Two Postdoctoral positions to support the 4MOST CHANCES project in Chile.

The CHANCES collaboration is welcoming applications for two postdoctoral positions, funded by the ESO-Chilean Government joint committee, which include a competitive salary and a limited amount of extra funding for travel. The positions could be extended for 2-3 extra years depending on performance and availability of funds.

CHANCES (CHileAN Cluster galaxy Evolution Survey) is a large 4MOST community program that will obtain spectra for galaxies in and around 150 clusters over the last 4 Gyr of cosmic time, covering the far outskirts of clusters. This survey will provide legacy spectroscopic support  for eROSITA, allowing the study of galaxy pre-processing in smaller groups and filaments prior to infall into the clusters, and it will push cluster galaxy evolution studies into the dwarf galaxy regime (10⁸ -10⁹ Msun) where environment is expected to play a major role. At the same time, CHANCES will harness background QSO sight lines in order to probe the effect of clusters on the gaseous content of galaxies at z>0.35.

The selected postdocs will use synthetic and real spectra, preparing for the arrival of the first 4MOST spectra which will start to arrive during the science verification phase, planned for 2025. One of the positions is for 2 years and will be to work with Chris Haines at Universidad de Atacama (UDA, Copiapó), and the other is for 1 year to work with Yara Jaffé at Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María (USM, Valparaíso), in close collaboration with other CHANCES members from the spectroscopic working group and science verification team, including Lorenzo Morelli (UDA), Ivan Lacerna (UDA), and Emanuela Pompei (ESO). The preferred date of start is before the end of November 2024.

Interested applicants should send an email to Prof. Chris Haines  (chris.haines@uda.cl) and Yara Jaffé (yara.jaffe@usm.cl) before the 10th of September with:

• a motivation letter (max 1 page)
• a research statement with past research and current interests (max 2 pages)
• a CV
• 2 reference letters

All correspondence should include as subject “CHANCES ECM postdoc - Name of applicant”.

The selected postdocs will have guaranteed access to the 4MOST CHANCES data, and they will also be able to apply as PI to all professional observatories operating in Chile, including ALMA, ESO, Gemini-S and Magellan telescopes and are encouraged to lead their own projects and/or join ongoing efforts, according to their preference.