About the position
Position Description The Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology (KIPAC) at Stanford University and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory invites applications from recent or soon-to-be Ph.D. graduates for postdoctoral fellowships in astrophysics and cosmology. The positions offer opportunities to develop innovative and independent research programs in these areas using computational, experimental, observational, and theoretical approaches. Existing research programs at KIPAC span many areas of astrophysics and cosmology and include studies of dark energy and cosmic dynamics, structure and galaxy formation, the physics of inflation, dark matter searches and astrophysical signatures, interstellar medium physics, multi-messenger astrophysics, and investigations of black holes, compact objects, galaxies, clusters, the Milky Way, stars, and other astrophysical sources. KIPAC members are involved in several experiments and survey projects. These include: - the Vera C. Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), including the now-completed construction and integration of the LSST camera, leadership of the LSST Dark Energy Science Collaboration, management of the Rubin US Data Facility, and operation of the Rubin Observatory system; - cosmic surveys including DESI, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope mission, Euclid, and the Via project; - CMB experiments including BICEP/Keck Array, the South Pole Telescope, the Atacama Cosmology Telescope, and the Simons Observatory; - dark matter studies and experiments including WIMP searches with LZ and SuperCDMS, axion searches with ADMX and DMRadio, and astrophysical studies of dark matter; - gamma-ray and X-ray observatories including the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, NuSTAR, and IXPE (X-ray polarization), as well as the future Athena mission and new X-ray and gamma-ray mission concepts; - simulations, planning, and R&D for several future projects including millimeter-wave line intensity mapping and the XLZD dark matter experiment; - high energy density laboratory astrophysics; and - studies of our Sun with the Solar Dynamics Observatory. KIPAC offers excellent laboratory facilities for instrument development and significant computational resources for theoretical astrophysics research and large-scale data analysis. Postdoctoral fellows can apply for time on the Magellan telescopes through KIPAC. KIPAC is a partner in the Center for Decoding the Universe @ Stanford and provides opportunities to participate in cross-disciplinary activities in AI/ML and data science with the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence and the SLAC Machine Learning Program. KIPAC also has strong ties and active collaborations with theorists at LITP @ Stanford and SLAC. The positions offer a competitive salary of $89,000 – $94,000 per year, depending on role and experience, along with excellent benefits (see https://postdocbenefits.stanford.edu). The Kavli, Porat, and Bunyan Fellowships include additional funds to support research and travel expenses. Candidates should hold a recent Ph.D. in astronomy or physics, or expect to receive the degree before beginning their appointment (generally, candidates for fellowships that start in Fall 2027 will have Ph.D.s awarded between June 2024 and September 2027; other candidates may be considered at the discretion of the committee or the hiring PI). KIPAC typically appoints approximately ten postdoctoral scholars per year. Applicants to this ad may choose to be considered for all available postdoctoral positions at KIPAC, including the Kavli, Porat, Bunyan, and KIPAC Rubin Fellowships, available positions associated with KIPAC activities at SLAC, positions with the Center for Decoding the Universe @ Stanford, and several positions with individual faculty and research groups. These opportunities are listed on our webpage here: https://kipac.stanford.edu/opportunities/postdoctoral-opportunities-kipac (details may change subject to funding availability). When you submit your application, you’ll be asked to indicate your interest in each of the available KIPAC positions; you may expand on your interest in specific positions in your research statement or a cover letter. Application materials should be submitted through Academic Jobs Online (AJO) at https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/Stanford/KIPAC/FELLOWS. The deadline for applications and letters of recommendation is Monday, November 2, 2026 (by 11:59 PM Eastern Time). Late applications may be considered at the discretion of the search committee. Application materials should include a CV with publication list, a three-page statement of research interests and plans, and at least three letters of recommendation (these will be requested by AJO). We encourage applicants to follow the structure of the AAS advice on the contents of CVs and research statements given here: https://aas.org/jobregister/postdoc-application-guidelines. Applicants are encouraged to strengthen their application with an additional statement, up to one page, appended after the 3-page research statement, discussing their experience with and planned contributions to any of the following: mentoring, teaching, public engagement, science policy, fostering scientifically vibrant environments, or activities that broaden participation in the field. We view these forms of community engagement as essential to a thriving research environment, and postdocs will find many opportunities to contribute in these areas. At KIPAC, we strive to foster a welcoming and supportive research environment that attracts talented candidates from all backgrounds. Learn more about KIPAC at https://kipac.stanford.edu, including our values and code-of-conduct at https://kipac.stanford.edu/overview/values-and-code-conduct and Stanford’s broader commitment to create and sustain a community in which we all thrive in an equitable, safe, caring, and just environment that embraces diversity, advances equity and cultivates inclusion, at https://equity.stanford.edu/.
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