CosmicAI Post Doctoral Research Associate at NSF NOIRLab

The National Science Foundation (NSF)-Simons CosmicAI Institute seeks to hire a postdoctoral fellow to conduct research on active galactic nuclei and their host galaxies. The fellow, based at NSF NOIRLab, will contribute to multi-wavelength data curation and analysis, and collaborate with CosmicAI researchers to facilitate the application of cutting-edge AI tools and methodologies.

The NSF-Simons AI Institute for Cosmic Origins (CosmicAI) advances transformative AI to make astronomy data more accessible to researchers, students, and the public. Through partnerships with universities (UT Austin, UVA, Utah, UCLA, NYU), national facilities (NSF NRAO, NSF NOIRLab), nonprofits, and industry, CosmicAI develops trustworthy, efficient, and explainable AI tools to accelerate research and discoveries about our cosmic origins. NSF NOIRLab is the U.S. center for ground-based, nighttime optical and infrared astronomy. As a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC), it supports programs like Gemini, Rubin, MSO (CTIO and KPNO), and CSDC to drive breakthroughs in astrophysics through advanced observatories and data services.

The CosmicAI NOIRLab postdoctoral fellow will lead a project on the analysis of data spanning photometry, images, and spectra from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) as well as model predictions to decipher evolutionary trends of active galactic nuclei and/or their host galaxies. This work will be carried out in close collaboration with CosmicAI team members Stéphanie Juneau (NOIRLab), Robert Nikutta (NOIRLab) and Adam Bolton (SLAC National Lab). CosmicAI fellows have full access to Institute facilities and equipment (e.g., world-class computational resources at the Texas Advanced Computing Center, including Vista, a recently commissioned 600 GPU node cluster) and routinely collaborate with Institute members across all sites to facilitate the development of their research programs. Through NOIRLab's institutional partnership with SLAC, the fellow will also have the opportunity to collaborate with major Department of Energy-funded scientific AI initiatives.

CosmicAI fellows at NSF NOIRLab will be expected to spend 50% of their time on institute-related research efforts (e.g., data curation, evaluation, example research workflows), with the remaining 50% available for independent research; ideally, there will be substantial overlap between the two. The CosmicAI Fellowship appointment will be awarded initially for a two-year period that is renewable for a third year, subject to performance and funding considerations.

Who you are:

• You have a PhD in Astronomy, Astrophysics, Physics, or a related field.
• Experience with modern machine learning / deep learning techniques and software packages.
• Established record of independent research.
• Research expertise in extragalactic astronomy such as active galactic nuclei and/or their host galaxies.
• Committed to broadly sharing scientific findings and software development with the astronomy community.
• Proficiency working with a geographically distributed, multi-disciplinary team.

Preferred Skills

• Previous experience with multi-wavelength astronomical data curation and data analysis.
• Experience with spectroscopic data and very large datasets.
• Experience with high-performance or high throughput computing (HPC/HTC).

Competency Summary

• Excellent communication skills, including both presentations and writing scientific papers.

Export Control Compliance Notice:

This position involves access to materials that are subject to U.S. export control laws, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Pursuant to these regulations, only U.S. persons (as defined in the regulations) are eligible. A "U.S. person" includes a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or person granted asylum or refugee status. Applicants must be eligible to access export-controlled technology as defined by U.S. law.

Location

Flexible, preferably onsite or hybrid in the Tucson, AZ office. Remote options may be considered for candidates in states where AURA is registered as an employer.

Work Environment

This position operates in a professional office environment and routinely utilizes standard office equipment, including computers, phones, and copiers. The work environment is generally quiet and may involve working in close proximity to others, depending on the needs of the specific function.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position at least 50% of the time.
• Occasional need to move about inside the office environment to access files, office tools, attendance in a meeting room, etc.
• Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity tools that require fine motor skills, such as a calculator, copy machine, computer printer, etc.
• May occasionally need to position self to maintain computer and related tools.
• Seldomly needed to move objects up to 10 pounds.
• Constant communication with other individuals. Must be able to discern and exchange information as appropriate to the situation.
• Constant need to distinguish, discern, and identify a variety of objects and fine details with accuracy.
• Some travel may be necessary in or outside the contiguous United States including travel to the various observatory sites (Arizona, Chile and Hawai`i).
• Occasional work at high elevation summit sites may be required (summit elevations range from 6,800 feet to 14,000 feet).

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities and skills required by personnel so classified.

This Institute promotes Equal Employment Opportunity workplace that includes reasonable accommodations to otherwise qualified, disabled applicants and employees.

Salary Range

$50,000 - $73,000 annually. The final salary will depend on skills, qualification, and experience.

AURA offers an excellent benefits package including paid time off and retirement contributions, competitive salary commensurate with experience, and a very attractive work environment. Details on benefits can be found at Benefits by Location - Aura Human Resources.

How to Apply

Apply by Friday, December 5, 2025 ***Monday, January 12, 2026*** for priority consideration. This position will remain open until it is filled. Please submit the documents listed below, PDF files preferred, name any attachments with the following format: LastName DocName.

• Cover letter describing why you are interested in this position. The letter should describe how your skills and experience match the position and qualifications described above as well as your scientific interests in time domain astronomy.
• Curriculum Vitae & Publication List.
• Summary of past research and technical experience (maximum 3 pages), including any data science or astronomical data analysis work relevant to this position.
• A list of three references (names, affiliations, email addresses) who could write a letter of recommendation on your behalf.
  
• Please note that if selected, letters will be due by January 30, 2026.

Individuals needing assistance with the employment process can request assistance at [email protected]

Equal Opportunity Employer

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.
For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.