Work type: Continuing (Contingent Funded)
Location: Canberra / ACT
Categories: Academic

Classification: Academic Level A
Salary package: $71,509 - $90,215 per annum plus 17% Superannuation
Term: Full time, Continuing (Contingent Funded) (3 years with potential to extend)

• Become a valued member of the premier adaptive optics research group in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere
• Conduct state of the art, innovative instrumentation research in the field of laser guide star adaptive optics for astronomy, space situational awareness, laser communications and more
• Enjoy all the benefits of working in an international, gender diverse research group under the supervision of a supportive career mentor
• Develop your career and broaden your horizon beyond earth’s atmosphere to reach for the stars!

Position overview:

The Postdoctoral Fellow will take a leading role in all research projects involving the use of the Semiconductor Guidestar Laser being developed by A/Prof. d’Orgeville in the context of her ANU Translational Fellowship program (http://www.anu.edu.au/news/all-news/creating-new-lasers-to-move-space-objects).

Upon starting work at the ANU, the Postdoctoral Fellow will join the Space Environment Research Centre (SERC: https://www.serc.org.au) ANU AO team conducting experiments on the EOS 1.8m telescope at Mount Stromlo Observatory to demonstrate LGS AO-enhanced imaging of satellites and space debris at low earth orbits and geostationary orbits. The ANU AO team and their SERC industry partners’ most ambitious objectives include a full-scale demonstration of space debris orbit perturbation by photon pressure from a LGS-AO-pre-compensated 10-20kW infra-red laser by the end of 2019. The Postdoctoral Fellow will lead the installation, testing and commissioning of the Semiconductor Guidestar Laser prototype on the EOS 1.8m telescope to create the first ever Laser Guide Star (LGS) in Australian skies, and provide LGS AO correction for all SERC imaging and debris pushing research activities. The Postdoctoral Fellow will participate in all SERC LGS AO activities undertaken through the end of 2019, and in follow-on research work expected to take place in early 2020.

The Postdoctoral Fellow will also take a leading role in the Subaru ULTIMATE Ground Layer Adaptive Optics (GLAO) preliminary design work conducted by the ANU AITC in partnership with Japanese collaborators at the Subaru Observatory in Hawaii and Tohoku University in Japan. The Postdoctoral Fellow will oversee parts or all of the 4-LGS laser guide star facility design, testing, and demonstration activities which are scheduled to take place in the period 2019-2022 at ANU and in Hawaii, including testing of the Semiconductor Guidestar Laser on the Subaru 8-metre telescope in Hawaii in the context of the ULTIMATE-START project (4 LGS for Laser Tomography Adaptive Optics, LTAO). 

The Postdoctoral Fellow is therefore expected to be available for frequent international travel to the USA (Hawaii and US mainland), Japan and Europe in the context of the Semiconductor Guidestar Laser translational research program and other LGS AO related activities.

Work Environment and Research Career Opportunities:

The Postdoctoral Fellow day to day activities will take place at the ANU Advanced Instrumentation and Technology Centre (https://rsaa.anu.edu.au/aitc). The AITC is the technical department of the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics (https://rsaa.anu.edu.au), based at Mount Stromlo Observatory near Canberra, Australia. AITC staff comprises over a dozen instrument scientists leading vibrant, innovative, state of the art instrumentation research in a wide variety of applications related to astronomy and space, as well as a large (~40) group of engineering staff with expertise in all relevant engineering disciplines (systems, optics, mechanics, electronics, software, control, detectors, etc.) who support the world-class research and commercial projects undertaken at the AITC. The AITC is also home to the Space Test Facility providing access to space test equipment and laboratories that are unique in the Southern Hemisphere.

For further information, please contact Associate Professor Celine d'Orgeville T:+61 2 6125 6374, 
E: celine.dorgeville@anu.edu.au 

ANU values diversity and inclusion and is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to those of all backgrounds and identities. For more information about staff equity at ANU, visit https://services.anu.edu.au/human-resources/respect-inclusion

Application information

In order to apply for this role please make sure that you upload the following documents:

• A statement addressing the selection criteria.
• A current curriculum vitae (CV) which includes the names and contact details of at least three referees (preferably including a current or previous supervisor). If your CV does not include referees you can complete these online when prompted in the application form.
• Other documents, if required.

Applications which do not address the selection criteria may not be considered for the position.

Position Description & Selection Criteria

Advertised: 02 Apr 2019 09:00:00 AM AUS Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: 30 Apr 2019 11:55:00 PM AUS Eastern Standard Time