The Gravitational Wave Astrophysics (GWA) group at the Institute of Cosmos Sciences of the University of Barcelona (ICCUB) invites outstanding early-career researchers to apply for the prestigious "Postdoctoral Junior Leader" fellowships, funded by the la Caixa Foundation. These are three-year postdoctoral fellowships open to researchers of any nationality. They offer not only a competitive salary but also substantial research support, including funding for personnel, mobility, and family-related expenses. Application deadline: September 25, 2025.
The ICCUB has been awarded the María de Maeztu distinction which recognizes our leadership and research impact as required by this fellowship. It is an interdisciplinary center devoted to fundamental research in the fields of cosmology, astrophysics and particle physics. It is a member of the Virgo Collaboration, the Einstein Telescope Collaboration and the LISA Consortium. In addition, we are actively participating in surveys (ESA-Gaia, Weave, SDSS-IV) and EM follow-up missions at various wavelengths (BlackGEM, MAGIC and LST), enabling scientists at the ICCUB to build an end-to-end understanding of all steps leading to GW sources. The Institute has a strong technology program through its participation in international collaborations in observational astronomy and experimental particle physics. Moreover, the institute is an interdisciplinary centre with more than 70 long-term scientists, 20 engineers and 80 postdoctoral researchers (55% international) and PhD students (30% international) offering an international and multicultural environment. Our main lines of research, as well as the associated faculty members, can be found at https://icc.ub.edu/research-areas.
We are particularly interested in candidates with expertise in one or more of the following areas:
- Gravitational-wave data analysis including parameter estimation, detector characterization, mock data generation and the application of machine learning techniques
- Tests of general relativity and applications to cosmology
- Gravitational lensing
- Asteroseismology of neutron stars and related aspects of nuclear physics
- Stellar and black hole dynamics and formation
- Innovative techniques and technologies for next-generation gravitational-wave detectors
Eligibility criteria include:
- A PhD obtained between 2 and 7 years before the application deadline.
- Residency in Spain for less than 12 months over the past three years.
Only candidates who meet all the requirements of the call may be accepted. We encourage qualified researchers to apply. For further information and to learn about the potential host institution, please contact Dr. Ruxandra Bondarescu (ruxandra(at)icc.ub.edu), the PI of the GWA group, before submitting the application.
Applications must be submitted via the la Caixa Foundation website:
https://lacaixafoundation.org/en/postdoctoral-junior-leader-fellowships