The Leiden/ESA Astrophysics Program for Summer Students (LEAPS) 2018
Job Summary
Job Description
Leiden Observatory and the European Space Agency invite applications for the Leiden/ESA Astrophysics Programme for Summer Students (LEAPS). LEAPS is a highly competitive programme for students with a keen interest in astronomy, astrophysics, solar physics, and planetary sciences to perform a 10-12 week summer research project in collaboration with a research scientist from Leiden Observatory or ESA. Projects will begin approximately 1st June 2018 and end by mid to late August 2018. The programme is open to all students not currently studying for a Ph.D., but who are enthusiastic about pursuing research in the space sciences. Students at the senior-undergraduate or masters level, in particular, are encouraged to apply.
Candidates for the programme will be selected based on their academic merits and research potential. Students will be matched to projects based on their indicated research interests and relevant experience and skills. The positions are open to candidates from all countries; however, applications for projects with ESA advisors are restricted to nationals belonging to ESA member or associated states. Candidates must also have good proficiency in English.
Leiden Observatory is active in many different research areas including cosmology, galaxy formation and evolution, interstellar matter and star formation, stars and planetary systems, computational astrophysics, high energy astrophysics, laboratory astrophysics, astrochemistry, and instrumentation. Research interests relating to ESA's space science missions range from solar, heliospheric, and magnetospheric physics, to planetary physics, observational astronomy across the electromagnetic spectrum, and fundamental physics.
Applicants are requested to upload a one-page document describing their research interests (related to a research area in Leiden Observatory or ESA), contact details of an academic referee (who can comment on the applicant's research skills and potential), and a transcript of undergraduate/masters courses and grades. Applicants can also upload a curriculum vitae (optional).
Compensation and Benefits
Students accepted into the programme will be provided with travel costs to and from Leiden, accommodation near the observatory, and a modest stipend to cover living costs. Leiden is a small, picturesque university town located between the major cities of Amsterdam and The Hague with a large international community. English is widely spoken throughout the Netherlands.