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Author: Marcus Mohring

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PhD positions in Astronomy and Astrophysics IMPRS in Heidelberg

The "International Max Planck Research School for Astronomy and Cosmic Physics at the University of Heidelberg" (IMPRS-HD) invites applications for its PhD program. The school aims to offer outstanding research and training opportunities with excellent instrumental, observational, and theoretical research facilities at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics, the Astronomisches Rechen-Institut, the Landessternwarte Koenigstuhl, the Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics, and the Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies. Application deadline: November 1st 2025.

Main research topics carried out at these institutions are planet and star formation; exoplanets and substellar objects; astrometry; formation, evolution and dynamics of galaxies and supermassive black holes; gravitational lensing; cosmology and structure formation; high energy astrophysics; and state-of-the-art instrumentation for astronomy and astroparticle physics.

The IMPRS-HD is an independent part of the Heidelberg Graduate School for Physics.

Several fellowships are available with 1600-1800 Euro monthly average net income.

Interested students are invited to apply by November 1, 2025, for the academic year starting in September 2026.
An earlier start of the thesis research is possible.

Applicants must have a Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Physics/Astronomy including a corresponding thesis and a very good physics background. Applicants with a 4-yr degree in physics may be accepted conditionally.

Further details on IMPRS-HD and the application process can be found at http://www.imprs-hd.mpg.de/.

IMPRS Office
Email: imprs-hd-application@mpia.de

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PhD in Astrophysics at IMPRS on Astrophysics at Ludwig Maximilians University Munich

You want to boost your career in Astrophysics? Then do your PhD in one of the largest centers for Astronomy and Astrophysics in Europe and work with the leading scientists in the field to accelerate your scientific career! The International Max Planck Research School on Astrophysics at the Ludwig Maximilians University Munich (IMPRS on Astrophysics) is soliciting applications for its PhD program.

Located in the beautiful Munich-Garching area in southern Bavaria (Germany), the school offers a unique environment for graduate students due to the presence of four internationally renowned institutes which form the school:

  • The Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE) 
  • The Observatory of the University of Munich (LMU/USM) 
  • The Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics (MPA)
  • The European Southern Observatory (ESO)

IMPRS offers a highly competitive PhD program, including lectures, seminars and a research 
project supervised by leading scientists at one of the participating institutions. 

Course language is English.

Students have access to the world largest ground- and spaced-based observatories and instrumentation operated by the participating institutes as well as to supercomputers for advanced numerical simulations and theoretical studies. Applications for the PhD-program are open to students from all countries.

Successful applicants will get a work contract / fellowship with a monthly income that covers the living costs. We will assist our students with all administrative matters for a smooth on-boarding.

This means “Concentrate on your research — we do the rest!” For more details see: https://www.imprs-astro.mpg.de/ 
     
The closing date for applications for the program starting in September 2026 is November 1,  2025.

If for any reason you have difficulty meeting the deadline, please inform us in advance and we will extend it upon request.

Compensation and Benefits

Compensation Type

Salary

Currency

365

Compensation Range

$25USD to $27USD

Included Benefits

  • Medical insurance (including basic dental insurance) is covered by the position. 
  • Child allowance, if applicable
  • Household allowance, if applicable
  • Reimbursement of moving cost (to a certain amount)
  • Access to free German language classes
  • Support in all administrative matters such as visa, housing etc.

Compensation Notes

The above mentioned annual salary amounts are net pay.

Pay and benefits vary between the four participating institutes. Students earn about 2.000 – 2.300 EUR  per month net (about 2.350 -2.700 USD), depending on the affiliated instiute, year of study, and martial / family status.

The exact details can be found on our website: www.imprs-astro.mpg.de

Application Details

Application Instructions

We will only accept applications via our application platform, which will reopen for this call in August 2025.
Application deadline is November 1, 2025 for the program starting in September 2026.

In the application form, you must provide the contact details of 1-3 referee(s), who will upload a reference letter in the applicant portal. The deadline for submitting the letters is also November 1, 2025.

Prerequisite for application is a Master’s degree in physics, astrophysics, astronomy or a comparable subject with a final grade of very good to good.
Very outsanding students can apply for the fast-track PhD with an excellent Bachelors degree.
You can find more information on the admission requirements on our website under “Application” – “Who qualifies”

Please find here full details.

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PhD Scholarship in Asteroseismology / Stellar Astrophysics at University of Southern Queensland

The Centre for Astrophysics at the University of Southern Queensland is seeking applications for two fully-funded scholarship PhD positions, to begin between 2025 November and 2026 March (flexible).  The stipend totals $38,000 AUD per year for 3 years, plus an allowance for computing and travel.  Details on the research interests in our Centre can be found at https://astrophysics.usq.edu.au/. Application deadline: September 3rd 2025.

Australia’s University of Southern Queensland is a top-100 Young University Rankings multi-campus institution with a dedicated Centre for Astrophysics within the Institute for Advanced Engineering and Space Sciences.

For this special call, funding is provided through Dr Gang Li’s DECRA award from the Australian Research Council, and the University of Southern Queensland.

The two available projects will be jointly supervised by Dr Gang Li and A./Prof Simon Murphy. Students will be expected to work on the pulsations of intermediate-mass stars and their use in improving age estimates for both star clusters and field stars. The roles will focus on the analysis of public data sets from space telescopes, and there will also be opportunities to plan and analyse astrophysical observations.

Interested candidates should send a CV and contact details for one reference to A./Prof Simon Murphy (simon.murphy(at)unisq.edu.au) by September 3rd for full consideration. UniSQ is committed to enhancing diversity in astrophysics, and we particularly welcome applications from women and traditionally under-represented groups.

Enquiries about the research in the Centre for Astrophysics can be directed to simon.murphy(at)unisq.edu.au

Please find here details.

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Head of Astronomical Data Center (m/f/x) at Deutsches Zentrum für Astrophysik (DZA)

The DZA offers, as part of the development, one position located in Görlitz as Head of Astronomical Data Center (m/f/x) (subject to personal qualification, employees are remunerated according to salary group E 15 TV-L) starting as soon as possible. The position is initially limited until December 31, 2025 (time limitation pursuant to TzBfG) with the option of extension/permanence at the DZA after its foundation. Following the institutional establishment, it is planned to transfer the employment contracts to the “Tarifvertrag Bund” of the public sector (TVöD Bund). Balancing family and career is an important issue. The position is generally suitable for candidates seeking part-time employment. Please indicate the request in your application.

Please find here full details.

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BIFROST – Black hole Insights: navigating the FROntiers of SpaceTime, October 20-22, 2025, Odense

In Norse mythology...the Bifröst is a blazing rainbow bridge that connects Midgård (Earth) and Asgård, the realm of the gods.

In a similar spirit, black holes represent bridges between classical gravity and the uncharted territory of quantum gravity.  General relativity well describes the spacetime surrounding black holes, yet understanding their interiors requires quantum gravity.
"Bifrost: Black Hole Insights – navigating the FROntiers of SpaceTime" is a dedicated workshop aimed at gathering leading experts from observational astronomy to theoretical physics. Together, participants will explore novel ideas that will help bridge classical and quantum gravity.

The workshop is jointly organized by organized by the Quantum Field Theory Center (QTC) at the Danish Institute for Advanced Studies, the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), Helsinki University and the Department of Physics “Ettore Pancini” of Federico II University.  

The event will take place on QTC premises at the Danish Institute for Advanced Study, in Odense, Denmark.

You can submit an abstract for a contributed talk in the registration form. The deadline for both registration and abstract submission is the 10th of September.

Invited speakers

  • Ana Alonso-Serrano (Max Planck Institute, Potsdam)

  • Vitor Cardoso (Niels Bohr Institute)*

  • Raúl Carballo Rubio (IAA Granada)
  • Steven Carlip (UC Davis)

  • Salvatore Capozziello (SSM, Federico II U.)

  • Mariafelicia De Laurentis (Federico II U.)

  • Netta Engelhardt (MIT)*

  • Antonia M. Frassino (SISSA)

  • Alexandros A. Kehagias (National Technical University of Athens)

  • Carlos Herdeiro (Aveiro U.)

  • Stefan Hohenegger (Lyon U.)

  • Stefano Liberati (SISSA)

  • Orlando Lunogo (U. of Camerino)

  • Alessia Platania (Niels Bohr Institute)

  • Luciano Rezzolla (Goethe U. Frankfurt IAS)
  • 
Jessica Turner (Durham U.)*

  • Matthias Wihelm (Univesrity of Southern Denmark)                          
  • Giulia Gubitosi (Federico II University)
  • Giacomo Cacciapaglia (Sorbonne University) 
    *to be confirmed

Workshop Website

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PhD position in Theoretical Particle Cosmology at KIT

We seek a qualified physics graduate to join as a PhD candidate at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). The successful candidate will join Dr. Kim Berghaus' research group to work on projects related to Theoretical Particle Cosmology, on topics of the intersection of particle physics and theoretical/observational cosmology such as inflation, dark energy, and the Hubble tension. The position is for 3 years with a flexible starting date from February 1st, 2026 to May 1st, 2026. Application deadline on October 3, 2025.

This position is part of the Emmy Noether Research Group “Novel Signatures of Relativistic Particle Production in Cosmology”. The group investigates the impact of fundamental interactions between scalar fields and other light degrees of freedom on cosmological observations.

Your Profile:

  • Master’s degree in Physics (to be completed by the starting date).
  • Strong interest in cosmology and (astro)particle physics.
  • Some prior research experience in cosmology or particle physics is highly desirable.

We Offer:

  • 3-year contract (salary level E 13 TV-L, 75%).
  • Collaborative and supportive work environment.

Application Procedure:

  • Motivation letter (max 1 page).
  • Curriculum Vitae.
  • Recent transcript of study records.
  • 1-3 Recommendation letters (to be submitted by the reference writer).

Motivation letter, CV and transcript of records should be sent as a single PDF to kberghaus.kit.phys.applications(at)gmail.com.

The review of applications will start on October 4th, 2025.

Please find here details.

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KICP Postdoctoral Research Fellow Chicago

The Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics (KICP) at the University of Chicago would like to invite applications for the KICP Postdoctoral Research Fellowship program. Scientists receiving a PhD in physics, astrophysics, astronomy, or related fields between June 2022 and September 2026 are welcome to apply. Successful applicants will conduct original research in experimental, observational, numerical, or theoretical cosmological physics, broadly defined. KICP Fellows are appointed to renewable one-year terms, for up to three years. Our positions carry a salary and benefits package comparable to other prize fellowships. Application deadline: October 31, 2025.

KICP Fellows are an integral part of the KICP community. The KICP is an interdisciplinary environment that brings together physicists and astronomers who range from experimentalists to observers, simulators, and theorists, to stimulate new ideas and push the forefront of cosmological research. Current topics of research in the institute include: the inflationary era; dark energy; dark matter; experimental and theoretical studies of the CMB; analysis of cosmological data including CMB, large-scale structure surveys (especially the Dark Energy Survey), and type Ia supernova; gravitational lensing and gravitational-wave studies; observational cosmology; experimental and theoretical particle astrophysics; near-field cosmology, and direct and indirect detection of dark matter. The KICP has an active program of visitors, symposia, and meetings as well as Education and Outreach opportunities. All members of the KICP are expected to adhere to our Community Values (https://kavlicosmo.uchicago.edu/about/diversity-inclusion/#CommunityValues). Information about the KICP can be found at the KICP website (https://kavlicosmo.uchicago.edu/).

To apply for a KICP Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, please complete the online application form at Academic Jobs Online (AJO). Requested information includes email contact information for 3 references who can independently write a letter of support for the applicant. Supplemental materials (Cover Letter; Curriculum Vitae; Research Statement – a one to three page document of your research accomplishments and plans; List of Publications) should be submitted as PDF files on the application form.

If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Smith at jmsmith@uchicago.edu.

The positions will remain open until filled; however applicants are strongly encouraged to submit application by October 31, 2025 and ensure that 3 letters of recommendation are received by November 15, 2025. Review of applications will begin November 17, 2025. The positions are expected to begin in the Fall of 2026.

Please find here details.

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Materials for Advanced Detectors 2025, October 6.-7., Leibniz-Insitut für Kristallzüchtung (IKZ)

MAD Workshop is an excellent opportunity to connect with collegues involved in the development of advanced materials for gravitational wave detectors as well as with researchers from crystal growth community and industry who share a deep interest in the topic. Together we will discuss recent achievements and challenges in material research and outline prospects for future cooperation. We are confident that face-to-face workshops with a lot of space for personal interaction and individual meetings will contribute to achieving our common goals

Where:

The event takes place on the premises of Leibniz-Institut für Kristallzüchtung (IKZ) and hosted by Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V.

IKZ is located in the capital region Berlin-Branderburg in the middle of Germany’s largest Science and Technology Park Adlershof.

General Info:

This is a hybrid event. Participants can join all sessions either in person or online via Zoom. Personal attendance is highly appreciated.

Zoom link will be provided to all registered participants. Minutes for the meeting will be recored in the shared document.

All participants are welcome to contribute to the note taking in the meeting and the creation of a report after the meeting.

Beyond the sessions:

Crystal growth lab tour featuring a variety of materials and techniques

Social event

Presentations and Posters:

It is possible to submit an abstract for either a talk or a poster. Note that, depending on the topic and on the available time slot, we might ask you to convert your contribution to either a talk or a poster.

Sponsoring:

We have opportunities for sponsoring that will highlight your support of the community. If you are interested to present your company or institute, meet the attendees and/or support us, please contact mad2025@ikz-berlin.de. We have the right bundle for your successful participation!

Registration:

Registration will open soon. Note that the registration is considered completed only when the payment has been fulfilled. In addition, if no payment has been received after the deadline, you will be automatically deregistered from in-person participation.

No payment fee is required for remote participation.

Important Deadlines:

·         Registration Open: 14th July

·         Early Registration Close: 31st August

·         Final Registration Close: 7th September

·         Abstract Submission Open: 4th July

·         Abstract Submission Close: 10th August

·         Abstract Review Completed: 24th August

Local Organizing Committee:  

Iryna Buchovska, Robert Menzel

Scientific Committee:

Alex Amato, Iryna Buchovska, Elisabetta Cesarini, Margot Henning, Robert Menzel, Luca Naticchioni, Andrew Spencer, Flavio Travasso.

Workshop Website

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Quantum Universe Attract.Workshop, November 23-25, 2025 at Universität Hamburg/DESY

On behalf of the Cluster of Excellence Quantum Universe at the University of Hamburg and DESY, we cordially invite your final year Master students, doctoral researchers and postdoctoral researchers in particle physics, astroparticle physics, astrophysics and mathematical physics/mathematics to our Attract.Workshop, November 23–25, 2025 in Hamburg.

Are you a Master’s student, a doctoral researcher or an early stage postdoctoral researcher driven by curiosity and a passion for uncovering the mysteries of the universe? Are topics like Higgs physics, gravitational waves, dark matter, fundamental theory, modern algebraic or geometric structures, or AI in fundamental physics exciting career options for you? Then the Quantum Universe Attract.Workshop could be a perfect place to explore your options and share your scientific work.

Quantum Universe is a dynamic, interdisciplinary research cluster of 300 scientists from the University of Hamburg and the research center DESY working at the cutting edge of science. We look at the crossroads of quantum physics and cosmology to tackle the most profound questions about mass, gravity, and the origin of the Universe—and we’re always looking for young talents to join us!

The Attract.Workshop gives you the chance to discover our labs. Meet our researchers. Explore your future. Take your chance to find out if you and Quantum Universe would be a perfect fit!
Join us for a 3-day workshop in Hamburg where you’ll have the opportunity to:

  • Engage with leading scientists actively recruiting for upcoming positions
  • Explore active research groups and facilities
  • Get experience in presenting yourself and your scientific interests
  • Learn about doctoral and postdoctoral opportunities in Hamburg
  • Discover what life and research in Hamburg can offer you

And the cool part: you will be able to apply for a subsidy for your travel costs! A limited number of participants will be selected for partial funding.

Take the leap. Come to Hamburg. Be part of Quantum Universe

Workshop Website