Postdoctoral Position in Galactic Archaeology with Kepler, K2, and the TESS missions

The Department of Physics and Astronomy at Aarhus University invite applications for a postdoctoral position in Galactic Archaeology with Kepler, K2, and the TESS missions. Candidates with expertise in theoretical aspects of Galactic structure, dynamics or Galactic archaeology are particularly encouraged to apply. The position is for three years and is funded by the Sapere Aude program of the Independent Research Fund Denmark. The Postdoc will be involved in comparisons between observed and predicted properties of stellar populations in the Milky Way. Important areas of work for the successful applicant may include determination of stellar properties in large surveys, Galactic dynamics and chemical evolution, and modeling of stellar populations in the Milky Way.

The candidate will be embedded in Dr. Victor Silva Aguirre’s research group, and also form part of the Stellar Astrophysics Centre (SAC) at Aarhus University. SAC is a world leader in the fields of asteroseismology, stellar structure and evolution, planetary systems, and characterization of stellar populations for galactic archaeology. The group plays a prominent role in the use of data from the NASA Kepler/K2 and TESS missions, as well as large-scale stellar surveys such as APOGEE and Gaia. The successful candidate will have access to data from these surveys, and is encouraged to explore innovative research themes and synergies.

The close to 30 senior scientists, postdocs, and PhD students, and many visitors at SAC provide an exciting and vibrant working environment. We have access to telescopes through the Danish membership of ESO and the Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT). SAC has established direct scientific collaborations with research groups from The University of Sydney, Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, The Ohio State University, and Oxford University, among others.

Candidates must have a Ph.D. in astrophysics, physics, or equivalent, by the date of their appointment. The starting date is expected to be in summer 2018, but the exact date is negotiable.