The National Solar Observatory (NSO) seeks to fill the position of Project Scientist for the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope (ATST). The ATST Project is managed by the NSO, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., (AURA) under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation. The project has entered the construction phase that will place the world’s largest solar observatory in operation in 2018.

The Project Scientist will be responsible for the definition and documentation of the science requirements and for ensuring and verifying that the scientific requirements and objectives are met. The Project Scientist will lead the ATST Science Team and work closely with the ATST Science Working Group, which represents the science community’s interests.  The Project Scientist will take a leading role in science planning and operations planning activities for the ATST facility and its instruments.  The Project Scientist is expected to engage in outreach activities to promote the ATST science goals to the broader science community and the public.

The Project Scientist will work closely with the Project Manager and the ATST engineering team.  This position will report to the ATST Director/Principle Investigator. The candidate may reside either in Tucson, AZ or Sunspot, NM.  Domestic and international travel will be required.  Non-US citizen applicants must have, or qualify for, work visas allowing overseas travel.

The successful candidate will hold a PhD in physics, astronomy, or a related discipline, and will have substantial experience in observational solar astronomy. An extensive publication record will demonstrate the candidate’s outstanding scientific productivity and scientific impact. Experience with ground-based solar telescopes and instrumentation is required.  Experience with producing formal systems specification documents, working closely with engineering teams during design and integration of astronomical instrumentation would be a plus. Excellent communication skills are essential.  The ideal candidate will be highly motivated and able to work independently.