UK Astronomy Technology Centre

Knowledge Exchange Manager
£ 29,000 - £34,500 pa – dependent on qualifications and experience

As an establishment of the Science and Technology Facilities Council, the UK Astronomy Technology Centre (UK ATC) is the national centre for the design and production of world leading astronomical telescopes, instruments and systems. We are an organisation working at the cutting edge of technology for an exciting application. Owing to our expanding commitment to knowledge exchange activities, we require an exceptional engineer or scientist to work across the boundaries of academic science and industry.

Working within the Innovation Group, you will join an existing small team identifying and developing new ideas and technologies that have applications in industry and elsewhere to the benefit of the UK economy and scientific community. Your responsibilities will include: developing knowledge exchange activities for the UK-wide Photonics KTN; working with existing team members on exploitation of UK ATC technology; interfacing with in-house R&D activities; and liaising with external groups to achieve the above – in particular industry and academia within the UK, but also Europe and further afield. Travel for meetings with academic/industry contacts, mainly but not exclusively in the UK, would be a part of this role.

You should have a high level of interpersonal and communication skills, the ability to network effectively, technical and scientific credibility, knowledge of optics and photonics or another closely related area, and a reasonable understanding of commercial issues. Some experience of working across academic/industrial boundaries would be beneficial. A technical (science or engineering) degree or equivalent is essential.

For more information and an application form call us on 0131 668 8100, email us at atcrecruitment@roe.ac.uk or write to us at the UK ATC, Royal Observatory, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh EH9 3HJ, quoting ref: 02/07. Please note that applications from agencies will not be accepted.

Closing Date: 25th May 2007.

More information for this post is available at: Knowledge Exchange Manager

Post Doctoral Research Associates Studying Disks Around Stars
£21,600-£26,900 pa – dependent on qualifications and experience

Applications are invited for two 5-year postdoctoral research positions at the UK Astronomy Technology Centre (UK ATC), to join an active group studying disks around stars and their relationship to planetary systems, starting in July 2007.

For post 1, you will take a leading role in the detailed planning and data analysis of an Open Time Key Project using the Herschel Space Observatory to study debris disks around nearby stars, to analyse and publish results from the imaging of debris disks from Guaranteed Herschel time, and to use new facilities such as SCUBA-2 on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope and other telescopes/instruments to further advance our understanding of debris disks and their relationship to planetary systems.

For post 2, you will develop models of line and emission from disks around young stars to compare with existing and future observations. Such models are likely to incorporate disk dynamics, chemistry, and radiative transfer, with the aim of making testable predictions for instruments operating at wavelengths from the sub-millimetre (such as ALMA), far-infrared (eg the Herschel Space Observatory) through to the near-infrared (eg CRIRES on the VLT). You may also participate in and influence related observational campaigns.

Current UK ATC major projects include the delivery of instruments to the European Southern Observatory VLT (in Chile), Gemini Telescopes Project (in Hawaii and Chile), the UK Infrared Telescope (Hawaii), the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (Hawaii), the Herschel Space Observatory, the Mid InfraRed Imager for the James Webb Space Telescope and the design and build of VISTA - a 4m wide-field telescope in Chile. The UK ATC is co-sited with the University of Edinburgh’s Institute for Astronomy, and the two PDRAs will be working closely with an active group of astronomers working in the field of debris and planetary disks at both the UK ATC and the University.

Where appropriate, assistance with relocation expenses may be available.

For more information and an application form please call us on 0131 668 8100, write to us at the UK ATC, Royal Observatory, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh EH9 3HJ, or email us at atcrecruitment@roe.ac.uk, quoting ref. no. 04/07. Please note that applications from agencies will not be accepted.

Closing Date: 1st June 2007.

More information for this post is available at: Post Doctoral Research Associates

Please note that applications from agencies will not be accepted.

The UK ATC promotes equal opportunities through policy and practice.

You can download the application and equal opportunities form in either Word, RTF or PDF format below

Application Form (Word, 124KB)

Application Form (RTF, 376KB)

Application Form (PDF, 45KB)