SOAR Director

The Southern Astrophysical Research (SOAR) Telescope, a 4-m telescope located on Cerro Pachon, in Chile,  invites applications for the position of Director. The Director is responsible for the overall operation of SOAR including its budgets, staff, and technical development. SOAR is a major resource for the Brazilian astronomy community and is a key component of NSF’s Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory (NOIRLab). SOAR is also an important facility for the two university partners, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Michigan State University. It is co-located on Cerro Pachon with the Rubin Observatory and Gemini South, and is designed to both support efficient follow-up of transients and other targets of opportunity, and enable a broad range of user science.

The SOAR Board seeks a person who will successfully manage  the operations of the telescope and its facilities and play a leading role in formulating a vision for the future of SOAR in an era of large-scale surveys and multi-messenger astronomy, while continuing to foster training and development within a diverse scientific community. The candidate is expected to have experience with complex scientific facilities, an appropriate scientific background, and leadership abilities to serve as Director.

The Director reports to the SOAR Board of Directors, which is composed of members from the four SOAR partners: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Michigan State University; Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnologia e Inovação of the Federative Republic of Brazil;  and NSF’s National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory (NOIRLab) . The SOAR Telescope operations are integrated into NOIRLab. The position of the director is based in La Serena (Chile). More information regarding the SOAR telescope is available at www.soartelescope.org . Inquiries about the position can be directed to the President of the SOAR Board, Nicole van der Bliek ([email protected] ). The starting date for this position is flexible but nominally October 1, 2024.

 Required Education/Experience/Skills/Abilities:

• Advanced degree in astrophysics or a related field
• 10 or more years’ experience in observatory operations, or at similar facilities
• Demonstrated scientific management ability for groups comparable to SOAR

Preferred Education/Experience/Skills/Abilities:

• Experience with astronomical instrumentation
• Experience as scientific manager for at least 3 years
• Fluency in Spanish, or a strong motivation to acquire fluency

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job (job description outlines full detail).  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

This work is mostly carried out in an office environment. Long periods of sitting may be required.

• Cerro Pachon: Ability to work at 8,900’
• Cerro Tololo: Ability to work at 7,300’

This role is based in La Serena, Chile.

If you would like to apply for this opportunity, please submit your CV/Resume and a Cover Letter in English (PDF files preferred) and provide contact information of 3 professional referees in your application (references will be sought later in the recruiting process).  The position will remain open until filled, while all applications received before February 16, 2024 will receive full consideration.  Name any attachments with the following format: LastnameDocname. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Application documents that are not uploaded as part of the application may be sent to [email protected] . 

Update as on 12.21.23: Please note that application date for submissions has been extended to February 16, 2024.

Veterans, disabled individuals or wounded warriors needing assistance with the employment process should request assistance at [email protected]  

AURA offers an excellent benefits package including paid time off and retirement plan contributions, competitive salary commensurate with experience, and a very attractive work environment. Details on benefits can be found at https://hr.aura-astronomy.org/employee-benefits-guide/ 

Consistent with the actions of the Biden Administration, as of 12 May 2023, AURA will no longer require COVID-19 vaccination of its employees in the U.S. AURA employees in the U.S. may be subject to COVID-19 vaccination requirements from other entities, such as host institutions or partner affiliations.