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PhD Position in Gravitational Waves Physics at IFAE Barcelona

IFAE is an internationally recognized center for fundamental research in Particle Physics, Astroparticle Physics, and Cosmology. Its main mission is to advance these fields through theoretical, experimental, and technological research. IFAE offers an international, dynamic, and competitive environment for the training of young researchers. IFAE has been accredited three times with the “Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence” distinction, most recently for the 2025-2029 period.

About the IFAE Gravitational Waves group
The detection of GWs from a black hole binary merger by LIGO in 2015 started a new era in the exploration of the universe. The addition of the Virgo antenna into the network led in 2017 to the detection of a neutron star binary merger that could be followed in electromagnetic signals, representing the beginning of multi-messenger astronomy. At the moment, LIGO and Virgo observation plans extend until 2030 with upgraded detectors. At the same time, work is beginning on the development of the third generation of detectors which will offer an order of magnitude increase in sensitivity.

The ET project, a third-generation experiment to be realized in Europe, has been included in the 2021 EU ESFRI roadmap and has recently entered into the preparatory phase. CE is the planned US contribution to the third-generation GW network, with significant funding from the US NSF and the UK’s STFC for design studies.

IFAE is a member institution of the LVK collaboration. A group of researchers from IFAE has taken significant responsibilities in the Virgo experiment related to the control of the stray light inside the experiment, which is considered a limiting factor for its sensitivity. The group plays an important role in the commissioning, operations and upgrade of the interferometer. For the latter, IFAE is leading the construction of new baffles instrumented with photo sensors around the test masses.

IFAE is actively participating in ET, coordinates the EU Horizon INFRA-DEV project for the ET preparatory phase, and has central responsibilities in the design of the stray light control systems. In addition, IFAE is deeply involved in the detector R&D and optical simulation activities of ET and CE. IFAE works with CERN in the design of the ET vacuum pipes.

The IFAE research program spans many topics in astrophysics and cosmology using LIGO-Virgo data. This includes searches for compact binary coalescence events and determining their mass/spin spectrum, for primordial black holes as candidates for dark matter, and for axion-like signals in continuous GW signals. We perform tests of exotic models for Gravity beyond General Relativity, and cosmological measurements using GWs such as Hubble constant and probes of inflation and phase transitions in the early universe. We are developing new data analysis methods like the use of deep learning and the use of robust statistics. This work is naturally extended to studying physics prospects for the next generation of detectors.

IFAE is supported by its own PIC computing center, a Tier1 LHC center fully integrated into the LIGO/Virgo distributed computing network. IFAE is in a privileged position to analyze the LIGO/Virgo/KAGRA data and, in collaboration with IFAE’s teams in CTA/MAGIC and Observational Cosmology, to fully profit from a multi-messenger approach.

As a PhD student in our group, you will get involved in one of the group’s detector-related activities including LV data characterization, optical simulation studies, or the active monitoring of the stray light inside the LV optical cavities with new photo sensors in an ultra-high vacuum environment. You will also be deeply involved in the physics analysis of the LIGO-Virgo data, in one or more of the subjects described above. In addition, and within the framework of IFAE’s GW research activities, you will be offered significant training and networking opportunities, including extended stays of research in top-level international research centres in Europe and USA.

Required skills and evaluation criteria

To be eligible for this position, candidates must meet the requirements for enrollment in the UAB doctoral program for the 2025/2026 academic year. Key requirements include:

  • Holding a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Physics or a related field.
  • Holding a Master’s degree in Physics, Astrophysics, or a related field, which must be completed by the contract start date.
  • Basic knowledge on Gravitation.
  • We are looking for candidates with a strong background in physics, a pro-active attitude and good communication skills. While not mandatory, previous experience in programming (especially Python or C++), data analysis. Previous experience in Gravitational Wave physics and related technologies will be appreciated.
  • Fluency in written and spoken English is required.

The process of evaluation and selection guarantees the principles of open competition, publicity and transparency, according to the following criteria:

  • University Records: 50 points
  • Computing Skills: 20 points
  • Experience on physics analysis: 20 points
  • Communication skills in English: 10 points

A Selection Committee will evaluate the received applications. Shortlisted candidates may be invited to give a brief online presentation, followed by a Q&A with the committee.

Offered contract

  • Full-time contract (40 h/week)
  • Predoctoral contract; 4 years
  • The position will correspond to a PhD student.
  • Salary will be proportional to experience and qualifications within the corresponding category range.
  • Work with interesting experimental science. Opportunity to gain first-hand learning experience.
  • Personal growth, innovation and learning every day.
  • The selected candidate is expected to join the IFAE as soon as possible.

Application and Selection process

Applicants should have a Master Degree in Physics and provide a motivation letter, a CV and full University Records (transcripts of Bachelor’s and Master’s studies), and arrange for one or two letters of reference, sent to alundgren(at)ifae.es , mmp(at)ifae.es and rrhh(at)ifae.es and including in the subject “IFAE2025/33_GW_SO_PhDStudent”.

All applications received within one month of the opening date will receive full consideration. Sending CVs to the above addresses implies consent to the IFAE’s legal warning on data privacy. For further information please contact: Prof. Andrew Lundgren (alundgren(at)ifae.es ) Prof. Mario Martínez (mmp(at)ifae.es )

Please find here full details.

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One PhD position in Relativistic Astrophysics and Gravitational-Wave Physics at the University of Valencia

The Relativistic Astrophysics Group at the University of Valencia (Spain) invites applications for one 4-year PhD position in the Topic of gravitational-wave physics in theories beyond general relativity. This position is linked to the research project “Computational relativistic astrophysics and data analysis in the era of gravitational-wave astronomy” (PID2024-159689NB-C21) of the Spanish Research Agency. The position entails research work on modelling of astrophysical sources of gravitational waves, numerical relativity, and data analysis. Application deadline: October 15th 2025.

We are seeking a highly motivated candidate interested in strong field modifications of general relativity and their test through astrophysical observations of compact objects. The candidate will conduct gravitational-wave source modelling in such theories, with these three main goals: (1) Find new qualitative features in gravitational-wave signals and electromagnetic signals from binary black hole and binary neutron star mergers in modified gravity. (2)
Explore the core-collapse supernova gravitational-wave signature for a rotating progenitor in modified theories of gravity. (3) Model isolated rotating black holes and neutron stars beyond General relativity, studying their observational properties and stability.

The Relativistic Astrophysics Group at the University of Valencia comprises faculty members Pablo Cerdá-Durán, José Antonio Font, Samuel Santos, and Alejandro Torres-Forné, non-tenured faculty Daniela Doneva, Milton Ruiz and Nicolás Sanchis-Gual, and over ten PhD students. The group is part of the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Collaboration, the Einstein Telescope Collaboration and of the LISA Consortium.

The successful candidate will be supervised by Daniela Doneva.

Applicants should prepare a CV, a brief statement of research interests, the academic transcripts, and the names (address, e-mail) of two potential referees. This documentation has to be sent by email before Oct 15th, 2025 to Toni Font (j.antonio.font(at)uv.es) and Daniela Doneva (daniela.doneva(at)uv.es). The start dates are flexible, but we aim to fill the position as soon as possible.

The University of Valencia is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion encouraging applications from women and/or other underrepresented groups.

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PhD position in gravitational-wave astronomy and massive binary evolution at Radboud University

Join a pioneering PhD project exploring how massive stars evolve into gravitational-wave sources. Combine stellar physics, simulations and cutting-edge data to uncover the origins of black holes and neutron stars, linking theory with the latest discoveries in this rapidly growing field. Application deadline October 31st 2025.

It has been just over a decade since the first detection of gravitational waves, marking the birth of a new field in astronomy. Since then, the number of detections has grown rapidly: from one, to a few, to hundreds, revealing entire populations of gravitational-wave sources. These signals are produced by black holes and neutron stars, the compact remnants of massive stars.

Many questions on how these populations form remain. To solve this puzzle, we must understand how massive stars are born, interact in binary systems, and how they end their lives as black holes or neutron stars. This will be the topic of this PhD thesis.

As a PhD candidate, you will conduct fundamental research on the evolution of massive binary stars, with a special focus on the systems that give rise to gravitational-wave sources.

This theoretical project will be at the intersection of stellar physics, computational astronomy and an unprecedented amount of data driven by observation. You will learn to run simulations on high-performance computing clusters, ranging from broad parameter studies with rapid binary-population synthesis codes to detailed stellar evolution calculations with 1D stellar evolution codes. The models you develop will be directly linked to new and upcoming observations, including the just-released 4th gravitational-wave observations (O4, released in August 2025) and the Gaia DR4 dataset (expected mid-2026).

Your duties as a teaching assistant cover about 10 percent of your work time, spread over the course of the appointment.

Would you like to learn more about what it’s like to pursue a PhD at Radboud University? Visit the page about working as a PhD candidate.
Does this sound like you?

You hold a Master's degree in astronomy/physics or a related field, or you expect to obtain your Master’s degree around the starting date of the appointment.
You bring curiosity and enthusiasm, enjoy thinking critically, communicate openly, and take initiative.
You are able to work in a team as well as independently.
You have excellent writing and verbal communication skills in English.

What we offer you

We will give you a temporary employment contract (1.0 FTE) of 1.5 years, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, your contract will be extended by 2.5 years (4-year contract).     
You will receive a starting salary of €3,059 gross per month based on a 38-hour working week, which will increase to €3,881 in the fourth year (salary scale P).
You will receive an 8% holiday allowance and an 8,3% end-of-year bonus.
We offer Dual Career Coaching. The Dual Career Coaching assists your partner via support, tools, and resources to improve their chances of independently finding employment in the Netherlands. 
You will receive extra days off. With full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the statutory 20.

Additional employment conditions

Work and science require good employment practices. Radboud University’s primary and secondary employment conditions reflect this. You can make arrangements for the best possible work-life balance with flexible working hours, various leave arrangements and working from home. You are also able to compose part of your employment conditions yourself. For example, exchange income for extra leave days and receive a reimbursement for your sports membership. In addition, you receive a 34% discount on the sports and cultural activities at Radboud University as an employee. And, of course, we offer a good pension plan. We also give you plenty of room and responsibility to develop your talents and realise your ambitions. Therefore, we provide various training and development schemes.
Where you will be working

Your PhD project will be supervised by Dr. Lieke van Son (Radboud University) and will be carried out in a highly international setting. Collaboration with international research groups across the globe is expected.

This PhD position is embedded in the Astrophysics Department at the Institute for Mathematics, Astrophysics and Particle Physics (IMAPP) at Radboud University (Nijmegen, Netherlands). We are a very tight-knit and socially active department, currently home to 18 faculty members (junior and senior) and about 65 postdoctoral researchers and PhD candidates. Research at the department covers a broad range of topics, including stellar physics, black hole and accretion physics, gravitational waves, cosmic rays, and instrumentation.

Faculty of Science
The Faculty of Science (FNWI), part of Radboud University, engages in groundbreaking research and excellent education. In doing so, we push the boundaries of scientific knowledge and pass that knowledge on to the next generation.

We seek solutions to major societal challenges, such as cybercrime and climate change and work on major scientific challenges, such as those in the quantum world. At the same time, we prepare our students for careers both within and outside the scientific field.

Currently, more than 1,300 colleagues contribute to research and education, some as researchers and lecturers, others as technical and administrative support officers. The faculty has a strong international character with staff from more than 70 countries. Together, we work in an informal, accessible and welcoming environment, with attention and space for personal and professional development for all.

Please find here full details.

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Weinberg fellowships in gravitation, multi-messenger astrophysics and AI/ML

The Center for Gravitational Physics (CGP) within the Weinberg Institute at the University of Texas at Austin invites applicants for multiple Weinberg Institute Postdoctoral Fellowships. These are full-time postdoctoral positions starting in September 2026.

This position is open to candidates in gravitational-wave physics, astrophysics and data analysis, especially in (but not limited to) the areas of:

(1) Cosmological inference with gravitational-wave observations
(2) Applications of AI/ML techniques broadly to astrophysics, cosmology or gravitational wave data analysis
(3) Nuclear astrophysics with gravitational-wave observations
(4) Gravitational-wave multimessenger astrophysics
(5) Numerical simulations of compact binaries

Applicants must submit a cover letter (no more than 1 page), CV, list of publications, a short statement of research interests (no more than 3 pages in length) and arrange to have at least three letters of reference uploaded to AJO. Applications are due November 21, 2025. The completion of a PhD is required prior to the beginning of this appointment. The initial appointment is for two years, with the possibility of extension to a third year subject to available funding and research performance.

Inquiries may be sent to Profs. Hsin-Yu Chen (hsinyu(at)austin.utexas.edu) or Jay Wadekar (jay.wadekar(at)utexas.edu).

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McWilliams Postdoctoral Fellowship at Carnegie Mellon

The Department of Physics at Carnegie Mellon University invites applications for the McWilliams Postdoctoral Fellowship. McWilliams Fellows are expected to carry out their own programs of original research, independently or in collaboration with Carnegie Mellon faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and students. We welcome applications from researchers working in any area of astrophysics and/or cosmology. For full consideration, all materials should be received by November 10, 2025.

McWilliams Postdoctoral Fellows are part of CMU’s McWilliams Center for Cosmology and Astrophysics. The McWilliams Center synergizes research carried out in CMU’s Departments of Physics, Computer Science, Machine Learning, and Statistics, and enjoys close relationships with the University of Pittsburgh’s Department of Physics and Astronomy. Carnegie Mellon’s physics faculty hold leadership roles in multiple large sky surveys and consortia, including DES, DESI, HSC, LISA, and Rubin LSST. CMU is also a co-host of LINCC Frameworks which is developing analysis software infrastructure to enable the use of Rubin LSST data. Theoretical and observational studies within the Center cover a wide range of astrophysical phenomena, including galaxy and structure formation, black holes and gravitational waves, stellar evolution, gravitational lensing, dynamical detection of dark matter (see list of center faculty here). The McWilliams Center benefits from the Vera computing cluster at the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center, which provides high-performance computing resources on a variety of scales and works closely with our scientists.

Fellowship appointments are for 2 years, with renewal for a third year likely, contingent upon satisfactory progress. The position comes with a competitive salary, an annual research budget, health benefits, and relocation expenses.
Applicants should hold a Ph.D. in physics, astronomy, or an adjacent field by the time of appointment, which is anticipated to begin September 1, 2026.

Application Instructions:
Applications should be uploaded to the Interfolio website and must include a curriculum vitae, publication list, a statement of research interests, and a cover letter. The cover letter should identify the applicant’s scientific background and goals, explain any synergies that make CMU a good fit for the proposed work, and can include examples of the candidate’s engagement within both academic and general public communities. There are no formal page limits, but the AAS Postdoctoral Guidelines should be seen as a target for length and detail.

In addition, candidates should arrange for three letters of recommendation to be uploaded (a prompt will be sent automatically to the applicant’s references when their contact information is entered at the Interfolio site). For full consideration, all materials should be received by November 10, 2025.

Please find here details and how to apply.

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ESA Archival Research Visitor Programme

To increase the scientific return from its space science missions, ESA welcomes applications from scientists interested in pursuing research based on publicly available data in the ESA Space Science Archives. The Archives host data from all current and past ESA space science missions in astronomy, planetary science, and heliophysics.

The ESA Archival Research Visitor Programme is open to scientists at all career levels who are affiliated with institutes in ESA Member States and Cooperating States (note that all visits must comply with the ESA Security Directives, which may necessitate additional checks). Early-career scientists are particularly encouraged to apply, including PhD students (see below). We encourage applications from women and minorities. The peer-review evaluation process is anonymised to ensure equal opportunities for all applicants.

Residence lasts typically between one and three months, also distributed over multiple visits, depending on the complexity of the research project. The research projects can be carried out at ESAC (Madrid, Spain) and at ESTEC (Noordwijk, Netherlands). To offset the expenses incurred by visitors, ESA covers travel costs from and to the home institution and provides support for lodging expenses and meals.

During their stay, visiting scientists have the opportunity to interact with archive and mission specialists for questions on the retrieval, calibration, and analysis of archival data. In principle, all areas of space research covered by ESA science missions can be supported. To ensure that technical expertise in the specific area of interest is available at ESAC or ESTEC, applicants should consult the table of expertise and contact the relevant scientists in their field of interest (this is very important). In case of doubts, write to the programme coordinators for assistance at arvp@cosmos.esa.int.

The next deadline for applications is Monday 10 November 2025, 23:59 UTC

Call for applications

Applications can be submitted at any time by sending email to arvp(at)cosmos.esa.int. The email should contain a single PDF document of at most three pages detailing:

  • description of the goals of the research project
  • public archival data on which help is sought
  • which type of expertise you expect to gain
  • proposed time and duration of the visit
  • expected publications
  • contact information

Please keep it short (max 3 pages) and follow the simple template provided here. Note that this is just a template, you can use the font type and size that you prefer (not smaller than 10), but please do not exceed three pages. You must indicate the (expected) year of your PhD.

To prevent unconscious biases, your name, email address, and other contact information (on the third page) will not be visible to reviewers. To help in the process, you must write your application in an “anonymous” way, i.e. do not identify yourself in the text. For instance, do not mention the name of your institute or collaborators in the scientific description of the project (page 1 and 2) and when you are referring to one of your papers, do not write “I have shown that … (Author Name, 2023, Journal, 954, 125)”, but rather write “It has been shown that … (Author Name, 2023, Journal, 954, 125)”. If you identify yourself, the application will not be considered.

We encourage you to contact us if you have any questions about the data that could support your research project. You will find the names of our experts in the various science areas in the table of expertise below. Or write to the programme coordinators for assistance at arvp(at)cosmos.esa.int.

Students

We welcome proposals by graduate students. The proposals can be submitted by the students themselves or in collaboration with their supervisors. If you are a student and would like to visit ESA to learn more about doing science with archival data, make sure that you coordinate and agree your research project with your supervisor. Mention this in the application, but omit the name of the supervisor, otherwise the application is not anonymous.

Deadlines

Applications can be submitted at any time and are reviewed twice a year, with deadlines usually on 30 April and 31 October. The results of the review will be communicated to applicants within about two months of the deadlines. Applicants are encouraged to contact the ESA scientists or the programme coordinators well ahead of the deadlines in order to discuss their research plans.

Applications received by 10 November 2025 (23:59 UTC) will be considered for visits in spring and summer 2026.

Please find here full details.

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PhD student fellowship position at Center for Theoretical Physics Polish Academy of Sciences Warsaw

The Director of the Center for Theoretical Physics PAS announces a competition for oneScholar-PhD Student position at the CTP PAS, within the research Project Weave-UNISONO „Lensing of electromagnetic and gravitational waves”, financed by the National Science Center (GA no. UMO-2024/06/Y/ST2/00190), and within the Geoplanet doctoral school. The project’s leader is dr hab. Mikołaj Korzyński. The research will be conducted in collaboration with the group of Dr. Marius Oancea from the University of Vienna. Application deadline October 15th 2025.

The aims of the project are:

Optical drift effects close to caustics: investigating the effects of lens, observer and source transverse motion in strong gravitational lensing, for objects near caustics, Lensing of gravitational waves by strong gravitational fields: computing lensed gravitational waveforms originating from sources in strong-gravity environments, Computing the effects of propagation of waves in curved spacetimes beyond geometric optics using the Wigner function approach.

The scope of work of the successful Candidates will be pursuing their PhD project at CTP PAS and within the Geoplanet doctoral school. The scope of the project involves:

  • Developing software for raytracing of gravitational waves in strong gravitational fields,
  • Computing the waveforms from binary black hole systems,
  • Theoretical research on wave propagation in curved spacetimes.

Where to apply
E-mail rekrutacja(at)cft.edu.pl

Requirements

  • Research Field Astronomy » Astrophysics
  • Education Level Master Degree or equivalent
  • Research Field Physics » Other
  • Education Level Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

We expect the Candidates to have:

  • MSc in physics, astronomy or compatible,
  • Good programming skills and experience in numerical methods,
  • Independence and creativity in problem solving.

Knowledge of general relativity would be welcome.

Languages ENGLISH
Level Excellent

Please find here full details.

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PhD position in gravitational-wave astronomy and massive binary evolution at Radboud University

Join a pioneering PhD project exploring how massive stars evolve into gravitational-wave sources. Combine stellar physics, simulations and cutting-edge data to uncover the origins of black holes and neutron stars, linking theory with the latest discoveries in this rapidly growing field. Application deadline October 31st 2025.

It has been just over a decade since the first detection of gravitational waves, marking the birth of a new field in astronomy. Since then, the number of detections has grown rapidly: from one, to a few, to hundreds, revealing entire populations of gravitational-wave sources. These signals are produced by black holes and neutron stars, the compact remnants of massive stars.

Many questions on how these populations form remain. To solve this puzzle, we must understand how massive stars are born, interact in binary systems, and how they end their lives as black holes or neutron stars. This will be the topic of this PhD thesis.

As a PhD candidate, you will conduct fundamental research on the evolution of massive binary stars, with a special focus on the systems that give rise to gravitational-wave sources.

This theoretical project will be at the intersection of stellar physics, computational astronomy and an unprecedented amount of data driven by observation. You will learn to run simulations on high-performance computing clusters, ranging from broad parameter studies with rapid binary-population synthesis codes to detailed stellar evolution calculations with 1D stellar evolution codes. The models you develop will be directly linked to new and upcoming observations, including the just-released 4th gravitational-wave observations (O4, released in August 2025) and the Gaia DR4 dataset (expected mid-2026).

Your duties as a teaching assistant cover about 10 percent of your work time, spread over the course of the appointment.

Would you like to learn more about what it’s like to pursue a PhD at Radboud University? Visit the page about working as a PhD candidate.
Does this sound like you?

  • You hold a Master’s degree in astronomy/physics or a related field, or you expect to obtain your Master’s degree around the starting date of the appointment.
  • You bring curiosity and enthusiasm, enjoy thinking critically, communicate openly, and take initiative.
  • You are able to work in a team as well as independently.
  • You have excellent writing and verbal communication skills in English.

What we offer you

  • We will give you a temporary employment contract (1.0 FTE) of 1.5 years, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, your contract will be extended by 2.5 years (4-year contract).
  • You will receive a starting salary of €3,059 gross per month based on a 38-hour working week, which will increase to €3,881 in the fourth year (salary scale P).
  • You will receive an 8% holiday allowance and an 8,3% end-of-year bonus.
  • We offer Dual Career Coaching. The Dual Career Coaching assists your partner via support, tools, and resources to improve their chances of independently finding employment in the Netherlands.
  • You will receive extra days off. With full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the statutory 20.

Additional employment conditions

Work and science require good employment practices. Radboud University’s primary and secondary employment conditions reflect this. You can make arrangements for the best possible work-life balance with flexible working hours, various leave arrangements and working from home. You are also able to compose part of your employment conditions yourself. For example, exchange income for extra leave days and receive a reimbursement for your sports membership. In addition, you receive a 34% discount on the sports and cultural activities at Radboud University as an employee. And, of course, we offer a good pension plan. We also give you plenty of room and responsibility to develop your talents and realise your ambitions. Therefore, we provide various training and development schemes.
Where you will be working

Your PhD project will be supervised by Dr. Lieke van Son

(Radboud University) and will be carried out in a highly international setting. Collaboration with international research groups across the globe is expected.

This PhD position is embedded in the Astrophysics Department at the Institute for Mathematics, Astrophysics and Particle Physics (IMAPP) at Radboud University (Nijmegen, Netherlands). We are a very tight-knit and socially active department, currently home to 18 faculty members (junior and senior) and about 65 postdoctoral researchers and PhD candidates. Research at the department covers a broad range of topics, including stellar physics, black hole and accretion physics, gravitational waves, cosmic rays, and instrumentation.

Faculty of Science
The Faculty of Science (FNWI), part of Radboud University, engages in groundbreaking research and excellent education. In doing so, we push the boundaries of scientific knowledge and pass that knowledge on to the next generation.

We seek solutions to major societal challenges, such as cybercrime and climate change and work on major scientific challenges, such as those in the quantum world. At the same time, we prepare our students for careers both within and outside the scientific field.

Currently, more than 1,300 colleagues contribute to research and education, some as researchers and lecturers, others as technical and administrative support officers. The faculty has a strong international character with staff from more than 70 countries. Together, we work in an informal, accessible and welcoming environment, with attention and space for personal and professional development for all.

Please find here full details.

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Max Planck Research Group Leaders

The Max Planck Society (Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften e.V.; MPG) is a world-leading, independent, non-profit research organization with the goal of promoting cutting-edge basic research. Over 26,000 employees across 84 Max Planck Institutes and research facilities conduct basic research in the life and natural sciences as well as the humanities, social sciences and law and have a strong interest in innovative and interdisciplinary research. There are several Max Planck Institutes with astronomy-related research, including the MPI for Astronomy (Heidelberg), Radio Astronomy (Bonn), Astrophysics (Garching), Extraterrestrial Physics (Garching), Gravitational Physics (Golm/Hanover), Nuclear Physics (Heidelberg), Physics (Garching), and Solar System (Göttingen). For further details on the institutes, see https://www.mpg.de/institutes.

To support emerging scholars early in their career path, the MPG invites all outstanding scientists with a doctorate working in any field of research pursued in the organization to apply for one of several positions as Max Planck Research Group Leader (https://www.mpg.de/career/max-planck-research-groups/applications).

Successful candidates will lead their own independent Max Planck Research Group at a participating Max Planck Institute of their own choice for a period of six years. An extension of up to three more years is possible and subject to a positive evaluation as well as the respective legal regulations. Application deadline October 13th 2025.

The funding package covers a W2 position (equivalent to an assistant or non-tenured associate professor level), resources for scientific staff and a generous budget for equipment and consumables. The total funding for a Max Planck Research Group is competitive with other top international career development programmes and amounts to up to 2.7 million euros for the initial six years.

Once accepted for the position as Max Planck Research Group Leader, successful candidates can participate at the MPG/TUM career programme and apply for a position as Tenure Track Assistant Professor at the Technische Universität München. Tenure track options may also be possible with other universities on an individual basis. Furthermore, the MPG also considers promoting outstanding Research Group Leaders when filling vacant director positions.

Application Instructions
The MPG is an equal opportunities employer striving for greater gender equality and diversity. Therefore, applicants from all genders are welcome. Furthermore, the MPG is committed to increasing the number of individuals with severe disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualified individuals.

Your application should include the following documents:

  • a cover letter;
  • a CV;
  • a list of publications in which the applicant should identify the three most important papers that they have written. If they are not the first author, they should quantitatively specify their contribution to the paper;
  • a research summary limited to one page (11 point type, double-spaced, Times New Roman, 25mm margins on 4 sides) and written for a non-specialist, which explains the main goals of the research work and why the applicant’s preferred MPI and their proposed MPRG would be a good match;
  • a research proposal of no more than three pages total (11 point type, double-spaced, Times New Roman, 25mm margins on 4 sides) including all references, figures, and tables, written for a specialist;
  • links to or copies of the three most important papers;
  • two letters of recommendation.

Link to Online Application https://mprg.cloud.opencampus.net
Inquiries: mprg(at)gv.mpg.de

Please find here details.

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Burke-Leinweber Fellowships in Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics at Caltech

The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) solicits applications for the Prize Fellowship program of the  Walter Burke Institute for Theoretical Physics and the newly founded Leinweber Forum for Theoretical Physics. Fellowships are to begin in the Fall 2026, offering an opportunity for outstanding recent and new Ph.D. recipients to perform research at Caltech for three to four years. Application deadline November 15th 2025.

They are selected by a faculty committee representing all areas of theoretical physics and astrophysics at Caltech and are provided with:

flexibility, support, and freedom in choosing research directions within theoretical physics and astrophysics (including but not limited to theoretical astrophysics/cosmology, condensed matter theory, general relativity, particle/string theory, mathematical physics, and quantum information),
an inclusive environment with faculty mentorship and activities organized by the Burke Institute and Leinweber Forum to promote scientific exchanges and professional growth.

The Burke and Leinweber Fellowship program significantly expands and strengthens Caltech’s long-standing program of Prize Fellowships in Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics. The Prize Fellowship program has been successful with over 95 percent of the more than 120 former fellows holding distinguished academic positions, as shown at http://burkeinstitute.caltech.edu/people/postdoctoral-fellows.

Applicants should submit curriculum vitae, a statement of research interests (no more than 5 pages, excluding references), and a list of publications (refereed papers on top). Applicants should also ensure that at least three letters of reference are submitted on their behalf.

Applicants interested in being considered for a joint appointment in theoretical astrophysics with Carnegie Observatories must also apply here.

Qualifications and terms of appointment:

PhD in Physics, Astronomy, or related field (completed or expected by start date)
Eligibility extends to current postdoctoral scholars
Appointment term: 3 to 4 years
Salary: $85,000 in the first year
Research fund: $10,000 per annum
One-time allowance to assist with the move
Annual paid time off: 21 days, not including Caltech Holidays
Annual sick leave: 15 days
Health, dental, and vision insurance

Process timeline:

  • September 1, 2025: Applications are accepted
  • November 15, 2025: Deadline for applications, including reference letters
  • Mid-December 2025 – End of February 2026: Offers
  • View or update your application using the “Status” link after login

Please find here full details and to apply.