Job Details

Type: Full-Time
Category: Astronomy and Astrophysics
College/School/Unit: College of Natural Sciences
Department: Astronomy
Posted: October 20, 2025
Apply By: Open Until Filled

Position Overview

The Department of Astronomy at the University of Texas at Austin invites applications for an open-rank (Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor) faculty position in Astronomical Instrumentation.

Applications are welcome from candidates specializing in instrumentation across any field of astronomy. The position aims for a start date as early as August 2026, with applications accepted until the position is filled.

More information on departmental and McDonald Observatory resources can be found at astronomy.utexas.edu.

Research Environment

UT Austin is a founding partner of the 25-meter Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) consortium. Faculty have access to McDonald Observatory, featuring:

• 10-m Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET) with VIRUS and HPF spectrographs

• HJST 2.7-m Telescope with the IGRINS instrument

• 2.1-m and 0.8-m Telescopes

• Las Cumbres Observatory (LCO) node

The Astronomy Department also participates in large collaborative surveys such as HETDEX, JWST, HST, and TESS programs.

For technology development, the McDonald Observatory Instrumentation Labs provide access to machine shops, clean rooms, photonics test facilities, precision metrology tools, and 3D printing.

Campus-wide resources include:

• Texas Materials Institute (TMI) and Microelectronics Research Center (MRC)

• Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) for high-performance computing, visualization, and data analytics

UT Austin hosts several interdisciplinary research centers, including:

• Center for Planetary Systems Habitability (CPSH)

• Cosmic Frontiers Center (CFC)

• Wootton Center for Astrophysical Plasma Physics (WCAPP)

• Weinberg Institute of Theoretical Physics

• NSF-Simons AI Institute for Cosmic Origins (CosmicAI)

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Astronomy, Physics, Planetary Science, or a related field
  (Applicants with an equivalent engineering degree and strong astronomical research background will be considered.)

• Demonstrated excellence and leadership in research involving instrumentation

• Commitment to teaching and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students

Candidates are encouraged to emphasize their experience in supporting academic success and inclusion in their application materials.

Application Instructions

All applications must be submitted electronically via Interfolio. Required materials include:

• Cover Letter

• Research Statement (max 5 pages)

• Teaching Statement (max 2 pages)

• Curriculum Vitae

• List of Publications

• Names and contact information for three references (letters requested after initial review)

Review of applications will begin January 2, 2026 and will continue until the position is filled. The potential start date is as early as August 2026, with a likely start in 2027.

For questions, contact the search committee at astro_inst_search2025@utlists.utexas.edu or Professor Karl Gebhardt (Chair) at chair@astro.as.utexas.edu.

Apply at: https://faculty.utexas.edu/career/171754

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The University of Texas at Austin is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, education, or admissions.

Job ID: jeid-e623f365a040494da2d41d49d97d7db5