Postdoctoral position in observational stellar physics and star / planet formation at IRAP/OMP (Toulouse, France)

Applications are invited for a 2-year postdoctoral position (renewable for 1 year) in observational stellar physics and star / planet formation at IRAP/OMP (Toulouse, France).

The successful candidate will work with Dr JF Donati within the NewWorlds ERC project, and will focus on observational studies of young low-mass stars and their accretion discs, in particular their magnetic fields and close-in giant planets - with the goal of clarifying the impact of such fields on the evolution of PMS stars, and on the migration / survival of Hot Jupiters.  

More specifically, the candidate will study magnetic fields of a large sample of PMS stars and discs using tomographic imaging on spectropolarimetric data, and will investigate how these fields vary with masses, ages, accretion and rotation rates.  He/she will also look for the presence of massive close-in planets using activity-filtering techniques, to assess their occurence at early phases of planet formation.    

This study will take place in the framework of the SPIRou Legacy Survey, a large observational programme dedicated to planetary systems of M dwarfs and magnetized star / planet formation, to be carried out with SPIRou, the new generation near-IR velocimeter / spectropolarimeter at CFHT, from 2018 to 2022. 

We are seeking a highly motivated researcher specialized in observational stellar physics. Prior experience in the following areas is preferred: spectropolarimetry, tomographic imaging, star / planet formation.  

Applicants should send their complete CV with full publication list, along with their long-term research project, to [email protected] by June 30, 2018.

Applicants should also arrange for at least 3 reference letters to be sent to the above addresses by the same deadline.