st 2026. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
Responsibilities: The successful candidate will take ownership of the infrastructure that assembles raw data into analysis-ready datasets, developing automated error-handling tools and scalable solutions to ensure data is processed at the cadence the survey requires. They will validate that data and associated metadata are correctly packaged and flow properly into standard analysis pipelines, working in coordination with collaborating institutions. They will develop quality assurance metrics that support both early detection of critical operational failures and regular observatory reporting, and will track the execution of calibration plans to ensure observations are being scheduled and obtained as expected. They will also evaluate and improve detector operation routines for both execution efficiency and optimal detector performance.
Qualifications And Skills
Required: Ph.D. in physics, astrophysics, engineering, or a closely related field, completed prior to the start date; Experience working with the scientific Python ecosystem (NumPy, SciPy, Matplotlib, etc.) and with databases (SQL, etc); Experience with collaborative version control systems (especially Git & GitHub); Experience with data management tasks in a Unix-like environment.
Preferred: Experience developing automated data processing pipelines; Experience with data acquisition systems and detector operations in an experimental physics context; Prior involvement with CMB or related observational cosmology experiments; Experience with TES or MKID detector technologies.
How to Apply: Interested candidates should submit a CV, a brief cover letter describing their interest and fit for this position, research statement [3 pg limit] and contact information for three professional references at Academic Jobs Online. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis starting on July 6th and continue until the position is filled. Questions may be directed to Katie Harrington at katieharrington@uchicago.edu.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement: The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination (https://www.uchicago.edu/non-discrimination).
Application Materials Required
Submit the following items online at this website to complete your application:
And anything else requested in the position description.
http://astro.uchicago.edu/index.php
Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics
University of Chicago
5640 S. Ellis Ave
Chicago, IL 60637 (USA)
© 2026 AcademicJobsOnline.Org. All Rights Reserved.
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Position ID
UChicago-A&A-SOPOSTDOC [#32213]
Position Title
Postdoctoral Researcher for Simons Observatory Data Management and Instrument Operations
Position Type
Postdoctoral
Position Location:
Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States of America
Subject Areas
Astrophysics / Astronomy, Astrophysics
Appl Deadline
none (posted 2026/06/18 04:00 AM UTC)
Position Description
Position Description
The Simons Observatory (SO) is a leading cosmic microwave background (CMB) experiment located in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. SO is a collaborative effort among institutions worldwide, working together to advance our understanding of the early universe, dark energy, neutrino masses, and the large-scale structure of the cosmos. The observatory is currently operating a 6 meter Large Aperture Telescope and three 0.5 meter Small Aperture Telescopes with over 90,000 transition edge sensor detectors.
Position Overview: The Simons Observatory seeks a Postdoctoral Scholar in Performance Optimization and Data Management. The position is based at the University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory, working with Dr. Katie Harrington and Prof. Jeff McMahon. The successful candidate will work at the intersection of telescope and detector operations, data infrastructure, and quality assurance; playing a central role in ensuring SO's data systems operate reliably and at the cadence required by current and future survey operations. The candidate must reside in or be willing to relocate to the Chicago area. The anticipated annual salary for this position is $75,000. The initial appointment will be for one year but renewable for additional years contingent on performance and available funding. The successful candidate may start work some time between Aug 1st 2026 and Nov 1st 2026. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
Responsibilities: The successful candidate will take ownership of the infrastructure that assembles raw data into analysis-ready datasets, developing automated error-handling tools and scalable solutions to ensure data is processed at the cadence the survey requires. They will validate that data and associated metadata are correctly packaged and flow properly into standard analysis pipelines, working in coordination with collaborating institutions. They will develop quality assurance metrics that support both early detection of critical operational failures and regular observatory reporting, and will track the execution of calibration plans to ensure observations are being scheduled and obtained as expected. They will also evaluate and improve detector operation routines for both execution efficiency and optimal detector performance.
Qualifications And Skills
Required: Ph.D. in physics, astrophysics, engineering, or a closely related field, completed prior to the start date; Experience working with the scientific Python ecosystem (NumPy, SciPy, Matplotlib, etc.) and with databases (SQL, etc); Experience with collaborative version control systems (especially Git & GitHub); Experience with data management tasks in a Unix-like environment.
Preferred: Experience developing automated data processing pipelines; Experience with data acquisition systems and detector operations in an experimental physics context; Prior involvement with CMB or related observational cosmology experiments; Experience with TES or MKID detector technologies.
How to Apply: Interested candidates should submit a CV, a brief cover letter describing their interest and fit for this position, research statement [3 pg limit] and contact information for three professional references at Academic Jobs Online. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis starting on July 6th and continue until the position is filled. Questions may be directed to Katie Harrington at katieharrington@uchicago.edu.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement: The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination (https://www.uchicago.edu/non-discrimination).
Application Materials Required
Submit the following items online at this website to complete your application:
- Cover letter
- Curriculum Vitae
- Research statement
- Three references (no actual letters, just names and email addresses )
And anything else requested in the position description.
http://astro.uchicago.edu/index.php
Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics
University of Chicago
5640 S. Ellis Ave
Chicago, IL 60637 (USA)
© 2026 AcademicJobsOnline.Org. All Rights Reserved.
Salary : $75,000