Temporary Staff Scientist Position: APEX support

Curiosity is the driving force behind the research at the Department of Earth and Space Sciences and our goals are to find new knowledge about space, our earth and our future energy supply. Through observations of the universe as well as earth, we make predictions about the future and promote sustainable development. To reach our goals, we develop highly sensitive measuring instruments and observational methods, as well as advanced algorithms for data analysis and theoretical models.

The department has roughly 110 employees, divided into seven research groups and one administrative group. We are situated at campus Johanneberg and Onsala Space Observatory.


Information about Onsala Space Observatory
Onsala Space Observatory (OSO) the Swedish National Facility for Radio Astronomy, hosted by Chalmers University of Technology, is located 45 km south of Gothenburg on the Swedish west coast. The dominant part of OSO's work involves supporting access to local or international radio astronomy instrumentation for Swedish astronomers. A second important mission of OSO is to maintain radio and other instrumentation to support the Swedish contribution to national and global monitoring of the Earth for geodesy, geoscience and global change studies.

The Onsala site presently hosts three radio telescopes including a 25 m diameter telescope used for centimetre VLBI; a 20 m diameter radome enclosed mm-wave telescope used for astronomical/geodetic VLBI and for single dish spectroscopy; and a LOFAR station which forms part of the International LOFAR Telescope. In addition to the radio telescopes located at Onsala the OSO national facility is one of three partners in the APEX submillimetre wavelength single-dish telescope located in the Atacama desert in Chile; with OSO/Sweden having 23 % of the observing time. In addition to telescope facilities OSO also hosts the Nordic node of the European ALMA regional centre and is also heavily involved in the design of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA).

Job description
The position primarily involves providing scientific observing support during Swedish observing time on the APEX submillimetre wavelength telescope in Chile. Swedish time observations on APEX occur for periods of 10 to 14 days four or five times per year; during these observing periods a team of three to four Onsala staff astronomers is sent to Chile to conduct observations. The successful candidate will form part of this observing team under the management of the Onsala APEX project scientist. Some pre/post-observation support of APEX PI's is also expected. A secondary duty will be to help support observations with the 20 m diameter millimetre wave Onsala single dish telescope (which has recently been upgraded wth new 3 mm and 4mm receivers and wider bandwidth backends). Total telescope support duties for APEX and the OSO 20 m telescope will be 50 %, with the other 50 % of time being available to conduct the candidate's own scientific research. The position is for a two year period and has a starting date of January 2016.

Qualifications
Candidates should have a PhD in Radio Astronomy and experience in millimetre/submillimetre wavelength single dish observing as well as data reduction and evaluation. Additional desirable, but non essential, qualfications include experience in troubleshooting technical issues on millimetre wave telecope observing systems and providing user support.

Chalmers continuously strives to be an attractive employer. Equality and diversity are substantial foundations in all activities at Chalmers.

Application deadline: 2015-10-02


For questions, please contact:
Professor John Conway
E-mail: john.conway@chalmers.se

*** Chalmers declines to consider all offers of further announcement publishing or other types of support for the recruiting process in connection with this position. *** 



Chalmers University of Technology conducts research and education in engineering sciences, architecture, technology-related mathematical sciences, natural and nautical sciences, working in close collaboration with industry and society. The strategy for scientific excellence focuses on our eight Areas of Advance; Built Environment, Energy, Information & Communication Technology, Life Science, Materials Science, Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, Production and Transport. The aim is to make an active contribution to a sustainable future using the basic sciences as a foundation and innovation and entrepreneurship as the central driving forces. Chalmers has around 11,000 students and 3,000 employees. New knowledge and improved technology have characterised Chalmers since its foundation in 1829, completely in accordance with the will of William Chalmers and his motto: Avancez!