Assistant Researcher - Physics Department

Assistant Researcher ­– Physics Department Position overview

Position title: Assistant Researcher

Salary range: The UC academic salary scales set the minimum pay determined by rank and step  Table 13 for the current salary scale for this position. A reasonable estimate for this position is $93,400 - $122,100.

Percent time: 100%

Anticipated start: July 2026

Position duration: One year with the possibility of an extension depending on performance and continuation of appropriate funding.

Open date: March 9, 2026

Next review date: Tuesday, Mar 24, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time). Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Friday, Apr 10, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time). Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

The Perlmutter Lab at UC Berkeley is seeking applications for an Assistant Researcher that specializes in the analysis of wide‑field imaging and spectroscopic data from ground‑based (e.g., Subaru/HSC) and space‑based observatories (e.g., HST, JWST, and the recently announced Lazuli), as well as the design and planning of related observing programs.

The Assistant Researcher will be charged with performing independent research aimed at improving the precision and accuracy of observational cosmology experiments, namely those that rely on measuring luminosity distance with redshift, and particularly measurements of the expansion rate. The candidate will lead efforts to develop and/or adapt cutting‑edge image analysis and statistical techniques for the purpose of improving the precision of such luminosity distance cosmology experiments, with a lean toward space‑based datasets.

We expect the candidate to play a leadership role in this research, which is expected to require a small to mid‑size research effort involving grad students and/or postdocs, and ideally multiple funding sources. They will present their research at inter/national conferences and publish work in peer‑reviewed journals, either as lead author or in a mentorship role to others.

The Assistant Researcher’s routes of inquiry would help advance key UC Berkeley cosmology initiatives, in part by bringing together a range of experts who can apply novel advanced statistical techniques not typically deployed in the field.

Lab

Contract:

(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)./

Ph.D. or equivalent International Degree.

• At least three years of post‑doctoral experience, with a significant amount having been performed independently.
• Expert in observational cosmology, in particular in the measurement of extragalactic distances using, e.g., Type Ia supernovae, Cepheid variable stars, and/or Tip of the Red Giant Branch.
• Expertise with processing and analyzing imaging data from space telescope facilities such as the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes.
• Expert in the identification and control of systematic errors in observational cosmology experiments.
• Strong publication record at well‑respected journals.
• Experience mentoring students and junior colleagues.

• Curriculum Vitae – Your most recently updated C.V.
• Statement of Research

• 3 required (contact information only)

Apply link: /JPF
05300

Help contact: leisa

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