Postdoc Applications Open
The Rhodes University Centre for Radio Astronomy Techniques & Technologies (RATT), together with Breakthrough Listen, part of the Breakthrough Initiatives, invites applications for a postdoctoral fellowship in using the BLUSE commensal backend on the MeerKAT radio telescope.
About the Fellowship
The postdoctoral fellow will play a key role in using and assisting in upgrades related to and complete scientific observation with the MeerKAT commensal project, the Breakthrough Listen User Supplied Equipment (BLUSE), which enables one of the most comprehensive Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) programs to date through Ethernet-based digital architecture.
The fellow will leverage our experienced team to increase the scientific capabilities of BLUSE, working closely with a diverse team of researchers at the SETI Institute and Breakthrough Listen, and collaborating with our partners, including Oxford University and the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO).
The fellow will have:
- Access to science-ready data products from BLUSE,
- The flexibility to design new processing pipelines to feed into the real-time system.
Time will be available for independent research, preferably in the areas of SETI, astrobiology, radio transients, radio frequency interference, or ionospheric science.
The value of the fellowship is fixed at the standard SARAO post-doctoral bursary level, which (as of 2026) is ZAR R478,826, tax-free, and adjusted for inflation annually. Additional equipment and travel funding will be available.
Role Requirements
The ideal candidate will have:
- A PhD in radio astronomy,
- A solid grounding in radio astronomy techniques,
- Experience with data from MeerKAT and/or other radio observatories,
- A track record of collaboration within the African radio astronomy community,
- Established coding skills,
- Familiarity with scientific computing and observatory software.
Knowledge of radio observatory science operations would be an advantage. The candidate must be able to work effectively both independently and as part of an interdisciplinary research team. The post-doctoral fellowship could be hosted at Rhodes University or SARAO’s Cape Town office.
Interested candidates should submit:
- A CV
- Bibliography
- A research statement
- And request that three letters of recommendation to be sent separately by 30 June 2026.
Applications will start to be considered from 30 June 2026 until the position is filled. Inquiries, applications and letters of recommendation should be sent to applications@ratt.center.
For further information on Breakthrough Listen, RATT and SARAO, see: