Postdoctoral position in exoplanet magnetism / radio astronomy

The Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON) invites applicants for a

Postdoctoral position in exoplanet magnetism / radio astronomy

Job description:

The successful candidate will join Dr. Vedantham’s group at ASTRON that is leading the exploitation of low frequency radio telescopes such as LOFAR to study stellar coronae and brown dwarf and exoplanet magnetospheres. We are looking for a highly motivated candidate to strengthen and expand our nascent but growing group’s scientific footprint in this rapidly evolving field.

Our group has recently demonstrated that the coldest brown dwarfs in the solar neighborhood can be directly discovered using their cyclotron radio emission. The postdoctoral fellow will leverage such discoveries with follow up radio observations to measure the magnetic fields of these sub-stellar objects to test leading magnetic dynamo models, as well as search for radio signatures of exoplanets/exomoons around the coldest brown dwarfs and gas-giant exoplanets. We are also looking for the candidate to bring in new ideas to exploit the unprecedented sensitivity of novel and upcoming low-frequency radio telescopes for exoplanet science.

The postdoctoral fellow will have access to pre-publication data from the ongoing LOFAR Two Metre Sky Survey (LoTSS), which is the largest sky survey by source density, to pursue stellar, brown dwarfs and exoplanet science. The position also comes with generous funds for travel and access to high performance computing resources. Depending on the interests of the candidates, there will be opportunities to mentor PhD and Master’s student projects.

The position is funded by Dr. Vedantham’s VIDI grant. The successful candidate will be based at ASTRON, the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy with a visiting appointment at the Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, University of Groningen. ASTRON has led the design and construction of the LOFAR telescope and is playing a leading role in the Square Kilometre Array project.

Job requirements:

• A PhD degree in Physics, Astronomy or a related field.
• Excellent communication skills in English (written and verbal).
• Computer programming experience.
• Prior research experience with radio astronomy techniques.
• Proven research ability evidenced by publications in peer-reviewed journals.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a research team.

The terms of employment are in accordance with the Netherlands Collective Labour Agreement Research Institutes.

We offer:

• A fulltime 38 hours per week temporary appointment in the service of the Netherlands Foundation of Scientific Research Institutes (NWO-I) for the duration of in total 2 years which will be extended for a total duration of three years based on good performance.
• A gross monthly salary, on a full-time basis, in the range of € 3.430 to € 4.514 depending on relevant experience.
• A holiday allowance of 8% and a year-end bonus of 8.33% of the gross annual salary.
• A solid pension scheme (ABP).
• 42 vacation days per year on a full-time basis.
• A pleasant and stimulating work environment.
• Ample support for computing, conference travel and work visits.
• Flexible conditions of employment, tailored to your personal situation.
• Generous relocation expenses and support with finding accommodation.

The organization:

ASTRON, the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy, is located just outside Dwingeloo in the north of The Netherlands. Its mission is to make discoveries in radio astronomy happen via the development of novel and innovative technologies, the operation of world-class radio astronomy facilities, and the pursuit of fundamental astronomical research.

Information:

More information about ASTRON can be found on our websites www.astron.nl and www.jobsatastron.nl. For more information on the content of this vacancy, please contact dr. Harish Vedantham, Staff Astronomer, e-mail: [email protected] or Erika Timmerman, HR Officer, phone: +31 521 595 100 or e-mail: [email protected].

Reactions:

You can apply for this job via our website www.jobsatastron.nl on or before December 6, 2021. Applications must include a single PDF file containing (i) a one-page cover letter, (ii) a two-page essay on the applicant’s research background and interests, (iii) a recent CV that must include a list of publications. In addition, applicants must arrange for reference letters from at least two researchers to be e-mailed to [email protected].

Interviews, remote and/or in person, will be scheduled for January 2022 and we expect to make an offer soon after.