Beatrice Tinsley Postbac Research Assistantship 2026

The inaugural (2026) call of the Beatrice Tinsley Postbac Research Assistantship (TRA) is open — CASSA’s annual program of paid, full-time, year-long research positions for women who have completed their bachelor’s degree and intend to pursue graduate study in astronomy, astrophysics or a related field. Two Tinsley RAs will be appointed for 1 September 2026 – 31 August 2027, based at the Center for Astronomy, Space Science and Astrophysics (CASSA) at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) and funded by the Sponsored Research Grant (SRG) of Dr Khan Muhammad Bin Asad.

This circular holds everything specific to the 2026 cycle — the two positions, eligibility, terms, and how to apply. For the program itself — why the TRA exists, who Beatrice Tinsley was, and how a Tinsley year runs — see the TRA program page.

The two positions of 2026

In this cycle the two RAs work on two different CASSA research programs: CHronOS and GATE. Each applicant applies to one of the two — choose the one that fits your background and interests.

TRA (CHronOS)

CHronOS — Cosmic Hydrogen Observation and Simulation — aims to detect cosmic neutral hydrogen from the dark ages and the cosmic dawn through the redshifted 21-cm signal, combining simulation, instrumentation, theory and observation. The Tinsley RA in CHronOS will:

1. Carry out original research toward at least one principal-author paper — modelling the 21-cm signal (e.g. with 21cmFAST on CASSA’s Timaeus HPC), building simulation pipelines that produce simulated radio observations, and characterising the instrumental systematic errors — such as primary-beam and polarization-leakage effects — that the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) must overcome to detect the signal, in synergy with PrimaBERA.
2. Develop and run Python-based simulation and analysis pipelines on the Timaeus HPC.
3. Present her work at CASSA colloquia and journal talks, and participate in the weekly research meetings of the program.

TRA (GATE)

GATE — Galaxies And Their Environments — studies galaxy clusters, the intracluster medium (ICM) and the galaxies within them by combining radio and X-ray observations. The Tinsley RA in GATE will:

1. Carry out original research toward at least one principal-author paper — imaging diffuse radio halos and mini-halos of galaxy clusters with MeerKAT, mapping the ICM in archival Chandra X-ray data through MIMIC, or classifying radio-AGN morphologies with the RGC deep-learning pipeline and the GAZE annotation platform.
2. Develop and run Python-based radio/X-ray analysis and machine-learning pipelines on the Timaeus HPC.
3. Present her work at CASSA colloquia and journal talks, and participate in the weekly research meetings of the program.

Deliverables

By the end of the assistantship, each Tinsley RA is expected to:

• Submit at least one paper to a peer-reviewed journal as one of the principal authors.
• Prepare for graduate school — shortlist programs, contact potential supervisors, and complete any required tests.
• Apply to graduate programs toward the end of the RAship, with the paper and a year of research experience behind her.

Eligibility

1. Women only. The TRA exists to widen the participation of women in astronomy and astrophysics in Bangladesh.
2. Must have completed an honours (bachelor’s) degree in physics, mathematics, engineering, computer science or a relevant subject, with good grades — a minimum CGPA of 3.0 out of 4.0 (or equivalent).
3. Must not hold any other job during the period of the assistantship — this is a full-time position.
4. Must work in person at CASSA on all weekdays; some work-from-home days are negotiable with the supervisor.
5. Must have a laptop running Unix (Linux or Mac), or one on which Ubuntu can be installed if selected.

Terms

• Positions: 2 — one TRA (CHronOS), one TRA (GATE).
• Duration: 12 months, 1 September 2026 – 31 August 2027.
• Remuneration: 30,000 BDT per month.
• Referees: two referees who can comment on your research potential — contacted only if you are shortlisted, so get their permission in advance.
• Deadline: apply by 10 August 2026, 11:59 pm.

Selection

Applications are reviewed by the principal investigator of the supporting SRG and an external expert — a female Associate Member of CASSA, to be announced. Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed in the second half of August, and the selections announced before the end of the month; the assistantship begins on 1 September 2026.

How to apply

Use the Apply now button on this page to open the official application form. Have your certificate, transcript and CV ready as PDFs; the statements on your research experience, purpose and graduate-school plan are written directly in the form, within the stated word limits. Apply to one program only — CHronOS or GATE. After you submit, we email you a copy of your responses with a private link to review or edit them any time until the form closes.

For inquiries, write to [email protected].

CASSA is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from diverse backgrounds. This assistantship is restricted to women by the terms of its founding grant; for positions open to all, see the Opportunities page.