Description Grade UE07: £40,247- £47,874 per annum School of Physics and Astronomy / CSE Full time: 35 hours per week Fixed Term: for 3 years Applications are invited for 3 Postdoctoral Research Associates as part of the UKRI-funded ERC Advanced Grant project MARGO “Mining the Archaeological Record in Galaxy Outskirts”, led by Professor Annette Ferguson. The positions will be based at the Institute for Astronomy, within the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Edinburgh. The Opportunity: The project focuses on quantifying and interpreting the fossil record of galaxy formation that is contained in stellar halos and using this information to test predictions about the hierarchical growth of galaxies. Two positions will involve exploiting state-of-the-art observational data from ground and space-based facilities to conduct resolved stellar population studies of the stellar halos of nearby galaxies, including searches for globular clusters and satellite galaxies. A third position is available to analyse, develop, run and compare simulations of galaxy formation within a cosmological context, generating stellar halo and tidal feature predictions that can be compared to the latest observations. This position will be co-supervised by Professor Romeel Davé. The posts are full-time (35 hours per week). We are open to considering flexible working patterns or requests for hybrid working (on a non-contractual basis) that combines a mix of remote and regular on-campus working. Funding is available for 3 years with the role starting any time between March-November 2025. The School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Edinburgh is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce, and eliminating discrimination. The School strives to create a more diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace for all and we are looking to actively diversify our staff. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates and in particular encourage applications from people of colour, women, people with disabilities, LGBTQ people and other minority and under-represented groups. We aim to ensure that our culture and systems support flexible and family-friendly working, as evidenced by our Juno Champion and Athena SWAN Silver awards. The salary for this post is £40,247- £47,874 per annum. Your skills and attributes for success: PhD (or near completion) in Astronomy or a related subject, and relevant research experience in the field of galaxy archaeology, such as studies of stellar halos, globular star clusters, dwarf galaxies, tidal streams. Depending on position applied for, prior experience with resolved stellar populations analyses, PSF-fitting photometry and pipelines or working with cosmological hydrodynamical simulations (particularly zooms). Record of high-quality lead-author and co-authored refereed journal publications (relative to career stage). Highly-motivated with a good level of independence and creativity. Excellent written and oral scientific communication skills. Click to view a copy of the full job description (opens new browser tab) Application Information Please ensure you include the following documents in your application: - CV and publication list - Cover letter, which includes the role you are applying for. - Research description/summary (2 pages) For informal enquiries, contact Prof. Annette Ferguson (annette.fergusoned.ac.uk). As a valued member of our team you can expect: A competitive salary. An exciting, positive, creative, challenging and rewarding place to work. To be part of a diverse and vibrant international community. Comprehensive Staff Benefits, such as a generous holiday entitlement, competitive pension schemes, staff discounts, and family-friendly initiatives. Check out the full list on our staff benefits page (opens in a new tab) and use our reward calculator to discover the total value of your pay and benefits. Championing equality, diversity and inclusion The University of Edinburgh holds a Silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advance gender equality in higher education. We are members of the Race Equality Charter and we are also Stonewall Scotland Diversity Champions, actively promoting LGBT equality. Prior to any employment commencing with the University you will be required to evidence your right to work in the UK. Further information is available on our right to work webpages (opens new browser tab) The University is able to sponsor the employment of international workers in this role. If successful, an international applicant requiring sponsorship to work in the UK will need to satisfy the UK Home Office’s English Language requirements and apply for and secure a Skilled Worker Visa. Key dates to note The closing date for applications is 20 th December 2024 Unless stated otherwise the closing time for applications is 11:59pm GMT. If you are applying outside the UK the closing time on our adverts automatically adjusts to your browsers local time zone. Interviews will be held January 2025