Contact: ddebord[AT]illinois.eduLocation: Champaign, IL, USA
The Illinois Relativity Group at the Department of Physics and the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign invites applications for a postdoctoral research associate position with a focus on numerical relativity in strong field gravity, neutrino radiation transport and numerical methods in astrophysics. The successful candidate will have a strong background in scientific software development using parallelization frameworks similar to MPI or related expertise. Expertise in GPU programming will be beneficial. The appointment is to commence in Fall 2025 and last for a two-year term with a potential extension to a third year.
The postdoctoral associate is intended to partially work on developing a hybrid Monte-Carlo (particle) M1-Moment (fluid-like) neutrino transport scheme based on the Einstein Toolkit / CarpetX simulation framework as part of the E=mc2 project. This is a multi-institution collaborative project with collaborators at LSU, RIT, UIdaho, UTAustin, and UWYO to develop numerical infrastructure and methods. E=mc2 targets simulations of binary neutron star mergers including all relevant microphysics to obtain astrophysically relevant predictions of properties of the merger process and the subsequent evolution of the merger remnant.
The successful candidate will join Dr. Roland Haas, Prof. Helvi Witek, and their team (including postdoc Dr. Deborah Ferguson, six graduate students and undergraduate students). The successful candidate will also become a member of the Illinois Relativity Group (which includes Prof. Stu Shapiro, Prof. Nico Yunes, Asst. Prof. Hector O. Silva, Research Professor Antonios Tsokaros and Research Professor Elena Koptieva). They will also become a member of the Illinois Center for Advanced Studies of the Universe (ICASU). While expected to be based in the the Department of Physics, the postdoctoral research associate will be able to interact and collaborate with researchers at NCSA, which currently hosts the largest GPU enabled supercomputer in the ACCESS-CI program and has active collaborations with researchers in parallelization frameworks (MPI, Charm++), machine learning, as well as numerical methods in the department of computer science and school of engineering.
Interested candidates must have completed a Ph.D. in Physics, Astrophysics or a related field before the start date.
They must submit their application package online here:
https://my.physics.illinois.edu/join/#id1900 (Haas/Witek)
Applicants are requested to submit
(1) a curriculum vitae, including a list of publications
(2) a research statement (limited to 3 pages, 1 inch margin, 11-12pt) containing a summary of previous and current research, and future plans
(3) contact information for three referees who will be asked to write letters of recommendation
The deadline for applications and all letters of recommendation is December 1, 2024, for full consideration. The anticipated starting date of the position is August 15, 2025, though other starting times may be negotiated.
Please contact Roland Haas (rhaas@illinois.edu) and Helvi Witek (hwitek@illinois.edu) if you have any questions about the position itself, or Deanna Frye (ddebord@illinois.edu) if you have any questions about the application form.
Candidates from underrepresented groups in STEM are particularly encouraged to apply.
The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters (https://www.hr.uillinois.edu/cms/one.aspx?portalId=4292&pageId=5705) to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify (https://e-verify.uscis.gov/web/media/resourcesContents/E-Verify_Participation_Poster_ES.pdf).
Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process.