PhD Opportunities in Astronomy & Radio Astronomy Engineering at the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), Curtin University node

We invite well-qualified students of any nationality to apply to the PhD program at Curtin University's Institute of Radio Astronomy (CIRA) based in Perth, Australia. In support of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), this program focuses on radio astronomy or radio astronomy engineering. We have a wide range of potential PhD projects to choose from (nominally three years with a possible six-month extension).

CIRA forms one half of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), a joint venture between Curtin University and The University of Western Australia. Curtin University operates the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA), the precursor to the low frequency component of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), and supports a large research group spanning radio astronomy (galactic, extragalactic), pulsars, accretion physics, studies of the Epoch of Reionisation (EoR), and radio astronomy engineering research including significant participation in developing systems (hardware and software) for the SKA. This year has seen two important steps forward for the SKA, with the launch of the SKA Observatory as an intergovernmental organization, and approval of construction of the SKA telescopes.

Please note that there are two types of PhD scholarships, (i) Strategic/Pre-funded and (ii) Research Training Program, and important dates for each. If you are unsuccessful in applying for a Strategic and/or Pre-funded Scholarship, you may still apply for a Research Training Program (RTP) scholarship, which has a later deadline. However, the RTP scholarships are only for domestic applicants this year.

(i) Strategic and Pre-funded Scholarships (Domestic and International, deadlines vary)

Strategic scholarships are competitive positions across the University which have a deadline of Friday 13th August 2021 for domestic and international students. Strategic scholarship outcomes will be known by Monday 30th August 2021. The Pre-funded scholarships are available now, but with different deadlines and one is limited to domestic students only. While competitive the Pre-funded scholarships may go to the first stong candidate. 

(ii) Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarships (Domestic only, deadlines below)

The application process for these scholarships follows a two stage process:

Step 1:  Review the projects listed here. Prospective students should contact potential supervisors by Friday 6th August 2020 with a detailed CV, transcripts of undergraduate (and Masters’) studies and a paragraph on why they are interested in that project. Unfilled projects will remain open until the scholarship deadline in step 2.

Step 2: Once confirmed as the preferred choice for a given project by a supervisor, students may proceed with the scholarship application. Detailed instructions on how to apply for the RTP scholarship may be found here. The deadline for the scholarship application is Wednesday 1st September 2021.

CIRA is committed to equity and diversity and encourages applications from all qualified candidates.