Software Engineer (Astropy), Center for Computational Astrophysics

About the role

The Center for Computational Astrophysics (CCA) at the Flatiron Institute, a division of the Simons Foundation, is seeking a full-time research software engineer to support the Astropy Project and contribute to community-oriented software projects in astronomy.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to key projects within the Astropy Project to expand its functionality and community reach.
• Maintain and develop core infrastructure packages that benefit Astropy and the broader Scientific Python communities.
• Support and contribute to projects that align with the research directions of the CCA.
• Communicate open-source software best practices.
• Interact with other Astropy developers on GitHub, Slack, and in developer meetings.
• Collaborate with Flatiron’s Scientific Computing Core (SCC), other centers within Flatiron, and the larger scientific community, when relevant.
• Evaluate and establish best practices for LLM-assisted development within the Astropy Project and broader CCA community, including how these tools interact with open-source contribution workflows, code review, testing, and documentation.

Qualifications

• B.S., M.S. or Ph.D. in astronomy, physics, computer science, mathematics, statistics, or a related technical discipline.
• At least 3 years of experience with software development in a research or research-supporting context, including:
• Experience doing software development in a research environment (including academic contexts like graduate school and postdoctoral appointments, or research-oriented industry).
• Experience working with the scientific Python ecosystem (NumPy, SciPy, Matplotlib, etc.).
• Experience with collaborative version control systems (especially Git & GitHub).
• Experience working with collaborative software engineering practices, including coding standards and code review.
• Experience writing documentation and an interest in supporting user communities.
• Experience with project management and developing multiple concurrent projects.
• Technical and scientific curiosity with a collaborative attitude.
• Proficiency with software development in a compiled language (C, C++, Rust, Cython, Fortran, etc.) is desired.
• Experience contributing to the scientific or astronomical Python ecosystem, including a working knowledge of continuous integration systems (e.g., GitHub Actions), software testing (e.g., pytest), and using automated documentation infrastructure (e.g., Sphinx) is desired.
• Experience with HPC, GPU, and/or code profiling and optimization is desired.
• A working knowledge of applied mathematical concepts and numerical methods is desired.
• A working knowledge of astronomy and physics core concepts is desired.
• Experience querying and transforming data in databases (SQL, Elasticsearch, etc.) and files (CSV, FITS, HDF5, etc.) is desired.

Compensation and Benefits

• The full-time starting annual compensation range for this position is: (3-6 years of experience) $150K–$185K (6-8+ years of experience) $190K–$215K.
• In addition to competitive salaries, the Simons Foundation provides employees with an outstanding benefits package.

Application Instructions

Required Application Materials:

• Curriculum vitae
• Cover Letter

Deadline to Apply: Applications received by May 22, 2026 will receive full consideration, however late applications may be considered at the discretion of the selection committee.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement: Our Commitment to Expanding Pathways to Science & Opportunities for All: Many of the greatest ideas and discoveries come from a diverse mix of minds, backgrounds, and experiences. The Simons Foundation is committed to advancing basic science and mathematics to benefit humankind and expand our collective understanding of our world. As part of our mission, we support partners, programs, and initiatives that seek to broaden the scientific community and open pathways to science and mathematics careers.