The Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute, AEI) is a world-leading research center specializing in gravitational physics, gravitational-wave detection, and precision laser interferometry. With more than 400 employees across its Hannover and Potsdam locations, AEI plays a key role in several major international space missions. For our Hannover location, we are seeking a motivated:
Test Engineer
to support the verification of the LISA Signal Detection Processing Chain, the LISA Phasemeter and the Ground Support Equipment (GSE) used for testing. The LISA mission is a flagship ESA/NASA project designed to detect gravitational waves from space, offering a unique opportunity to contribute to one of the world’s most ambitious scientific endeavors.
Your Duties and Responsibilities Execute functional and performance tests of the equipment under test according to ECSS standards.
Set up, operate, and validate test benches, measurement equipment, and GSE.
Maintain, calibrate, and verify AEI’s GSE and testing infrastructure.
Analyze test results, document findings, and support troubleshooting.
Prepare test procedures, verification documents, and test reports.
Collaborate with system engineering, electronics, software teams, and external partners.
Support integration and verification campaigns at AEI and partner facilities.
Ensure compliance with quality and product assurance procedures.
Your Profile
Master’s degree or equivalent in electrical engineering, physics, systems engineering, or a related technical field.
Excellent English skills (C1 level minimum); German is an asset but not required.
Hands-on experience with laboratory equipment and measurement systems.
Structured, detail-oriented working style and strong analytical skills.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a technical team.
Experience with data analysis tools (e.g., Python, MATLAB) is an advantage.
Familiarity with precision measurement systems or ECSS standards is beneficial but not required.
Motivation to contribute to a major international space mission.
We Offer
The opportunity to work on a globally leading space science project.
A dynamic, international research environment with highly skilled teams.
Hands-on experience with cutting-edge instrumentation and test facilities.
Professional development opportunities and room to grow into broader responsibilities.
Flexible and supportive working conditions within the Max Planck Society.
How to Apply Are you interested? Then we look forward to receiving your online application (cover letter, CV, university certificates, letter of recommendation and other supporting documents) without a photo. Please upload your complete application documents combined into a single PDF on our applicant portal:https://jobs.aei.mpg.de/244/test-engineer/apply
Questions can be directed to the LISA Program Office (lisa-program-office(at)aei.mpg.de).
Applications received will be considered starting September 1st, 2026.. The advertisement is valid until the position is filled.
Further information The Max Planck Society is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or disability. The Max-Planck-Society is committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualified individuals. For more information about our institute, please visit https://www.aei.mpg.de/.
The STAR Institute at the University of Liège, Belgium invites applications for a postdoctoral researcher position to work with the OGrav group, starting on November 1, 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter.
The postdoctoral researcher will focus on deep-learning-based Newtonian Noise subtraction for the Einstein Telescope. The work will include the development, implementation, and in-situ tests of the method on the E-TEST prototype developed in Liège by Prof. Christophe Collette. The successful candidate will also collaborate with members of the Applied Geophysics (APGEO) group led by Prof. Frédéric Nguyen, and the Belgian gravitational-wave community (GraviBel/BelGrav).
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED / PROFILE
A PhD in science, engineering, applied sciences, or a related field;
Strong knowledge of machine-learning and deep-learning methods and practical experience with modern machine-learning tools;
Applicants must not have spent more than 24 months as residents of Belgium over the last 3 years.
SELECTION PROCEDURE
The selection procedure will be in accordance with the regulations of the University of Liège. Our institutional policy is based on diversity and equal opportunities. We select candidates on the basis of their qualities, regardless of age, sexual orientation, origin, beliefs, disability or nationality.
APPLICATIONS
Applications should be sent to maxime.fays(at)uliege.be, specifying the reference number of the post.
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED
A motivation letter;
A complete curriculum vitae;
A complete publication list;
A short report on previous and current research activities;
Two letters of recommendation, to be sent directly to the above address.
RECRUITMENT CONDITIONS
The position is allocated for 2 years and may be extended to a third year in exceptional cases.
The position includes support for travel to collaboration meetings, workshops, and conferences, with an indicative travel budget of approximately EUR 3,000 per year. Recent comparable postdoctoral contracts at the University of Liège corresponded to a net salary of approximately EUR 2,900 per month, depending on personal circumstances and applicable tax and social security rules.
INFORMATION
Any information concerning the nature of the tasks can be obtained from Prof. Maxime Fays maxime.fays(at)uliege.be
The Institut de Física d'Altes Energies (IFAE) in Barcelona, a Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence, invites applications for a three-year postdoctoral research fellowship in Gravitational Wave (GW) Physics within the framework of the La Caixa Junior Leader Programme in Spain.
The Postdoctoral Junior Leader Fellowships programme aims to recruit outstanding researchers of any nationality who wish to pursue their research careers in Spain or Portugal in the STEM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). The programme is open to candidates who defended their thesis between September 23, 2019 and September 23, 2024. Application deadline: 23 September 2026, 2:00 pm (Peninsular Spain time).
nterested candidates are encouraged to contact IFAE, which will act as the host institution for the fellowship application.
IFAE is a member of the LIGO and Virgo Collaborations and is actively involved in the Einstein Telescope (ET) project, contributing to its design, research and development, and preparatory activities. Researchers at IFAE have taken on significant responsibilities within the Virgo Collaboration, particularly in the control of stray light inside the interferometer, which is one of the factors limiting its sensitivity. The group plays a major role in the commissioning, operation, and upgrade of the detector. Most recently, IFAE led the construction and installation of new baffles instrumented with photosensors around the Virgo test masses to mitigate stray-light effects.
IFAE is also a major contributor to the Einstein Telescope project. It coordinates the EU Horizon INFRA-DEV project supporting the ET preparatory phase and has leading responsibilities in the design of the detector’s stray-light control systems. In addition, IFAE is deeply involved in detector R&D and optical simulations for ET and collaborates with CERN on the design of the ET vacuum system.
The IFAE research programme covers a broad range of topics in gravitational-wave astrophysics and cosmology using LIGO–Virgo data. Current research includes searches for compact binary coalescence events and measurements of their mass and spin distributions; studies of primordial black holes as dark matter candidates; and searches for axion-like particle signatures in continuous gravitational-wave signals. The group also performs tests of gravity beyond General Relativity and carries out cosmological measurements with gravitational waves, including determinations of the Hubble constant and studies of inflation and phase transitions in the early Universe. In parallel, the group develops novel data-analysis techniques, including deep-learning methods and robust statistical approaches. This research naturally extends to exploring the scientific potential of next-generation gravitational-wave detectors.
For further information, please contact:
Prof. Andrew Lundgren (alundgren(at)ifae.es), Prof. Mario Martínez (mmp@(at)fae.es)
Unveiling the mysteries of the Universe through the analysis of gravitational wave observations from current observatories (Virgo) and future ones (LISA and Einstein Telescope) M/F Application Deadline : 02 September 2026 17:00
Job Description
Summary of the scientific project
The first detection of gravitational waves (GWs) by the LIGO-Virgo collaboration in 2015 was made possible by advances in laser interferometer detectors and the theoretical and numerical development of associated data analysis methods. This achievement marked the beginning of a new type of astronomy, which to date has detected over 300 signals from black hole and neutron star mergers. It promises further exceptional discoveries through the improvement of current detectors (LIGO, Virgo) and the deployment of next-generation detectors (LISA, ET). The scientific project of this Junior Professorial Chair relies on the use of this new type of data to uncover several mysteries of the Universe, such as the state of matter in neutron stars, the expansion rate of the Universe, the nature of dark energy, or the validity of general relativity in extreme regimes.
Summary of the teaching project
At the Faculty of Science and Engineering of the Université de Toulouse, the majority of teaching hours are delivered at the Bachelor’s (Licence) level. In physics, the teacher-researchers require support in both “core” disciplines (e.g., mechanics, electromagnetism, optics) and “related” disciplines (e.g., mathematical and numerical tools). The development of new data analysis algorithms and numerical simulations is a specialty of the L2IT, with mathematical and numerical tools at the heart of the laboratory’s work. Contributing to these courses is particularly motivating for the L2IT, as they provide an opportunity to introduce students to its research fields. Additionally, the recruited individual will be able to contribute to teaching the physics of the infinitely large (general relativity, astrophysics, data analysis methods) within the dynamic Master’s programs that focus on the science of the Universe.
Your Profil
Profile Required
Holders of a doctorate or a PhD or equivalent degree or applicants who have gained scientific qualifications or carried out scientific work deemed to be of an equivalent level.There is no restriction on the age or nationality of applicants. All CNRS positions are accessible to people with disabilities, with special arrangements for tests made necessary by the nature of the disability
Your Work Environment
Host Lab Strategy
The Laboratoire des 2 Infinis – Toulouse (L2IT), established in 2020, focuses on the study of the two infinities—the infinitely large and the infinitely small—and the phenomena that govern them, as well as the connections between the two. This includes, for example, the study of the Higgs boson and its role in the evolution of the Universe, or the emission of gravitational waves (GWs) and their propagation. The L2IT’s distinctive feature is its specialization in scientific data modeling and analysis. In this field, gravitational waves present unique challenges, such as data dominated by numerous overlapping signals and noise. The recruited individual will advance these topics, thereby strengthening the emerging L2IT team. The Toulouse site already has a strong track record in the design of space-based gravitational wave detectors and the study of astrophysical objects that emit gravitational waves. This chair will forge strong collaborations while bringing the L2IT’s specific research perspective to the forefront.
Institution Strategy
The development of gravitational wave astronomy is at the heart of the CNRS’s scientific priorities. The CNRS, together with INFN (Italy), initiated the Virgo project as early as 1991 and has been deeply involved in instrumental developments for over twenty years. These investments led to the first detection in 2015. And more than 300 sources have been detected since. This new messenger allows us to study the Universe from a dynamic perspective of mass and provides complementary information to data obtained by electromagnetic observatories. Current observatories have transformed our understanding of the phenomena at play in the most massive objects, enabling their use as probes for cosmology and the study of strong-field gravity. The next generation of instruments, including the European Einstein Telescope (ET) and the space-based LISA detector, will allow us to observe a very large fraction of the Universe, all the way back to the formation of the first objects. The CNRS plays a major role in these studies, with over a hundred scientists and as many engineers involved in this field. The proposed junior professorial chair aligns with this momentum, reinforcing the CNRS’s efforts and supporting the exploitation of these observatories.
International Strategy
The past decade has marked the beginning of a new era in cosmology and astrophysics. Indeed, the first detection of gravitational waves (GWs) has opened a new window on the Universe, providing previously inaccessible insights. This breakthrough has sparked significant global efforts to exploit these new observations, particularly in Europe, the United States, Japan, China, and India, reflecting the worldwide enthusiasm for future discoveries in cosmology and fundamental physics. The recruited individual will be a member of the international Virgo collaboration, which operates one of the three currently active ground-based GW detectors. They will also join the LISA consortium, which is preparing the only space-based mission for GW detection: the European Space Agency’s (ESA) LISA mission, with NASA as a major junior partner. Their involvement will bring significant international visibility to both the L2IT and the Université de Toulouse.
Compensation and benefits
Compensation
Annual salary from 54 600 Euros to 57 800 Euros depending on professionnal experience.
Total funding
200k€
Annual leave and RTT
44 jours
Remote Working practice and compensation
Pratique et indemnisation du TT
Transport
Prise en charge à 75% du coût et forfait mobilité durable jusqu’à 300€
Research Policy
Open Science
The CNRS is developing a strong policy in favor of open science. Open science consists of making research results “as accessible as possible and closed as necessary”. As such, the CNRS aims to make 100% of the texts of publications resulting from the work of its laboratories accessible , in particular through deposit in HAL. The data produced must also be made available and reusable, except for specific restrictions. In addition, the guiding principles of individual evaluation have been revised in accordance with the DORA declaration, to be more qualitative and to take into account all facets of the researcher’s profession.
Science and society
The relationship between science and society is now recognized as a full dimension of scientific activity. The project will develop this dimension in synergy with all the partners. The resulting research work will contribute to informing public decision-making. Participatory science initiatives may be initiated with actors from the project’s socio-economic and cultural eco-system.
Scientific dissemination
The dissemination of the results will be done through world-class scientific productions: publications, patents, software… In addition, the results will be communicated to various targets such as scientific communities, media, decision makers, general public, schools, etc., with an adapted calendar. Specific tools may be developed such as websites, newsletters, meetings, international symposia, summer schools and conferences.
About the offer
Offer reference
CPJ-2026-024
CN Section(s) / Research Area
Interactions, particles, nuclei, from laboratory to cosmos
About the CNRS
The CNRS is a major player in fundamental research on a global scale. The CNRS is the only French organization active in all scientific fields. Its unique position as a multi-specialist allows it to bring together different disciplines to address the most important challenges of the contemporary world, in connection with the actors of change.
This position is part of the project “Developing a modular suspension platform interferometer for the Einstein Telescope”. The goal of this research is to design and investigate an ultra-sensitive interferometric sensor to control the motion between seismically isolated platforms for the next-generation Einstein Telescope (ET). Application deadline: July 31st, 2026.
The research will be primarily conducted at the 10m Prototype Facility, which is jointly operated by Leibniz University Hannover and the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics. Building upon pioneering research, you will ensure that the inter-platform sensor design for the Einstein Telescope is mature and ready for production and installation.
This position will involve investigating and evaluating various interferometric readout schemes in multiple degrees of freedom using simulation tools and experimental validation at the 10m Prototype facility. The results will be used to then design, build, and validate a prototype sensor compatible with the requirements of the Einstein Telescope
The ACME workshop, The Transient Universe in the Rubin Era, which will take place 2–6 November 2026 at Institut Pascal, Paris-Saclay University, Orsay, France.
Please note that the abstract submission deadline is 31 July 2026.
The workshop will focus on upcoming observations by the Rubin Observatory and their connection to the multi-wavelength and multi-messenger Universe. In this context, several observatories will be presented, and both current results and future prospects for observing a wide variety of transient sources will be discussed. The workshop will also feature presentations on tools and infrastructure that facilitate coordinated observations of the transient sky.
Important dates
Abstract submission deadline: 31 July 2026
Registration deadline: 1 October 2026
Workshop dates: 2–6 November 2026
There is no registration fee.
For additional information, the scientific program, and registration, please visit the workshop website.
Sixth edition of the Gravi-Gamma-Nu workshop, scheduled for September 30 to October 2, 2026, at Milano Bicocca University in the Lombardy region of Italy.
This year’s workshop will be dedicated to covering the latest observational results from the new all sky surveys in the multimessenger context. The format of the workshop consists of invited and contributed talks.
The workshop is limited to 100 participants, and there is no registration fee, so we encourage you to secure your spot as soon as possible. As in the past editions this workshop is a unique opportunity for PhD and early career researchers to connect with leading experts in the field.
For further information, including a list of confirmed invited speakers, please visit our website.
In a seminal paper in 1976, Tom Kibble first proposed the notion of cosmic strings, and a rich legacy of research in the field has followed over the past fifty years. A central goal of this Universe Unravelled workshop will be to revisit unresolved questions about cosmic strings that underpin predictions for cosmological observables, ranging from gravitational wave signals to axion masses. The workshop is intended to prioritise discussion with ample time to develop collaborative directions that could advance these outstanding challenges. The workshop is intended to prioritise discussion with ample time to develop collaborative directions that could advance these outstanding challenges.
In broad outline, the programme will include the following topics:
Retrospective perspectives on cosmic strings: their legacy, observational signatures, and future prospects.
Cosmic strings dynamics and scaling network evolution: Nambu-Goto and field theory simulations, and their correspondence with analytic modelling, including loops and radiative backreaction.
Quantifying cosmic string observables: gravitational waves, dark-matter axions, the CMB, and other probes.
Exploring cosmic string phenomenology: superstring networks, GUT-scale and EW strings, and superconductivity.
Connections with other topological defects and recent developments.
Cambridge venue
The conference venue is the Centre for Mathematical Sciences, the award-winning buildings that have housed the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics since 2000. With its excellent facilities and good transport connections to international airports, the CMS has an excellent track record hosting international conferences.
This workshop will bring together researchers in quantum gravity and cosmology to discuss major open questions at the interface between the two fields. Although the CDM model has been remarkably successful, increasingly precise cosmological observations have also brought a number of challenges and tensions into sharper focus. At the same time, substantial progress in quantum gravity, particularly in its applications to cosmology, has opened new possibilities for investigating the quantum origin of the universe and for seeking a more fundamental understanding of both the successes and the possible limitations of the standard cosmological model.
Addressing these questions requires closer interaction between communities that often work with different concepts, methods, and perspectives. The workshop will therefore bring together researchers from a broad range of approaches to quantum gravity and cosmology. To make the discussions accessible across these different backgrounds, speakers will be encouraged to begin their talks with a broad introduction before moving on to more specialized results and open problems.
The program will also leave substantial time for discussion, with the aim of encouraging active participation, the exchange of ideas, and sustained scientific interaction. More broadly, the workshop seeks to strengthen connections between the quantum gravity and cosmology communities, foster new collaborations, and contribute to a deeper understanding of the fundamental physics underlying our models of the universe.
Confirmed Invited Speakers
Niayesh Afshordi — University of Waterloo; Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics
Benjamin Bose — University of Edinburgh
Suddhasattwa Brahma — Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata
Robert Brandenberger — McGill University
Clare Burrage — University of Nottingham
Bianca Dittrich — Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics
Victoria Venken — Kavli IPMU, The University of Tokyo
Francesca Vidotto — Institute for the Structure of Matter, Spanish National Research Council (IEM-CSIC)
Participation
Both in-person and remote participation will be possible.
Registration will remain open until 7 September 2026, and existing registrations may be modified until 13 September 2026, including for the purpose of submitting or updating an abstract.
Please note that abstract submissions for contributed talks and posters are open only to participants attending the workshop in person.
Contributed talks and poster session
The scientific program will include a limited number of contributed talks, as well as a poster session. Participants submitting an abstract for an oral presentation may also choose to have it considered for a poster if it is not selected for a talk.
Abstract submissions are open only to participants attending the workshop in person and must be made through the registration form.
Organizers
Scientific Organizing Committee
Robert Brandenberger — McGill University
Elisa Ferreira — Kavli IPMU
Oliver Friedrich — Ludwig-Maximillians-University Munich
Luca Marchetti — Kavli IPMU and OIST
Daniele Oriti — Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Mairi Sakellariadou — King’s College London
Thomas Thiemann — Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
RICAP-2026 will be the 10th edition of the RICAP Conference. The acronym stands for Roma International Conference on Astro-Particle physics. The Conference, entirely dedicated to the study of high energy cosmic rays, traditionally has been organized by the INFN Sections and Physics Departments of Roma Universities “La Sapienza”, “Tor Vergata” and “Roma Tre”.
The 10th edition of the Conference will be hosted by the Sapienza University of Roma. The aim of the Conference will be to present and discuss some of the most relevant theoretical and experimental results in the field of high energy cosmic radiations (gamma, neutrinos, charged cosmic rays). Special attention will be paid to the multi-messenger search for high energy cosmic rays sources, including gravitational wave searches. A special session will be dedicated to Dark Matter search and to low energy study of inherent neutrino properties. The Conference will give the opportunity to collect experimental results from presently operating experiments. Experiments in progress and future projects will be discussed, debating on different features and on sensitivities.