Via Postdoctoral Fellowship

About this position

• We invite applications for recent or soon-to-be Ph.D. graduates for
• postdoctoral fellowships to work on the Via Project. We expect to have
• 1-2 positions available. The position(s) will offer the opportunity to
• conduct an innovative and independent research program in any area of
• astrophysics enabled by Via Survey, expected to start operations in
• 2027-28. The Via Survey is a forthcoming spectroscopic survey designed
• to achieve 100 m/s radial velocity stability for millions of faint
• stars across the full sky while reaching LSST’s single visit depth for
• transient spectroscopy, opening a new observational regime at the
• intersection of dark matter physics, galaxy formation, and time-domain
• astrophysics.

• Applicants will have the opportunity to take up the position at one or
• more Via partner institutions: Carnegie Observatories (Pasadena, CA),
• Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (Cambridge, MA), Stanford
• University (Palo Alto, CA), or Yale University (New Haven, CT). The
• location(s) of the fellowship will be negotiated with the individual
• applicant.

• Via Fellows will be members of the Via Collaboration with access to
• Via data, and will have the opportunity to work on any of the core
• science pillars: stellar streams, dwarf galaxies, cold gas, or
• transient astronomy, or on any other ancillary science topic enabled
• by Via data, and will have the opportunity to contribute to Via
• commissioning, observations, and data analysis. The Via Project and
• Via Survey are described in the Via Science Book.

• The Via Fellowship will have a term of up to four years, preferably
• split equally between two Via Partner Institutions. Fellows will be
• encouraged to collaborate broadly with Via core team members at
• multiple institutions.

• The position offers excellent salary and benefits, and will provide
• support for observing, travel, computing and publications. The
• observing and computational facilities at each host institution will
• be accessible for the entire duration of the position.

Further information on the host institutions is available at

carnegiescience.edu/obs

cfa.harvard.edu

kipac.stanford.edu

astro.yale.edu

• Candidates should have a recent Ph.D. in astronomy or physics
• (generally granted between 2024-2027) or expect to receive the degree
• prior to starting their appointment.

• Candidates should provide a curriculum vitae including a publication
• list, a 3-page statement of research interests and plans, including
• plans for engaging with the Via Project, and arrange to have at least
• three letters of recommendation submitted to the same site. The
• application form requests information about which host institutions
• the applicant will consider. We encourage applicants to provide any
• further information about their preferred host institutions in the
• cover letter. In general, we encourage applicants to follow the
• structure of the AAS advice on the contents of CVs and research
• statements:
• https://jobregister.aas.org/postdoc-application-guidelines. ;

• The deadline for applications and letters of recommendation is Friday,
• December 11, 2026 (by midnight Eastern Time). Late applications may be
• considered at the discretion of the search committee.