Ariel Postdoctoral Fellowships

The Ariel Postdoctoral Fellowship Program seeks outstanding early-career scientists to carry out research programs that will support the Ariel exoplanet mission. Each fellowship position is expected to involve a high degree of independent research, although projects that will help build new collaborations among the Ariel Consortium are especially encouraged.

Ariel, the Atmospheric Remote-sensing Infrared Exoplanet Large-survey, has been selected as the fourth medium-class mission in ESA’s Cosmic Vision programme. During its 4-year mission, Ariel will study what exoplanets are made of, how they formed and how they evolve, by surveying a diverse sample of about 1000 extrasolar planets, simultaneously in visible and infrared wavelengths. It is the first mission dedicated to measuring the chemical composition and thermal structures of hundreds of transiting exoplanets, enabling planetary science far beyond the boundaries of the Solar System.

Positions offered in 2023 (note for all the positions, including that starting at U. Vienna, please submit your application materials via this application portal):

1. Chalmers-X Ariel Fellowship. One fellowship based at Chalmers Univ., Gothenburg, Sweden (up to 3 years), but to involve extensive collaboration and research visits with at least one other Ariel partner institute. Extra research funds for these visits will be provided by the fellowship. Relevant research themes include theoretical and observational studies of planet formation and evolution, exoplanet atmospheres, exoplanet interiors and astrochemistry.

2. Vienna-Chalmers Fellowship. One fellowship hosted jointly at Univ. of Vienna (Prof. Güdel group), Vienna, Austria and at Chalmers Univ., Gothenburg, Sweden (up to 3-year duration split between the two institutes, starting at U. Vienna). Relevant research themes include theoretical and observational studies of planet formation and evolution, exoplanet atmospheres, exoplanet interiors and astrochemistry.

The positions will be part of the Chalmers Initiative on Cosmic Origins (CICO), and hosted in the Astronomy and Plasma Physics Division at the Dept. of Space, Earth and Environment. CICO also includes researchers in the Onsala Space Observatory division and in the Depts. of Physics and Chemistry.