Contact: Christian Ott (cott[AT]tapir.caltech.edu)Location: Pasadena, CA, USA
Caltech Postdoc Positions in Numerical Relativity, Computational Relativistic Astrophysics, and Gravitational-Wave Science
The California Institute of Technology invites applications for postdoctoral and senior postdoctoral appointments in theoretical aspects of gravitational-wave science. These positions are for researchers in any of the three focus areas of our group:
1) NUMERICAL RELATIVITY and COMPUTATIONAL RELATIVISTIC ASTROPHYSICS [Christian Ott, Mark Scheel, Bela Szilagyi, Christian Reisswig, Luke Roberts, Nick Taylor, Ernazar Abdikamalov, Roland Haas, Phillip Moesta, Tony Piro, Anil Zenginoglu, and grad students], including a strong collaboration with the Cornell group led by Saul Teukolsky and Larry Kidder. Systems and phenomena studied include compact binaries (BH/BH, NS/BH, NS/NS) as well as stellar collapse and supernova explosions.
2) GRAVITATIONAL-WAVE SOURCE ANALYSIS, DATA ANALYSIS, AND ASTROPHYSICS [Yanbei Chen, Christian Ott, Sterl Phinney, Kip Thorne, and grad students]. This effort has close ties to the Caltech theoretical astrophysics and observational astronomy programs, to the Caltech numerical relativity group, to the LIGO Laboratory, and to the JPL gravitational-wave group of Curt Cutler, Tom Prince, Massimo Tinto, Michele Vallisneri, John Armstrong, Frank Estabrook and postdocs Chad Galley, and Samaya Nissanke.
3) GRAVITATIONAL-WAVE DETECTORS [Yanbei Chen, Kip Thorne, Haixing Miao, and grad students.] This involves the application of quantum measurement and quantum control theory to advanced gravitational-wave detectors, as well as the formulation of experimental tests of quantum mechanics that can be performed on these detectors. This research is carried out in collaboration or interaction with members of the LIGO Lab, and other Caltech research groups, including those led by H. Jeff Kimble and Michael Roukes, and the Caltech Institute for Quantum Information and Matter (IQIM, an NSF Physics Frontier Center), http://www.iqim.caltech.edu, and the Moscow University research group of Vladimir Braginsky, Farid Khalili, Sergei Vyatchanin, Stefan Danilishin and Sergey Strigin.
These three research programs are embedded in Caltech’s TAPIR group (Theoretical Astrophysics Including Relativity), http://www.tapir.caltech.edu and are associated with the Caltech/JPL Association for Gravitational Wave Research, http://www.its.caltech.edu/~cajagwr/.
By a single application one can be considered for Caltech’s Prize Postdoctoral Fellowships in Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics, including Relativity [see http://www.pma.caltech.edu/GSR/fellowtheory.html] and for regular postdoctoral and senior postdoctoral positions.
The application deadline is December 1, though late applications will continue to be considered until all positions are filled.
PLEASE SUBMIT APPLICATIONS VIA THE WEB at the following website, until that website closes:
http://www.beatricia.caltech.edu/astro-theoretical/apply.html
Under Research Interests, please choose the button “Gravitational Physics” or “Astrophysics”
Later applications should be sent to JoAnn Boyd, joann[AT]tapir.caltech.edu.
Application materials should include curriculum vitae with email address and with citizenship indicated, bibliography of publications (with refereed articles identified), web locations of manuscripts not yet published, and a description of the desired research directions. Please ensure that at least three letters of recommendation are provided by the writers via the web at http://www.eas.caltech.edu/search/theo-astro/references before the website closes, or to joann[AT]tapir.caltech.edu afterwards.
Caltech is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Women, Minorities, Veterans, and Disabled Persons are encouraged to apply.