Postdoctoral Opportunities at KIPAC

Research at KIPAC

The Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology (KIPAC) at Stanford University and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is a vibrant research institute focused on answering a wide range of exciting and fundamental questions in astrophysics and cosmology.  

We offer postdoctoral opportunities for recent Ph.D. scientists in astrophysics, cosmology, and extrasolar planetary science. These positions provide opportunities to develop innovative research programs in these areas using computational, experimental, observational, and theoretical approaches.  Existing research programs at KIPAC include studies of dark energy, cosmic dynamics and structure formation, galaxy formation, and the physics of inflation, studies of and searches for dark matter, and studies of black holes, galaxies, clusters of galaxies, stars (including the sun), extrasolar planets, and other astrophysical sources. A list of research interests of KIPAC Senior Members is here.

If you are on the job market or intend to be soon, you may be interested in applying to give a Tea Talk at KIPAC.

Kavli and Porat Fellowships

The Kavli and Porat Fellowship programs are three-year fellowships that offer outstanding young scientists with experience in computation, instrumentation, observation, and theory opportunities to develop innovative research programs in astrophysics and cosmology. Kavli and Porat Fellows will have the freedom to set their own research direction and will also have KIPAC faculty mentors and the opportunity to collaborate with existing KIPAC groups.  

New for 2024-25! Bunyan Fellowship

The Bunyan Fellowship is a new fellowship program funded by an endowment left by James T. Bunyan. The program will support a postdoctoral fellow to develop innovative research programs, focusing on the physics impact of astrophysical observations. Prospective Bunyan Fellows should specify a member of the Stanford Physics faculty as their primary mentor. Bunyan Fellows are encouraged to participate in outreach or public engagement efforts related to their research following Bunyan's wish to support sharing with the public the results of inquiry into our "changing vision of the cosmos and of human destiny as revealed in the latest discoveries in the fields of astronomy and space exploration." 

KIPAC Rubin Fellowships

We plan to award one or two KIPAC Rubin fellowships focused on any area of Rubin / LSST Science.  Fellows will have the opportunity to build an independent research program and collaborate with members of KIPAC, the Rubin operations team and data facilities teams at SLAC, and active members of the LSST Dark Energy Science Collaboration and other LSST Science Collaborations at KIPAC and SLAC.  Applications are encouraged from scientists interested in any area that can be pursued with the Vera C. Rubin Observatory and its LSST data.  

Rubin Observing Specialist Fellowships

This is a unique opportunity to combine, over a 4-year term, time spent at the Rubin Summit and Base Facilities as an Observing Specialist in the Nighttime Operations team with LSST science research, exploiting that operational experience. Each Rubin Observing Specialist spends two years in Chile and then two years back at KIPAC (contact Phil Marshall). 

KIPAC Postdocs

Additional opportunities may be available with specific projects or PIs at KIPAC. Applicants to our Fellowship Program will be considered for all available KIPAC opportunities. In 2024-25, we expect to be looking to fill potential additional positions in the following areas (not exclusive; more opportunities may be posted or available):

  • Cosmic Microwave Background instrumentation and science analyses (contact Zeeshan Ahmed).
  • Galaxy Formation & Cosmology Group, including simulations for surveys and astrophysical constraints on dark matter (contact Risa Wechsler).
  • Gamma-ray Astrophysics with the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope (contact Troy Porter).
  • Positions at the interface between astrophysics and AI/ML with Stanford Data Science (see also link below), which will provide an opportunity to engage with the new Center for Decoding the Universe at Stanford.
  • Positions at the interface between Cosmic Frontier (dark matter, dark energy, and inflation) and AI/ML at SLAC.
  • Rubin Commissioning & Early Science (contact Pat Burchat or Aaron Roodman).
  • Survey Cosmology, including Rubin, DESI, and CMB (contact Pat Burchat or Aaron Roodman or Emmanuel Schaan or Agnes Ferte).
  • X-ray astrophysics, including AGN, clusters, or cluster cosmology (contact Steve Allen).

 Apply for 2025 Fellowships here. The application deadline is November 4, 2024.

Stanford Science Fellowships

Stanford University hosts the Stanford Science Fellows program in the mathematical, physical, and life sciences for exceptionally qualified early-career scientists with no more than two years of postdoctoral experience.  Fellows will pursue an independent research program and will have the opportunity to join one or more faculty research groups.  The program includes community-building activities to foster career development and leadership skills, and workshops, seminars, informal lunches and dinners, and discussions with Stanford faculty and visitors on current topics throughout the natural sciences.

All astrophysics applicants for the Stanford Science Fellows program will also be automatically considered for a KIPAC Fellowship (see above), but we ask applicants to submit a separate application to the KIPAC Fellowship program so that we know which of the various KIPAC programs they are interested in. Candidates are welcome to submit the same or different research statements as they see fit.

Apply for 2025 Fellowships here. The application deadline is October 18, 2024.

Stanford Data Science Fellows

Stanford Data Science seeks recent PhDs of exceptional promise for postdoctoral fellow positions in interdisciplinary research with expertise in both Data Science AND its application in a domain of scholarship, such as physical, earth, life, or social sciences, humanities and the arts, business, law, medicine, education, or engineering.  Applications for 2025 will open in late summer; the application deadline is expected to be in December 2024.

Apply for Stanford Data Science Fellowships here.

External Fellowships

We are happy to support applications for external fellowships to bring to KIPAC. Interested prospective postdocs are encouraged to contact a KIPAC Senior Member with overlapping research interests about their application. If you have questions about the broader impacts part of an NSF postdoctoral application, please contact Xinnan Du to learn more about the institute's current efforts in public engagement and broadening participation and how we can support your proposed efforts.

Some of the fellowships that you can consider taking to KIPAC include:

Panofsky Fellowship at SLAC

The Panofsky Fellowship is a five-year fellowship intended to recognize exceptional and promising young scientists who would most benefit from the unique opportunity to conduct their research at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, including research in all of the leading Cosmic Frontier surveys (DES, DESI, LSST, and CMB-S4) as well as theoretical and computational cosmology. The Panofsky Fellowship provides a pathway to a continuing staff appointment at SLAC and provides generous research support, including funding for a postdoctoral researcher.

Apply for 2025 Fellowships here. The application deadline is December 3, 2024.

Postdoc Life at KIPAC

KIPAC is committed to an inclusive work environment and especially encourages applications from candidates who will diversify the workforce in astrophysics and cosmology.

KIPAC postdocs are engaged in a wide range of research topics and projects at the Institute.

Our interests span instrumentation, observational and theoretical (both simulations and analytical) work, and exploration of fundamental physics. KIPAC offers access to excellent laboratory facilities for instrument development and significant computational resources for theoretical astrophysics research and data analysis.  KIPAC also provides the opportunity to participate in cross-disciplinary activities through Stanford Data Science, primarily through a new joint SDS-KIPAC Center, the Center for Decoding the Universe.

We have a vibrant postdoc community with several self-organized initiatives and events. Many KIPAC postdocs are also actively engaged in outreach activities at the institute and in the community.

If you have already received an offer from KIPAC, please look at our information for new KIPAC members. We look forward to welcoming you to our KIPAC community. Further details on postdoc benefits at Stanford can be found here: