Research Associate in 21-cm cosmology (Fixed Term)
Fixed‑term: The position will last 24 months. The appointment is funded by the Radio Experiment for the Analysis of Cosmic Hydrogen (REACH) ERC/UKRI Consolidator programme. REACH is an international effort to detect the global 21‑cm signal from the early Universe.
The successful candidate will play a central role in the calibration of the REACH instrument and the analysis of its data, working at the interface of hardware and analysis. They will develop, test, and implement advanced radiometer calibration techniques and apply state‑of‑the‑art statistical methods to extract cosmological information. The role will involve close collaboration with the wider REACH consortium of engineers, observers, and theorists, ensuring that instrument characterisation and data analysis advance hand in hand.
* Collaborate with engineers and theorists to calibrate the REACH instrument.
* Develop and implement advanced radiometer calibration techniques.
* Apply modern statistical methods to separate cosmological signal from astrophysical foregrounds and systematics.
* Analyze low‑frequency radio data and produce scientific results.
Applicants should hold (or be close to completing) a PhD in astrophysics, radio astronomy, physics or a related field. The ideal candidate will have strong expertise in:
* Data analysis, including RFI mitigation and foreground modelling.
* Radio astronomy instrumentation and radiometry.
* Calibration pipelines and instrumental systematics.
* Programming in Python, C/C++ or equivalent and handling complex data sets.
* Experience in electromagnetic simulations, radiometer design or low‑frequency calibration techniques is an advantage.
The post holder will be based at the Cavendish Laboratory, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0US, UK, and will work under the supervision of Professor Eloy de Lera Acedo.
Salary: £37,694–£46,049 (Grade 7) for Research Associate; £34,610 (Grade 5) for Research Assistant (if PhD not yet awarded). Appointment as Research Assistant is conditional on PhD completion, moving to Grade 7 upon award.
Please apply online and upload your Curriculum Vitae and a covering letter. Submit by the closing date. If you have any questions, contact Professor Eloy de Lera Acedo (ed330@cam.ac.uk) or HR (hr@phy.cam.ac.uk). Quote reference KA47583 on all correspondence.
The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society. The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.
#J-18808-Ljbffr