The Department of Astronomy in the College of Arts and Sciences at The Ohio State University invites applications for several postdoctoral research positions focused on the development and planning of surveys enabled by NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Galactic Bulge Time Domain Survey.  Expertise in large time-domain surveys, particularly in the context of periodic and transient phenomena in surveys of stellar brightness and astrometric variability, is beneficial.   We are particularly interested in individuals with experience in microlensing and transit exoplanet surveys, although individuals with experience with adjacent fields such as asteroseismology will also be considered. Experience in the application of machine learning techniques to large datasets is also beneficial. The department has substantial institutional presence in the Roman Space Telescope, including significant participation in two Project Infrastructure Teams and two Wide Field Science Teams. 

The appointments will begin in Fall 2024 or earlier and run for two years with extension to a third year possible based on performance and availability of funds.  The anticipated starting salary is $60k/yr with additional funds available for travel and publications.

Assets of the Ohio State department include a 1/6 observing share of the Large Binocular Telescope, a 1/4 share of MDM observatory, membership in SDSS-IV and -V projects, and substantial institutional presence in DES, DESI, and ASAS-SN. Fellows can be PIs on observing proposals, and there is no limit on the number of proposals. Computational facilities include a departmental cluster and access to the Ohio Supercomputing Center. The department has an active instrumentation lab and strong ties to the Ohio State Physics Department through the Center for Cosmology and AstroParticle Physics (CCAPP). We seek candidates who will contribute to and benefit from the highly interactive environment of Ohio State Astronomy. We especially encourage applications from members of under-represented groups.  Information about faculty and their research programs can be found at https://astronomy.osu.edu/

Qualifications:   Applicants must have a PhD in astronomy or a related field by the start date of the appointment and experience in observational research. Appointment is contingent on the university’s verification of credentials and other information required by law and/or university policies, including but not limited to a criminal background check.

Application Instructions:

Please visit the Ohio State University's job posting website at: https://osu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/OSUCareers/job/Columbus-Campus/Post-Doctoral-Scholar_R89442-1  to submit (1) a CV, including a list of publications, (2) a statement of research interests including specific interest and expertise in the science enabled by the Roman Galactic Bulge Time Domain Survey. Please include the names and contact information of at least 3 references. Applicants who have already applied to the Department of Astronomy’s Buckeye Prize Fellowship may submit just a cover letter to t he Ohio State University's job posting website requesting consideration for this position and emphasizing the connection of their research to the Roman Galactic Bulge Time Domain Survey. Review of applications will begin on December 1, 2023, and we strongly recommend that all materials arrive by this date, although later applications will be considered.

The Ohio State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, or protected veteran status. The Ohio State University is an NSF Advance Institution.

To build a strong workforce Ohio State encourages applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation or identity, national origin, disability status, or protected veteran status. Flexible work options available. Ohio State is an EEO/AA employer, and an NSF Advance Institution.