PhD positions at the Kapteyn Astronomical Institute

The Kapteyn Astronomical Institute of the University of Groningen invites applications for 8 PhD positions:

• One position in the group of dr. Betsey Adams (ASTRON/Kapteyn) to study the neutral hydrogen content of dwarf galaxies using APERTIF-survey data.
• One position in the group of Prof. dr. Erwin de Blok (ASTRON/Kapteyn) to study neutral-hydrogen data of nearby galaxies from the MeerKAT radio telescope.
• One position in the group of Prof. dr. Inga Kamp to work with JWST mid-IR spectra from planet-forming disks using thermo-chemical models.
• Three positions in the group of Prof. dr. Léon Koopmans to work on Reionization and Cosmic-Dawn data (LOFAR, AARTFAAC and NenuFAR), and forward data-models of space and lunar-based instruments (e.g. NCLE).
• One position in the group of dr. Else Starkenburg to study the early history of the Milky Way galaxy from the properties of its most metal-poor stars, using data from Gaia as well as photometric and spectroscopic surveys.
• One position in the group of dr. Lingyu Wang (SRON/Kapteyn) to study the role of mergers in galaxy evolution, taking advantage of new KiDS and upcoming Euclid data, and new merger detection techniques and simulations.

The Kapteyn Astronomical Institute is part of the Netherlands Research School for Astronomy (NOVA) and is recognized worldwide for the quality of its research in multiple areas of astronomy. With 15 faculty and 50 PhD students, it is the second-largest astronomical institute in the Netherlands. Groningen, a historic town in the northern Netherlands, occupies a strategic place in Dutch astronomy, hosting both the Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, the low-energy astrophysics division of the Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON) and the NOVA sub-mm lab. The Kapteyn Institute has a strong connection with the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON) in Dwingeloo, a European centre of radio astronomy research. Staff and PhD students at the Kapteyn Institute frequently collaborate with SRON and ASTRON scientists and engineers. There are also strong interdisciplinary connections with other institutes in the Faculty of Science and Engineering. English is the common language spoken at the institute.

We seek excellent students with a strong background in the physical sciences who desire to obtain a PhD degree from a top European university. A successful candidate must hold a Masters degree or equivalent by the starting date of the position. Previous research experience and skills will be important criteria for the selection.

These PhD student positions are paid according to the CAO Dutch Universities, which means that they earn competitive salaries (the current annual gross salary, including allowances, increases from about €33,000 in year 1 to about €42,000 in year 4) and are eligible for both social security and retirement benefits. All PhD positions are funded for four years.

Detailed information on the individual projects offered and how to apply is given at https://www.rug.nl/research/kapteyn/vacatures/phd-positions. Informal inquiries are welcome and should be sent to [email protected].

The application deadline is January 3, 2021, at midnight, and selection of candidates will start January 4, 2021, and will continue until all positions are filled.