The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) invites applications for the Clay Postdoctoral Fellowship 2009, which will be awarded to an outstanding researcher --or researchers--displaying significant promise in theory, observation, instrumentation, and/or laboratory experiments. Online applications are due by October 30, 2008. Offers will be made by December 19, 2008. For application instructions and a login to the application, please see the Admissions page.

The CfA combines the resources and research facilities of the Harvard College Observatory and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory under a single director. Now organized in six research divisions--Atomic and Molecular Physics; High Energy Astrophysics; Optical and Infrared Astronomy; Radio and Geoastronomy; Solar, Stellar, and Planetary Sciences; and Theoretical Astrophysics--nearly 350 Smithsonian and Harvard scientists work cooperatively in an environment that welcomes the ideas and contributions of young scientists.

The facilities include the MMT (Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory, Arizona), Magellan (Las Campanas Observatory, Chile), and other optical and infrared telescopes; radio telescopes, especially the Submillimeter Array on Mauna Kea, Hawaii; a large Beowulf cluster and network of workstations; a number of specialized laboratories; an outstanding library system; and access to data from a wide range of space missions, especially the Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Spitzer Space Telescope.

A list of previous Clay Fellows is available.

Appointments for 4 years. The funding for 2009-10 will consist of a stipend of approximately $60,500, plus a research budget of $16,000. Funds are also provided for health benefits and relocation expenses. Recent Ph.D. recipients are encouraged to apply.