---
title: 'Astrophysics Center Program Scientist [Radio Astronomy] at jobs'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/astrophysics-center-program-scientist-radio-astronomy-jobs-baltimore-nbv8vzc9eej6'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-13'
---

# Astrophysics Center Program Scientist [Radio Astronomy] at jobs

- **Company:** jobs
- **Location:** Baltimore, MD
- **Compensation:** $200k–$250k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-07-14
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-13
- **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/schmidt-entities/71bacd8d-1f49-4cde-b82a-5def2e43e9ca

## Job description

Schmidt Sciences is a nonprofit organization founded in 2024 by Eric and Wendy Schmidt that works to accelerate scientific knowledge and breakthroughs with the most promising, advanced tools to support a thriving planet. The organization prioritizes research in areas poised for impact including AI and advanced computing, astrophysics, biosciences, climate, and space—as well as supporting researchers in a variety of disciplines through its science systems program.

Summary The Astrophysics Center at Schmidt Sciences seeks an experienced radio astronomer to join a growing team supporting the development of next-generation astronomical facilities. This role will bring deep expertise in radio astronomy to the Center, helping guide the scientific development, commissioning, and operation of major facilities within the Schmidt Observatory System while contributing to the exploration of future opportunities in the field. The successful candidate will work closely with internal staff, external partners, and the international radio astronomy community to ensure that ambitious scientific facilities are designed, built, and operated to maximize their scientific potential. The role is well suited to an established scientist with extensive experience in radio interferometry, large survey facilities, and collaborative science programs, with a demonstrated ability to work across complex scientific, engineering, and programmatic teams in multi-institutional international collaborations.

## The Role

Reporting to the Director of the Astrophysics Center at Schmidt Sciences (hereafter "the Center"), the Program Scientist will join a growing multidisciplinary team supporting the Center's observatory portfolio. The role combines scientific judgment, technical insight, and collaborative stewardship across the Center's major radio astronomy activities. Working closely with internal staff, partner institutions, and the broader scientific community, responsibilities are expected to include: Provide scientific and technical expertise in radio astronomy across the Center's observatory portfolio. Work closely with partner institutions throughout the design, construction, commissioning, and scientific operation of major radio astronomy facilities. Evaluate scientific capabilities, technical readiness, project milestones, and commissioning activities to help ensure facilities achieve their scientific objectives. Review survey strategy, operational planning, calibration approaches, data products, and software plans, providing independent scientific assessment where appropriate. Coordinate scientific and technical reviews within the Center, synthesizing input from internal staff and external experts. Provide scientific oversight for the Center's gifts and grants in radio astronomy, monitoring progress and identifying opportunities to maximize scientific impact. Represent the Center in technical reviews, scientific meetings, workshops, and interactions with the broader radio astronomy community. Build collaborative relationships with partner institutions, scientific teams, and the broader radio astronomy community. Advise Center leadership on scientific priorities, emerging opportunities, and strategic decisions in radio astronomy, including contributing to the exploration of future radio astronomy facilities and concepts.

## Requirements

- Ph.D. in Astronomy, Astrophysics, or a closely related field.
- Minimum 10 years of experience in academia, industry, government, or private research laboratories following the Ph.D.
- Demonstrated scientific leadership within a major radio astronomy collaboration, observatory, or survey.
- Extensive experience with radio interferometry, including the development, commissioning, operation, or scientific exploitation of large radio arrays.
- Broad understanding of radio astronomy instrumentation, calibration, imaging, data processing, and scientific operations.
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively across scientific, engineering, and multidisciplinary teams in large, multi-institutional collaborations.
- Excellent scientific judgment, communication skills, and the ability to build productive relationships with partner institutions and the broader research community.
- Based at one of the Schmidt Sciences offices (Maryland, New York, or Virginia), with the ability to travel domestically and internationally as required.

Desired Additional Skills

- Experience with the commissioning or early scientific operation of facility-class radio observatories.
- Experience participating in scientific advisory committees, technical review panels, or governance activities for major astronomical facilities.
- Experience working with external collaborators, partner institutions, or multi-institutional scientific teams.
- Expertise in one or more areas enabled by modern radio astronomy, such as transient astronomy, pulsars, cosmology, exoplanets, or multi-messenger astrophysics.
- Familiarity with large-scale radio astronomy software, calibration pipelines, or survey data products.
- Broad scientific interests spanning multiple areas of radio astronomy and an interest in future observatory concepts.

This is an exempt position.

Schmidt Sciences, is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer that proudly pursues and hires a diverse workforce. We do not make hiring or employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion or religious belief, ethnic or national origin, nationality, sex, gender, gender-identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable local, state, or federal laws or prohibited by Company policy. We strive for a healthy and safe workplace and strictly prohibit harassment of any kind.

## About jobs

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Schmidt Futures is a philanthropic initiative that identifies and supports talented individuals and breakthrough ideas at the intersection of technology and science, having transitioned into Schmidt Sciences in 2024.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Non‑profit, part of the Schmidt Entities family managed by Hillspire, LLC)
- **Headquarters**: New York, New York, United States
- **Founded**: 2017 (Schmidt Futures); Schmidt Sciences founded in 2024
- **Founders**: Eric Schmidt and Wendy Schmidt

## Core Business
- **Primary industry/industries**: Philanthropic grantmaking, scientific research support, talent development.
- **Target customers**: Researchers, scientists, technologists, and social entrepreneurs (B2B / institutional).
- **Mission or purpose statement**: To accelerate scientific knowledge and breakthroughs with advanced tools to support a thriving planet.

## Products & Services
- **Grantmaking & Fellowships**: Programs such as Rise (global talent initiative), the AI and Advanced Computing Institute, and the Schmidt Observatory System.
- **Research Support**: Funding for projects in AI, astrophysics, neuroscience, earth sciences, and other disciplines.
- **Talent Programs**: Initiatives like the Rise fellowship for young leaders and the AI Institute Fellow in Residence.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly available (privately funded by the Schmidt family).
- **Key Metric**: Total funding is undisclosed; the organization employs 135 people (‑15.6% YoY) and has funded 491 tracked awards with a field‑weighted citation impact of 3.4.
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Eric and Wendy Schmidt (sole funders); partners include academic institutions and research organizations.
- **Growth Signals**: Transitioned from Schmidt Futures into Schmidt Sciences in 2024; headcount declined but remains active in high‑impact science (273 works since 2024). Open positions for space observatory (Lazuli) and AI compute infrastructure indicate expansion in aerospace and AI.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Deep philanthropic resources**: Backed by the Schmidt family’s substantial wealth, enabling long‑term, high‑risk projects.
- **Focus on frontier science**: Concentrates on AI, advanced computing, radio astronomy, and space observatories – areas with high barriers to entry.
- **Network effect**: Access to Schmidt Ocean Institute, The Schmidt Family Foundation, and other entities for cross‑disciplinary collaboration.

## Strategic Focus
- **Current priorities**: Building the next‑generation space observatory (Lazuli), expanding the AI and Advanced Computing Institute, and scaling the Rise talent program.
- **Direction for growth**: Deepening investment in AI infrastructure and scientific computing; hiring for engineering roles in spacecraft GN&C, software systems, and compute infrastructure.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Mission‑driven environment focused on solving fundamental scientific and societal challenges.
- **Remote/Hybrid/Office Policy**: Predominantly on‑site (96% of open roles); some roles in New York, Tucson, Los Angeles, and Bay Area. Hybrid/remote options are limited.
- **Notable Perks**: Competitive salaries (e.g., $140k–$270k for engineering roles), involvement in cutting‑edge space and AI projects, and the opportunity to work alongside leading scientists.
- **Engineering Culture**: Hands‑on, hardware‑focused for space missions; software and AI teams work on high‑performance computing and agent‑based AI.

## Sources
1. [LinkedIn – Schmidt Futures](https://linkedin.com/company/schmidtfutures)
2. [Jobera – Schmidt Entities Careers](https://jobera.com/employer/schmidt-entities/)
3. [Lever Careers – Schmidt Entities](https://jobs.lever.co/schmidt-entities)
4. [Scoutify – Schmidt Entities Overview](https://scoutify.com/companies/schmidt-entities/)

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