The IAC (Tenerife, Spain) invites applications for ONE postdoctoral position in Astrophysics. Research topics at the IAC (theory, observations and instrumentation) include most areas of astrophysics: cosmology and the structure of the Universe, structure and evolution of galaxies, interstellar matter, structure and evolution of stars, the Sun, solar system, history of the Astronomy, high spatial resolution techniques and atmospheric optics, optical and infrared  instrumentation, and astronomical space projects.  The IAC also leads the scientific teams responsible for the Day One instruments of the 10.4 m GTC segmented telescope, as well as their scientific exploitation. Further information about the IAC's research programme, its Observatories and the GTC is available via Internet on the IAC Web page (http://www.iac.es/).

Tasks: The IAC is engaged in the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment  (APOGEE), a kinematical and chemical abundance survey of over 100,000 Milky Way  giant stars across the bulge, disk, and halo. APOGEE is part of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey III (SDSS-III; www.sdss3.org), of which the IAC plans to be a full institutional member. Stellar parameters, radial velocities, and abundances of about 15 chemical elements will be determined for 100,000 stars explored by  APOGEE using its 300-fiber, high-resolution (R~24,000), H-band spectrograph. The postdoc will be a member of the APOGEE team and will contribute to the development of pipeline software to extract stellar atmospheric parameters and elemental abundances for the targeted stars.

Requirements: The successful candidate will have a strong background/experience in several of the following areas: spectroscopic observation and data reduction, stellar atmospheres and abundance analysis, and software development in IDL. Candidates with a strong interest in the science that will be pursued by APOGEE will be preferred, but the post holder will be able to dedicate up to 20% of his/her time to pursue personal research interests. SDSS-III is a multi-national project, and the successful candidates  will have  the opportunity to interact with experts from a large number of collaborating institutions. The APOGEE spectrograph is now under construction at the University of Virginia (USA), will be commissioned later this year, and the survey will run between mid 2011 and mid 2014.

Doctorate: You must have obtained your PhD in Astrophysics or Physics and have your doctoral certificate at the moment of starting your appointment to take place during the last semester of 2010 (between 1st October and 1st December).

NOTE: Applicants who prepared their thesis at the IAC must present written evidence of having spent one continuous year, or 18 accumulated months, in other research institutes.

Remuneration: The gross annual salary is 34.405,18 €, subject to up to 20% tax and Social Security deductions. Medical insurance under the Spanish National Health Service will be provided, and will also cover your accompanying partner and children (if relevant).

Relocation grant: In the present call for applications we include a re-location grant for the successful candidate in which the following items are included: a flight ticket (booked and issued by the IAC), lodging for up to two weeks (organised by the IAC) and per diem for up to two weeks.  This grant will be limited to a ceiling value of € 2,000.

Duration: Three years.

Non-UE citizens: If you are citizen of a country not belonging to the European Union, you will sign a provisional contract with the IAC which will not get into force until you obtain the compulsory documentation required to live and work in Spain (NIE card). Please contact the Spanish consulate in your country for details in regard to your VISA.

Compulsory documentation to submit:

• The Application Form: WORD or PDF;
• Curriculum Vitae, bibliography, brief statement of research interests, and a covering letter telling us about the skills you can bring to the job;
• A photocopy of your PhD Degree or certificate;
• At least two letters of recommendation must be sent (electronic submission preferred); directly by researchers or professionals familiar with your work, to the Secretariat of the IAC's Research Division: secinv@iac.es

Applications must be sent, electronic submission preferred, to the Secretariat of the Research Division, secinv@iac.es.  Applications may also be sent by post, however, applications received after the deadline cannot be accepted, unless they are post-stamped, on the application form, by the postal office, before the deadline.  Please note that the stamp on the envelope is not valid. Postal address: Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, C/ Via Láctea s/n, E-38205 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain.

For any additional information, please contact Dr. Carlos Allende (callende at iac.es).