The NSF-Simons AI Institute for Cosmic Origins (CosmicAI) seeks to hire a postdoctoral fellow to conduct research modeling the astrochemistry of astrophysical systems. The Fellow, based at the University of Texas at Austin, will collaborate with CosmicAI researchers within the Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences and with team members across the Institute to facilitate the application of cutting-edge AI tools and methodologies.
Job Summary
Category: Post-doctoral Positions and Fellowships
Institution: The University of Texas, Austin
Department: Astronomy / Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences
Duration: 2 Years, with possible renewal for a third year
Location: Austin, TX
Job Description
The NSF-Simons AI Institute for Cosmic Origins (CosmicAI) seeks to hire a postdoctoral fellow to conduct research modeling the astrochemistry of astrophysical systems. The Fellow, based at the University of Texas at Austin, will collaborate with CosmicAI researchers within the Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences and with team members across the Institute to facilitate the application of cutting-edge AI tools and methodologies.
CosmicAI fellows will have full access to Institute facilities and equipment (e.g., world-class computational resources at the Texas Advanced Computing Center, including Vista, a newly instantiated 600-GPU node cluster). Applicants with expertise in computational astrophysics, astrochemistry, star/planet formation, and machine learning are preferred.
The NSF-Simons AI Institute for Cosmic Origins (CosmicAI) aims to drive transformative AI advances, with the overarching goal of increasing the accessibility of astronomy data and knowledge for researchers, students, and the public. CosmicAI leverages partnerships between academia (UT Austin, U. of Virginia, U. of Utah, UCLA, NYU), national facilities (NSF NRAO and NSF NOIRLab), nonprofits, and industry to develop capabilities that enable astronomical researchers to conceptualize, define, and execute research projects via trustworthy, efficient, robust, and explainable AI methods. By developing next-generation AI tools, the Institute aims to accelerate discoveries related to one of the most fundamental human questions: Where do we come from?
The Fellow will be expected to spend 50% of their time on CosmicAI-related research efforts, with the remaining 50% available for independent research; ideally, there will be substantial overlap between the two. The appointment will be initially for a two-year period and is renewable for a third year. Fellowships are for the period September 1 — August 31.
Compensation and Benefits
Compensation Type: Salary
Stipend: $70,000-78,000.00 USD, depending on qualifications
Included Benefits: For information about benefits, please visit https://postdocs.utexas.edu/employment/benefits. The position includes a relocation stipend of up to $1,000.
Application Details
The following documents are required.
Cover letter (maximum 1 page).
Statement of past research and potential future research directions (maximum two pages without references), emphasizing experience with numerical modeling, astrochemistry, star/planet formation, machine learning, and/or interdisciplinary work.
A CV including a list of publications
Three letters of recommendation. Note: Recommendation letters must be sent directly by the composer/signer/professor through this box folder. The recommendation letters should be in PDF format, and the file name should follow this structure: "applicant-name_composer-name.pdf"
Publication Start Date: September 30, 2025
Application Deadline: November 17, 2025
Inquiries
Name: Stella Offner
Email: soffner@astro.as.utexas.edu