Flatiron Software Research Fellow, Center for Computational Astrophysics

Simons Foundation; New York (NY); On-site; USD 81,000 - 109,000; Full time

Job summary

The Flatiron Institute's Center for Computational Astrophysics invites applications for Flatiron Software Research Fellows (FSRFs) based in New York City. These Fellows pursue independent software development alongside astrophysical research, collaborating across the CCA and Flatiron Institute.

FSRFs receive a research budget, mentorship, and opportunities to mentor students, with two-year appointments renewable up to five years.

Qualifications

• Experience developing and contributing to open-source software projects.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively on research.
• Strong track record in astrophysics research and software development.
• Excellent communication of complex ideas in papers and talks.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, maintain, and support scientific software relevant to astrophysics.
• Engage in astrophysical research using computational and/or theoretical tools.
• Assist in organizing CCA and Flatiron-wide seminars, workshops, and meetings.
• Contribute to manuscript preparation and conference presentations.
• Mentor students and share expertise through software tutorials and training.
• Collaborate across groups to broaden impact of software tools and workflows.

Skills

Open-source software

Independent researcher

Astrophysics research

Scientific communication

Collaboration

Documentation

Education

PhD in related field

Job description

Applications are invited for postdoctoral positions as Flatiron Software Research Fellows (FSRFs) at the Center for Computational Astrophysics (CCA). The CCA offers FSRFs the opportunity for independent scientific software development and scientific research in areas that have strong synergy with the CCA or other centers at the Flatiron Institute. The FSRF is distinct from the standard Flatiron Research Fellow position in that innovative software development is expected to be a core focus and driver of any FSRF’s research program. The CCA will provide mentorship and career development support to each FSRF as well as guidance on trajectories within and outside academia.

The mission of the Flatiron Institute is to advance scientific knowledge through computational methods, including data analysis, theory, modeling, and simulation. It currently houses five centers, focused on computational astrophysics (CCA), biology (CCB), mathematics (CCM), neuroscience (CCN) and quantum physics (CCQ), as well as a scientific computing core (SCC) that maintains state-of-the-art computing facilities for use by Flatiron scientists, and an initiative in computational catalysis (ICC).

The CCA's particular mission is to create, develop, and disseminate computational methods, tools, and frameworks that allow scientists to build or analyze big astronomical datasets, and to use computational and statistical techniques to understand complex, multi-scale physics in astrophysical systems ranging in scales from planets to the Universe. Part of this mission is to develop, maintain, and contribute to open-source software packages and their communities. Examples of software project applications of CCA researchers include fluid dynamics and plasma simulations, radiative transfer, N-Body & dynamical simulations, GPU & other high-performance computing, machine learning models, probabilistic models for data, novel techniques for making measurements, visualization tools, and community-oriented foundational software tools. For examples of software developed or hosted at the CCA, please visit our website: https://www.simonsfoundation.org/flatiron/software/?type=39

Please also visit https://www.simonsfoundation.org/flatiron/center-for-computational-astrophysics/ for a full description of CCA research areas and scientific staff. We recommend candidates review our FAQ prior to submitting an application.

Flatiron Software Research Fellows are expected to develop or substantially contribute to innovative astronomical software projects that enable new or foundational science programs that can be independently directed and involve substantial collaboration with other members of the CCA or Flatiron Institute. Software projects are expected to enable new science and to encourage community engagement and use of the resulting tools. FSRFs will be encouraged to build their technical skills through engagement and collaboration with software engineers and other FSRFs at the CCA, other Flatiron centers, and the Flatiron Institute’s Scientific Computing Core (SCC). This includes attending and/or co-organizing software workshops and training hosted both by the CCA and the SCC. In addition to their own software development and research, Fellows help build the rich scientific community at the CCA and Flatiron Institute by: participating in seminars, colloquia, and group meetings; developing their software, mathematical, and computational expertise through internal educational opportunities; and sharing their knowledge through software releases and contributions, scientific publications, and/or presentations. Flatiron Software Research Fellows may also have the opportunity to mentor and educate graduate and undergraduate students through the CCA Pre-Doctoral Program, the CUNY Astrophysics Masters Program, the Simons-NSBP Scholars Summer Program, and the AstroCom NYC Program. FSRFs are welcome and encouraged to take advantage of CCA partnerships with the Simons Observatory, the Terra Hunting Experiment, Sloan Digital Sky Survey V, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, Gaia, and the NASA SPHEREx mission.

FSRF positions are generally two-year appointments that can be renewed for an additional three years, contingent on performance. All Fellows receive a research budget and have access to the Flatiron Institute’s powerful scientific computing resources, including 2 HPC clusters with a combined 180,000 cores, 600 GPUs and 60PB of raw storage. FSRFs may be eligible for subsidized housing within walking distance of the CCA. These positions will be based in our New York City offices, with anticipated start dates between late August and early October 2027.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Developing, implementing, maintaining, and supporting scientific software relevant to astrophysics
• Engaging in astrophysical research using computational and/or theoretical tools
• Assisting in the organization of CCA and Flatiron-wide collaborative activities including seminars, workshops and meetings
• Actively participating in the preparation of manuscripts for publication and presentations at conferences
• Assisting in student mentorship
• Sharing expertise and providing training and guidance to CCA staff and visitors as needed, including participation in the Software Group and periodically running software tutorials

For more information about careers at the Flatiron Institute, please visit simonsfoundation.org/flatiron/careers.

Qualifications

Education

• Applicants are required to have (or receive before appointment) a PhD in a related field.

Related Skills & Other Requirements

• Ability to develop and/or contribute to open-source software projects
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively
• Ability to do original research in astrophysics
• Ability to present research and other types of work, internally and externally
• Intellectual connections to projects in which the CCA is involved (if relevant)
• Expertise in technical elements of computational astrophysics research, which may include but are not limited to: algorithm and software development; application or development of computational or statistical methods; data analysis; modeling; statistics and machine learning; scientific simulation; or theoretical astrophysics
• Effective oral and written communication and data documentation

Compensation and Benefits

• The full-time annual compensation for this position is $95,000.
• In addition to competitive salaries, the Simons Foundation provides employees with an outstanding benefits package.

Selection Criteria

Applicants must have a PhD in a related field or expect to receive their PhD before the start of the appointment. Applications will be evaluated based on: 1) past research and software development; 2) the potential impact and feasibility of the proposed software development plan and research program; 3) the synergy of applicant’s expertise and research proposal topic with existing CCA staff and research programs, and potential to cross boundaries between CCA groups and/or the Flatiron Institute’s centers.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Our Commitment to Expanding Pathways to Science & Opportunities for All:

Many of the greatest ideas and discoveries come from a diverse mix of minds, backgrounds, and experiences. The Simons Foundation is committed to advancing basic science and mathematics to benefit humankind and expand our collective understanding of our world. As part of our mission, we support partners, programs, and initiatives that seek to broaden the scientific community and open pathways to science and mathematics careers.

The Simons Foundation provides equal opportunities to all applicants without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, pregnancy, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic disposition, neurodiversity, disability, veteran status, or any other protected category under federal, state, and local law.