Postdoc position in polarised radiative transfer

The Astronomical Observatory at Ghent University (http://astro.ugent.be) invites applications for a postdoc in polarised radiative transfer. The successful applicant will work with the SKIRT team led by Prof. Maarten Baes (http://users.ugent.be/~mbaes/) and Dr. Peter Camps (http://users.ugent.be/~pcamps/). He/she will extend the polarimetry capabilities of the SKIRT Monte Carlo radiative transfer code (http://www.skirt.ugent.be), and will use it to generate mock polarimetric images of dusty systems (ranging from circumstellar discs to external galaxies). These simulations will be compared to observed data, and will be used to prepare for the B-BOP instrument on the SPICA infrared mission (www.spica-mission.org).

Ghent is located in the Flemish speaking part of Belgium, some 50 km north of Brussels. Ghent is renowned for its beautiful medieval town centre, its lively cultural and music scene, and its vibrant student life. Ghent University is an international, highly rated university with more than 40,000 students. The astronomy group's expanding research interests include nearby galaxies, infrared astronomy, hydrodynamical simulations/radiative transfer, galaxy formation and evolution, high-redshift observations and observational cosmology.

The appointment is expected to start as soon as possible. The initial appointment will be for two years; depending on availability of funds and performance, an extension may be possible. Candidates must possess a PhD in Physics, Astrophysics, or a similar field, and have solid programming skills. Expertise in radiative transfer is welcome, but not required.

Applicants should submit their CV and a statement of research interests directly to [email protected], and arrange for two reference letters to be sent to the same address.