Join MKI
The MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research is a renowned astrophysics institute located on the MIT campus in the heart of Cambridge, MA.
It is part of the vibrant research community at MIT close to several other major universities with strong astrophysics programs within Cambridge and the broader Boston and New England area.
These days, MKI provides a rich intellectual home for astronomy and interdisciplinary space-related research activities. As such, MKI scientists cover a large range of expertise across many fields of astrophysics research and are involved in the development and operation of ground- and space-based telescopes and instruments.
MKI celebrated its 20 year anniversary in 2024 and 60 years of space research at MIT as the former Center for Space Research. MKI has a unique strength in its technical heritage, gained from participation in carrying out a series of NASA space flight programs and observatories over the past several decades. Only a handful of US universities have the technical capability to support such NASA programs at the mission level.
In addition to national and international access to various ground- and space-based observatories, students, scientists, and engineers at MKI have institutional access to MIT's share of the 6.5m Magellan telescopes in Chile, MIT's local supercomputing resources, a host of local research and technical experts including those associated with the MKI-supported missions TESS, NICER, and CHANDRA, and outstanding in-house engineering and fabrication design facilities.
As an institute, MKI is a very welcoming community with researchers and staff from from many different countries and ethnicities. Diverse ideas, viewpoints, and experiences are seen as important contributions to the research enterprise, and to creating and valuing a work environment that embraces and supports everyone. Regular formal and informal social activities and gatherings of MKI folks continue to bring people together to allow for the community to grow, thrive, and work together.
"Whether you plan to join as student, postdoc, researcher, engineer, or other staff member, MKI will provide many exciting opportunities for you to enhance and advance your career."
- Professor Rob Simcoe, Director
MKI hosts resident students, faculty and research staff with shared interests in astrophysics and space-related research from the Department of Physics, Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, and the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at MIT.
MIT and MKI are located just across the Charles River from Boston. Cambridge and Boston are historic, walkable cities with extensive bike lanes and public transportation. They offer a wealth of cultural and other activities that range from the world-renowned Boston Symphonic Orchestra, to outdoor summer music and movie events, to clam chowder and lobster rolls, to sports venues such as Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox. The New England region offers a multitude of indoor and outdoor experiences year round, numerous beaches, accessible hiking, skiing and other winter sports.