Salary from € 27,600 to €36,000 per year, depending on experience and years of post-doc.
The computational astrophysics group at Ecole Normale Supérieure Lyon (ENS-Lyon), France, invites applications for a 3 year post-doctoral position in theoretical and numerical stellar physics with a possible extension to 2 more years subject to a satisfactory evaluation of performance. The post is funded by a European Research Council (ERC) advanced grant of Prof. Isabelle Baraffe, University of Exeter. The successful candidate will work in Lyon with Prof. R. Walder, ENS-Lyon, embedded in a broader team formed with the group of Prof. Baraffe, University of Exeter, and Dr. Maxime Viallet, Max-Planck Institute for Astrophysics, Garching/Munich, with the opportunity to collaborate with these institutions.
This ERC project aims at 3D modeling of stellar/planetary interiors, and the interaction of these objects with their environment or binary partner. The main goal is to understand processes characteristic of star/planet interiors and evolution, such as instabilities, turbulence, convection, rotation, magnetic fields, and stellar oscillations. Astrophysical key problems to be addressed, all of which require multi-D simulations, are: (1) the early embedded phases and evolution of accreting proto-stars and brown dwarfs, (2) the study of rotation, transport of angular momentum, and chemical mixing in stellar interiors and (3) the study of turbulent convection and its effect on stellar pulsations.
A key part of the advertised position is, besides astrophysical research, the further development of our present 3D numerical simulation tools. This includes aspects of parallelization, development/coding of different high order explicit and implicit integrators, all in combination with adaptive meshes respecting different geometries, and including tools for visualization and the analysis of complex data of turbulent flow. We work in collaboration with applied mathematicians and experts in informatics and visualization. The successful candidate will actively contribute to this development, will be responsible for first applications of the developed numerical tools, and can bring in own research interests.
We offer to work prominently on a European key project, within a lively and communicative team having a strong background in theoretical and computational astrophysics and in developing multi-scale, multi-physics simulation codes, as well as corresponding tools for data-analysis and visualization. We provide a powerful computing equipment, extensive access to supercomputing resources, and substantial travel funds. We encourage you to place your own ideas in the project, to take responsibilities, and sharpen your profile. Lyon is a thrilling and cultural city offering good living conditions and off-work activities, with short distances to the Alps and the Mediterranean Sea.
Candidates ideally heave a strong background in computational astrophysics/fluid dynamics; prior work on stellar and/or planetary interiors and evolution is not mandatory but an additional asset. Applicants must possess a PhD in Astrophysics, Physics, Plasma Physics, or a related discipline such as applied mathematics, fluid dynamics, or computational methods.
Ideal starting date is May 1, 2013, but a delayed start date may be negotiated. Applications must include a CV, publication list, a detailed summary of previous research, and a statement of own research interests. Please give contact details of three referees.
