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Postdoctoral Fellowship in Stellar Astrophysics

To view the position details and/or apply to a position, click on the View Details link below the Job Title.  If you have questions about the application process, please refer to the Applicant FAQ's.

Please see Special Instructions for more details.

The Department of Astrophysics and Planetary Science will start reviewing applications on March 1, 2023, but will keep accepting applications until the position is filled.

All applicants must apply online and complete a faculty profile. Applications must include:
  1. A cover letter expressing interest in the position.
  2. A current and complete resume/curriculum vitae.
  3. A research statement.
  4. A teaching statement.
  5. A statement of commitment to the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).
  6. Two letters of recommendation, the system will request the letters directly from the references when appropriate in the process.
If the applicant wishes to submit any other supporting documents, they may submit them online in conjunction with the application.

Posting Details

Do you have questions about the application process? If so, please refer to the Applicant FAQ’s.

Posting Details (Default Section)

Posting Number: 20231007F
Position Title: Postdoctoral Fellowship in Stellar Astrophysics
Position Type: Faculty
Location: Villanova, PA
Recruitment Type: Internal/External Applicants
Work Schedule: full-time/12-months
Department: 182-Astronomy and Planetary Science
Position Summary:
Villanova University’s Department of Astrophysics and Planetary Science invites applications for the Mendel postdoctoral research fellowship. The Mendel fellowship is a flagship postdoctoral opportunity for the candidates seeking to stay in academia. The fellowship provides training and development in all three areas of academic life: research, teaching and service. A successful applicant will join Andrej Prsa’s research team and work on cutting-edge theoretical and observational aspects of binary and multiple stellar populations. In parallel, the applicant will teach an undergraduate core science course/lab to non-STEM majors, where the stress is on incorporating four critical components in a meaningful way: problem solving, laboratory experience, technology and quantitative tools, and interdisciplinary understanding. Finally, the applicant will join the Departmental ecosphere and participate in shaping the future of research and education at Villanova. The Mendel postdoctoral fellowship is a 2-year appointment, with the possibility of extending it for another year.

Villanova is a Catholic university sponsored by the Augustinian order. Diversity and inclusion have been and will continue to be an integral component of Villanova University’s mission. The University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and seeks candidates who understand, respect and can contribute to the University’s mission and values.
Duties and Responsibilities:
A successful applicant will be expected to:
  • Demonstrate the highest regard for the diverse, equitable and inclusive Departmental culture and uphold the true and complete respect for all students, staff and faculty.
  • Partake in state-of-the-art research in theoretical and observational stellar astrophysics, computation astrophysics, astrostatistics, and/or exoplanetary science.
  • Teach 2 sections of the Mendel core science courses or labs per semester (currently “How old is the Universe?”, “Life in the Universe”, “Planetary skies and landscapes”, “Birth and Death of Stars”, “Earth – our habitable world”, and “Earth – a cosmic connection”).
  • Participate in Departmental affairs: meetings, colloquia, events and functions. This includes working with and counseling undergraduate students, contributing to public events and advancing the Department’s reputation and renown locally, nationally and internationally.
Minimum Qualifications:
  • A PhD in Physics, Astrophysics, Data Science or a closely related discipline is required.
Preferred Qualifications:
  • Teaching: prior experience in teaching STEM classes to non-STEM majors is desired.
  • Research: strong background in physics, astrophysics, statistics and programming is desired.
  • Service: track record of the ability to work with others and to demonstrate diversity awareness is desired.
Physical Requirements and/or Unusual Work Hours:
Special Message to Applicants:
The Department of Astrophysics and Planetary Science will start reviewing applications on March 1, 2023, but will keep accepting applications until the position is filled.

All applicants must apply online and complete a faculty profile. Applications must include:
  1. A cover letter expressing interest in the position.
  2. A current and complete resume/curriculum vitae.
  3. A research statement.
  4. A teaching statement.
  5. A statement of commitment to the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).
  6. Two letters of recommendation, the system will request the letters directly from the references when appropriate in the process.

If the applicant wishes to submit any other supporting documents, they may submit them online in conjunction with the application.
Posting Date: 02/21/2023
Closing Date (11:59pm ET): 05/01/2023
Salary Posting Information:
Competitive
Salary Band:
Job Classification: faculty

References Needed

References Needed

Minimum Number of References Needed 2
Maximum Number of References Needed 2

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

  1. * How did you first hear of this employment opportunity?
    • Indeed.com
    • Higheredjobs.com
    • LinkedIn
    • Glassdoor
    • Chronicle Vitae
    • Academic Keys
    • PA CareerLink/JobGateway
    • Professional Affiliation/Trade Website
    • Diversity Association/Publication Website
    • Advertisement in Academic or Professional Publication
    • Referred by a current employee
    • Referred by a friend, family member, or former employee
    • Heard about it at a conference or career fair
    • Browsing the Villanova website
    • Cabrini University employee
    • Other
  2. * If your answer to the above question is "Other", please specify the source below. If this question does not apply to you, enter N/A.

    (Open Ended Question)

  3. What science field is your PhD in?
    • Physics
    • Astrophysics
    • Computer/Data science
    • Mathematics/Statistics
    • Closely related field
  4. If your answer above was a "Closely related field," please provide it here.

    (Open Ended Question)

  5. What programming experience and computing infrastructure background do you have? Select all that apply.
    • C/C++/C#
    • Python
    • Java/Javascript
    • HTML and web deployment
    • IDL
    • Bash scripting
    • HPC/MPI environments
    • Virtual reality visualization (vizard, unity, ...)
    • Linux operating system

Documents needed to complete your application:

Required Documents
  1. Cover Letter / Letter of Interest
  2. Resume / Curriculum Vitae
  3. Statement of Research Interests
  4. Statement of Teaching Philosophy
  5. Statement of Contribution to DEI
Optional Documents
  1. Other Document
  2. Other Document (2)