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Description

NSF’s NOIRLab, in collaboration with the NSF-Simons CosmicAI Institute, is offering a unique Science Internship opportunity for students or recent graduates in astronomy, astrophysics, or a related field. This project places interns at the cutting edge of data-driven astrophysics, exploring the physical processes that shape galaxy evolution through spectroscopic analysis and machine learning (ML). Whether you're aiming for graduate school, your first co-authored publication, or a deeper understanding of how AI is transforming astronomy, this internship offers an unmatched opportunity to work with cutting-edge tools and leading experts.

The selected intern will work directly with Dr. Stephanie Juneau, a NOIRLab research scientist whose expertise lies in extragalactic astronomy, galaxy evolution, and AI applications in astrophysics. This is an outstanding opportunity to contribute to an active research initiative at the intersection of artificial intelligence, big data, and cosmology.

About the Role

This internship is part of a broader initiative under the **NSF-Simons AI Institute for the Cosmic Origins (CosmicAI)** , which brings together academic institutions (UT Austin, University of Virginia, University of Utah, UCLA), national observatories (NRAO, NOIRLab), nonprofits, and tech industry collaborators. The goal: to revolutionize how we use AI in astronomy—not just to process vast datasets, but to uncover the hidden physics behind them, in transparent and explainable ways.

**_CosmicAI_** empowers researchers and students alike to build next-generation tools for astronomical discovery, focusing on questions like:

+ _How do galaxies form and evolve?_

+ _What is the role of supermassive black holes in galaxy life cycles?_

+ _Can AI reveal patterns invisible to human observers?_

Responsabilities

During the internship, the selected candidate will:

+ Access and analyze spectra of galaxies from NOIRLab’s SPARCL database, including datasets with existing machine learning encodings.

+ Install and run state-of-the-art spectral fitting software (e.g., STARLIGHT, pPXF, or custom ML-based models) using the Astro Data Lab platform.

+ Extract and interpret physical properties such as stellar mass, star formation history, and gas content from fitted spectra.

+ Deliver reproducible research via Jupyter notebooks outlining the full analysis workflow.

+ Contribute to a draft of a scientific publication, co-authored with NOIRLab scientists, presenting key findings and implications for using AI in galaxy evolution studies.

+ If time allows, explore and test new ML-based encodings or dimensionality reduction techniques (e.g., autoencoders, t-SNE, UMAP) applied to spectral data.

Value Proposition

+ Hands-on experience working with real astronomical data from leading national observatories.

+ Exposure to advanced data science tools, machine learning models, and astronomical databases.

+ Mentorship from experts in astrophysics and AI, with potential for future research collaborations.

+ The opportunity to co-author a scientific paper—a significant addition to any early-career researcher’s CV.

+ Familiarity with working in collaborative research environments like NOIRLab and large-scale AI institutes.

Required Qualifications

+ Currently pursuing or recently completed a degree in astronomy, astrophysics, physics, or a closely related field.

+ Foundational knowledge of extragalactic astronomy, including galaxies and AGN.

+ Python programming skills, especially with scientific libraries (e.g., NumPy, Matplotlib, Astropy).

+ Comfortable with astronomical data formats (e.g., FITS) and Jupyter Notebooks.

+ Strong written and verbal communication in English.

+ Self-motivated, curious, and able to work independently while being part of a larger research team.

Preferences

+ Previous experience in astronomy research projects.

+ Familiarity with machine learning methods or tools (e.g., scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch).

+ Experience working with spectroscopy data and spectral modeling.

+ Ability to use SQL or ADQL to query astronomical databases.

Work Enviroment

This position operates in a professional office environment and routinely utilizes standard office equipment, including computers, phones, and copiers. The work environment is generally quiet and may involve working in close proximity to others, depending on the needs of the specific function.

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. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

+ Must be able to remain in a stationary position at least 50% of the time.

+ Occasional need to move about inside the office environment to access files, office tools, attendance in a meeting room, etc.

+ Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity tools that require fine motor skills, such as a calculator, copy machine, computer printer, etc.

+ May occasionally need to position self to maintain computer and related tools.

+ Seldomly needed to move objects up to 10 pounds.

+ Constant communication with other individuals. Must be able to discern and exchange information as appropriate to the situation.

+ Constant need to distinguish, discern, and identify a variety of objects and fine details with accuracy.

+ Some travel may be necessary in or outside the contiguous United States including travel to the various observatory sites (Arizona, Chile and Hawai`i).

+ Occasional work at high elevation summit sites may be required (summit elevations range from 6,800 feet to 14,000 feet).

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities and skills required by personnel so classified.

Salary

$17.20/hour.

How to Apply

Apply by **May, Tuesday 6th** for priority consideration. This position will remain open until it is filled. _Please submit a cover letter and a CV or resume, PDF files preferred. Please name any attachments with the following format: Lastname Docname._

Individuals needing assistance with the employment process can request assistance at [email protected]

Equal Opportunity Employer

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.

For further information, please review the Know Your Rights (https://www.eeoc.gov/poster) notice from the Department of Labor.

As a recipient of U.S. Government funding, AURA is considered a government contractor and is subject to Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action regulations.

As an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer, AURA and all of the centers, do not discriminate based on race, sex, color, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity/gender identity expression, lawful political affiliations, veteran status, disability, and/or any other legally protected status under applicable federal, state, and local equal opportunity laws.