Theory of massive star formation

The Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy at the University of Amsterdam advertises a 3-year post-doctoral fellowship on the theory of massive star formation. The candidate will be part of the research group of prof. Alex de Koter.

API has a strong background in research on massive stars and their compact remnants. The research groups led by profs. Alex de Koter and Lex Kaper and dr. Selma de Mink closely collaborate with nearby colleagues at KU Leuven (profs. Hugues Sana and Jon Sundqvist) and the Argelander-Institute in Bonn (prof. Norbert Langer).

The PD should be experienced in radiation-hydrodynamics simulations of massive star formation. The goal is to model aspects of the assembly of massive stars and the evolution of their disks. Such disks are expected to be massive and are likely prone to instabilities that may lead to the formation of companions. Feedback effects from the forming central object (and possibly from companions) will be studied as they may have an impact on the final accumulated masses of the system components, and disk structure and evolution. Ultimately, we aim to confront such simulations to observational constraints on the outcome of massive star formation (such as multiplicity properties) and signatures of remnant disks around young massive objects – topics in which the API is specialized. This project will be executed in close collaboration with dr. Rolf Kuiper (University of Tübingen), a leading expert in radiation hydrodynamics.

The Faculty of Science of the University of Amsterdam offers a stimulating research environment with excellent infrastructure, including super computer power. The API is actively involved in the use and development of ESO instruments (e.g. VLT/X-shooter, VLT/SPHERE, ELT/Mosaic) and has a long-standing reputation in the fields of massive stars, X-ray binaries, gamma-ray bursts, neutron stars & black holes, proto-planetary disks and exoplanets.

Interested candidates should have obtained a PhD degree in astronomy (or equivalent). We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applications will receive consideration. Salaries are commensurate to the university salary scale for postdoctoral fellows; the position is funded for 3 years. Applications should contain a curriculum vitae, a statement of research experience and motivation, and the names of three references.