Research Scientist 1

Research Scientist 1 at Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research (MKI), to work in the areas of observational astrophysics and computational science related to exoplanets and transient astrophysics under the direction of Dr. George Ricker, the PI of MIT-led Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS); participate in the discovery team assessing the scientific data from TESS; be responsible for the design, oversight, and implementation of auto vetting of astrophysical data, based on the Astronet environment; and participate in the design, development and execution of research projects aligned to the general scope of the mission. TESS is well on its way to discovering thousands of exoplanets in orbit around the brightest stars in the sky. This first-ever spaceborne all-sky transit survey of the solar neighborhood is identifying Earth- to Jupiter-sized planets orbiting stars with stellar types and temperatures spanning a wide range. Many of these TESS planets are likely to be targets for JWST observations. The full frame images from TESS are providing precise photometry of more than 300 million stars and galaxies during its survey. Its exquisite photometric stability and sensitivity enables detection of a broad range of astrophysical transients, including cataclysmic variables, novae and supernovae, tidal disruption events, and addressing topics in multi-messenger astronomy.

Job Requirements

• REQUIRED: Ph.D. in Physics, Astronomy, or related field;
• a minimum of two years of experience;
• demonstrated initiative;
• experience working independently;
• familiarity with software tools, packages, and environments including C and Python;
• and expertise in machine learning tools and concepts.

This position will be for one year, extension contingent on performance and funding.