Category: Positions

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is inviting applications for a postdoctoral position in numerical relativity and fundamental physics. The successful candidate will work with Prof. Helvi Witek and her team, and they will have the opportunity to collaborate on the Einstein Toolkit/CarpetX software framework. Applicant should submit their application package: (1) a cover letter, (2) a curriculum vitae, including a list of publications, (3) a research statement (limited to 3 pages, 1 inch margin, 11-12pt) containing a summary of previous and current research, and future research plans, (4) contact information for three (3) referees who will be asked to write letters of recommendation, by  December 1, 2025.

The Illinois Relativity Group in the Department of Physics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign invites applications for a postdoctoral research position with focus on numerical relativity, computational astrophysics, and their applications to fundamental physics.

The successful candidate will join Prof. Helvi Witek and her team to work on numerical relativity in and beyond general relativity, including tests of gravity or modeling signatures of dark matter candidates around black holes. The candidate is intended to partially work on the Einstein Toolkit/CarpetX software framework and contribute to its hybrid Monte-Carlo/M1 neutrino transport scheme as part of the “E=mc²” project. This is a multi-institutional project to develop numerical infrastructure and methods, with collaborators at Louisiana State University, Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Idaho, University of Texas Austin, and the University of Wyoming, and international collaborators R. Haas and E. Schnetter.

Prof. Helvi Witek’s team is currently home to postdoc Dr. Jay Kalinani, Visiting Research Scientist Dr. Elena Kopteva, six graduate students and undergraduate students; see https://witek-gravity-group.physics.illinois.edu. The successful candidate will become a member of the Illinois Relativity Group which includes Profs. S. Shapiro, H. O. Silva, N. Yunes, and Research Professor A. Tsokaros. They will also become part of a vibrant research community in the Illinois Center for Advanced Study of the University (ICASU; https://icasu.illinois.edu/) that bridges the Departments of Physics, Astronomy, Computer Science, Mathematics and the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA). ICASU faculty working in closely related areas include Profs. C. Gammie, G. Holder, J. Noronha-Hostler, J. Noronha, J. Shelton, and S. Vishveshwara. The successful candidate will also have opportunities to join the LISA Consortium (https://lisamission.org) and the Einstein Toolkit Consortium (https://einsteintoolkit.org).

The candidate should have a strong background in scientific software development using parallelization frameworks like MPI or in numerical relativity in and beyond General Relativity. Expertise in GPU programming is beneficial. Interested candidates must have completed a Ph.D. in astronomy, physics, or a related field before the start date.

They must submit their application package online here: https://my.physics.illinois.edu/join/ under “Postdoctoral Position in Numerical Relativity and Fundamental Physics with Dr. Helvi Witek – 2026.” Applicants are requested to submit:

(1) a cover letter,

(2) a curriculum vitae, including a list of publications,

(3) a research statement (limited to 3 pages, 1 inch margin, 11-12pt) containing a summary of previous and current research, and future research plans,

(4) contact information for three (3) referees who will be asked to write letters of recommendation.

The deadline for applications and all letters of recommendation is December 1, 2025, for full consideration. The anticipated starting date of the position is August 15, 2026, though other starting times may be negotiated. The position is expected to last for a two-year term with a potential extension to a third year, conditional on performance and/or funding availability.

Please contact Prof. Helvi Witek (hwitek@illinois.edu) if you have any questions about the position itself, or Deanna Frye (ddebord@illinois.edu) if you have any questions about the application form.

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process.

The “Computational Relativistic Astrophysics” division at the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (the Albert Einstein Institute) in Potsdam led by Masaru Shibata (director) announces the opening of postdoc appointments. Each available postdoctoral position will be for a duration of 2—3 years.

The “Computational Relativistic Astrophysics” division is currently composed of two group leaders (Kenta Kiuchi, Kyohei Kawaguchi), 1 senior scientist (Takami Kuroda), and several postdoc researchers and students, and focuses on several research topics in relativistic astrophysics including neutron star mergers, collapsars, nucleosynthesis, stellar core collapse and explosion, formation and evolution of very massive and supermassive black holes, and multi-messenger astrophysics.

The researchers in the “Computational Relativistic Astrophysics” division can use high-performance computers at Max Planck Computing and Data Facility (MPCDF: https://www.mpcdf.mpg.de).

To apply for a postdoctoral position at the AEI in Potsdam, please fill out this form.

Applicants will be asked to upload a cover letter, curriculum vitae, list of publications and statement of research interests. Applicants will need to indicate the names of three referees for recommendation letters. Referees will be notified by email on how to upload the letters (in case of problems referees could send the letters directly to nrjobs(at)aei.mpg.de).

The deadline for the full consideration is December 21th, 2025. The positions will be available from September 1st 2026.

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. Furthermore, the Max Planck Society seeks to increase the number of women in those areas where they are underrepresented and therefore explicitly encourages women to apply.

For further information, please contact Matthias Blittersdorf: matthias.blittersdorf(at)aei.mpg.de.

Please find here details.

IFT (Madrid, Spain) invites applications for 1–2 postdoctoral positions in gravitational waves and gravitational lensing, funded by CSIC-MAX and “Atracción de Talento” grants. The positions will start in October 2026 or later. The initial appointment is for two years, with possible extension depending on performance and available funding. Review of applications will begin on December 1 and continue until the positions are filled.

Successful candidates will collaborate with Miguel Zumalacárregui (joining IFT in Summer 2026, website). Potential topics include

• Wave-optics phenomena in gravitational lensing (e.g. 2409.04606)
• Searches for lensed gravitational waves and tests of dark matter (e.g. 2212.11960)
• Gravitational lensing of stars by binary black holes (e.g. 2506.16544)

We are looking for creative and highly motivated researchers with interest in cosmology, gravitational lensing, gravitational waves, compact-object astrophysics, data analysis, and/or computational methods. 

The group maintains active collaborations with the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (AEI, Potsdam), the Institute for Advanced Study (Princeton), the University of Oxford, UC Berkeley, and the Niels Bohr Institute (Copenhagen). Members will have opportunities to pursue independent research and/or contribute to the Euclid and LISA missions.

IFT is a leading Spanish center for theoretical physics, spanning cosmology, gravitation, high-energy, and astroparticle physics. With a vibrant international community, the institute runs active visiting programs, workshops, and PhD training, and has been distinguished as a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence, recognizing its scientific leadership.

IFT is an equal opportunity employer. Applications from women and members of underrepresented groups are encouraged.

Please find here details.

The Gravity Exploration Institute at Cardiff University is seeking a postdoc (called 'research associate' in the UK) in gravitational-wave experimentation and instrument simulation. Closing date for the application is 13 the November 2026. 

The post will be focused on a new optical calibration scheme for gravitational-wave detectors and on modeling thermal behavior of optics and sensing in gravitational-wave detectors.
Part of the work will be developed on our world-leading table-top experiment, and the candidate is also foreseen to spend some time at the LIGO sites.

Please talk to Prof. Hartmut Grote, or Prof. Katherine Dooley, or Dr. Keiko Kokeyama for any question.

Please find the position opening here.

The Leonard E. Parker Center for Gravitation, Cosmology, and Astrophysics (CGCA) at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) invites applications for a postdoctoral position working with Prof. Brady and Prof. Creighton on research in gravitational wave physics and astronomy within the LIGO Scientific Collaboration.

The initial appointment is for one year, with renewal for a second (and, in most cases, a third) year contingent on continued funding and satisfactory performance. This position includes competitive salary and excellent fringe benefits. Applicants should have a PhD in physics, astrophysics, or a related field.
The CGCA at UWM has active research efforts in astronomy, astrophysics, gravity, and cosmology, with membership in the LIGO Scientific Collaboration, NANOGrav, the Event Horizon Telescope, and more. The core group is comprised of 8 faculty (Brady, Chang, Creighton, Erb, Kaplan, Medeiros, Vigeland and Wiseman), plus a number of scientists, postdocs, and graduate students.

Applicants should send a C.V., publication list, and a brief statement of their research interests by email to cgca-postdoc-applications(at)uwm.edu. Please include “LIGO” in the subject line of your email. Applicants should also arrange to have three letters of recommendation sent by e-mail to the above address. Review of applications will begin on 23 January 2026. Questions should also be sent to the above address, with “LIGO” included in the subject.

The University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer.

Please find here details.

We invite applications for a 3-year postdoctoral research position in the field of cosmology and gravitational wave data analysis. The successful candidate will join the Instituto de Estructura de la Materia (IEM - CSIC) in Madrid to work with Dr. Mauro Pieroni and Dr. Jesús Torrado. The proposed starting date is October 1st, 2026. The deadline for application is on the 15th of November.

The research focus is the development and application of advanced inference techniques to extract cosmological and astrophysical information from gravitational wave observations. Specific areas of interest include Bayesian methodologies (hierarchical modelling, classical and machine-learning approaches), synergies between gravitational waves and other cosmological probes, and theoretical and computational developments in multi-messenger cosmology. Strong candidates with only partial overlap will also be considered.

Qualifications

• A PhD in physics, astronomy, or a related field by the start date.
• Expertise in cosmology, gravitational wave physics, or data analysis.
• Strong background in statistical inference and computational methods, preferably including MCMC/nested sampling/variational inference, and machine learning methods.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a collaborative team.

Application Instructions
Applicants should submit the following materials to mauro.pieroni(at)csic.es and jesus.torrado(at)csic.es:

• Cover letter (max 1 page)
• Curriculum Vitae (max 2 pages) and list of publications.
• Research statement, briefly summarising past work and current interests (max 2 pages).

Please, arrange for 3 letters of recommendation to be sent to the same email addresses by the deadline.

Deadline for full consideration
November 15th, 2025 (but applications will be considered until the position is filled).

For inquiries, please contact
mauro.pieroni(at)csic.es and jesus.torrado(at)csic.es

Please find here full details.

Syracuse University is seeking two gravitational-wave experimentalist postdocs. The positions begin on or around January 1, 2026.

Postdoc in High Power Laser Applications under Professor Craig Cahillane, who is working on building a ultra-high power photoneutralization cavity for applications in nuclear fusion and gravitational wave detectors. Read more

Postdoc in Quantum Optics under Professor Georgia Mansell, who is working on understanding the interactions of squeezed light with complex interferometers, as well as building an electrostatic violin mode damper for Advanced LIGO. Read more

Both are involved in the optical design of Cosmic Explorer, the United States’ third generation gravitational wave observatory.Open until filled.

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(at)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.