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PhD position in GW detectors University of Münster

The Institute for Nuclear Physics in the Faculty of Physics at the University of Münster, Germany, is seeking to fill the position of a Doctoral Research Associate (Wissenschaftlicher MitarbeiterIn, salary level E 13 TV-L) at the earliest possible date. We are offering a fixed-term part-time position (67%) for 3 years. Full-time employees are required to teach 4 hours per week during the semester. Application deadline February 28th, 2026.

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Deputy System Engineer – Scientific Instrumentation for Space Missions at AEI Hannover

The Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute) is a world-leading center specializing in gravitational physics, gravitational-wave research, and precision laser interferometry. The institute has more than 400 employees across its Potsdam and Hannover locations. For our Hannover site, we are seeking a:

Deputy System Engineer – Scientific Instrumentation for Space Missions at AEI Hannover

The position is embedded in the “Laser Interferometry in Space” group, which has contributed significantly to missions such as LISA Pathfinder and GRACE-FO and is currently playing a leading role in ESA’s LISA mission. You will join a multidisciplinary and international team working at the forefront of spaceborne gravitational-wave detection.

Your Duties and Responsibilities

  • Support the LISA System Engineer in system engineering activities and progressively assume deputy responsibilities.
  • Coordinate system-level decisions and participate in internal and external technical meetings.
  • Contribute to system design, verification tasks, and technical documentation preparation.
  • Maintain accurate configuration control and documentation.
  • Plan and support Assembly, Integration and Test (AIT) activities.
  • Prepare requirements and procedures for safe hardware handling, shipment, and verification.
  • Operate and verify Ground Support Equipment and test facilities during subsystem and system testing.
  • Participate in verification campaigns at AEI and partner sites.
  • Support Product Assurance (PA) activities, including non-conformance tracking and inspections.
  • Contribute to design reviews, test readiness reviews, and acceptance reviews.
  • Support procurement processes and prepare technical specifications.
  • Collaborate closely with industrial partners, space agencies, and internal project teams.

Your Profile

  • Master’s degree or equivalent in engineering, physics, or a related field.
  • Experience in system engineering, testing, verification, or product assurance.
  • Familiarity with ECSS workflows, test automation, or electronics verification.
  • Hands-on experience with laboratory or test equipment is an advantage.
  • Strong communication skills in English (level C1 minimum); German is an asset but not required.
  • Organisational talent and the ability to manage multiple parallel tasks.
  • Structured and careful working style with strong documentation practices.

We Offer

  • An international, collaborative research environment.
  • Work at the forefront of spaceborne gravitational-wave detection.
  • Regular interaction with ESA, DLR, laboratories, and industrial partners.
  • Access to state-of-the-art laboratories and infrastructure.
  • Competitive salary according to the German TVöD Bund guidelines.
  • Initial 2-year contract with the possibility of extension.

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/245/deputy-system-engineer-scientific-instrumentation-for-space-missions/apply

Questions can be directed to the LISA Program Office (lisa-program-office(at)aei.mpg.de).

The applications received will be considered from January 15th, 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/.

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Test Engineer at AEI Hannover

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). 

The applications received will be considered from January 15th, 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/.

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Postdoc position GW Instrumentation at the University of Antwerp

The Department of Physics in the Faculty of Science is looking for a full-time (100%) postdoctoral scholarship holder in the field of Physics or a related field.

The Particle Physics research group carries out research in particle physics (CMS experiment at CERN LHC) and gravitational waves. Members of the group are involved with Virgo instrumentation, LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA data analysis, and Instrumentation Science with the Einstein Telescope. The University of Antwerp is a founding partner of the ETPathfinder project, and members of the group take part in the instrumentation developments related to this facility in Maastricht. The University of Antwerp is also one of the initial founding research units of the Einstein Telescope Collaboration.

Are you interested in technology and techniques which allow us to observe black holes colliding a million light years out in the cosmos? We are looking for a postdoc to work on the cross section of research, education and collaboration with industry and join the ETpathfinder Smart Skills Lab project. Application deadline is 26 February 2026.

ETpathfinder is a field laboratory for research, development and validation of new technologies for the Einstein Telescope. Based on a full interferometer configuration ETpathfinder aims to perform length measurements at the level of a thousandths of a proton diameter, which requires going beyond the state of art in a variety of fields including optics, sensors, lasers, materials, cryogenic cooling, vibration damping, vacuum and controls.

The ETpathfinder Smart Skills lab is a new initiative with the aim of providing training to companies and industry partners in ETpathfinder related technologies and skills. These skills trainings will be offered in particular to small and medium enterprises (SME) in Flanders and the south of the Netherlands (Limburg and Noord Brabant). The ETpathfinder Smart Skills lab is an initiative of 17 academic and educational partners from the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.

Position

  • You would join a cohort of 11 ETpathfinder Technology Experts who will initially work for 12 months with the ETpathfinder team to get trained in the ETpathfinder facility at Maastricht. Afterwards you will develop training modules and deliver them (online & practical) to SMEs.
  • You will work in close collaboration with the ETpathfinder team (consisting of more than 20 research institutes and universities from 7 countries) and the ETpathfinder Smart Skills Lab team.
  • The location of this full-time job is in the Department of Physics, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium. You will be expected to spend a significant fraction of your time at the ETpathfinder facility in Maastricht (Maastricht University, Duboisdomein 30, Maastricht, the Netherlands).
  • Your research focus will be on seismic isolation & control, which is also the primary commitment of the University of Antwerp towards the ETpathfinder project. This involves contributions to the construction, installation, and commissioning of position sensors, actuators, mirror tower suspensions, and local control loops. During the second phase of the project you will use your obtained experience in this field to develop training modules (tutorials, etc.) and transfer your knowledge to local industry (SMEs).

Profile

  • You hold a PhD in Physics or a related field from a non-Belgian institution (or you will have obtained it by the time you start work).
  • You are proficient in English language and have good communication skills (essential)
  • You can work independently (essential)
  • You are flexible in collaboration with others (essential)
  • Experience in research relevant for gravitational wave instrumentation (desirable)
  • Experience in education and outreach (desirable)
  • Your research qualities are in line with the faculty and university research policies.
  • Your teaching competences are in line with the University of Antwerp’s educational vision.
  • You act with attention to quality, integrity, creativity and cooperation.

What we offer

  • We offer a full-time appointment as a postdoctoral scholarship holder for a period of 2-years (1+1 renewable);
  • The planned start date is 1 April 2026 or as soon as possible after that date.
  • Your monthly scholarship amount is calculated according to the scholarship amounts for postdoctoral scholarship holders on the pay scales for Contract Research Staff (Dutch: Bijzonder Academisch Personeel, BAP).
  • You will receive ecocheques, Internet-connectivity allowance and a bicycle allowance or a full reimbursement of public transport costs for commuting.
  • You will do most of your work at the university campus Groenenborger, and at the ETpathfinder facility in Maastricht, Duboisdomein 30 (NL) in a dynamic and stimulating working environment.
  • Find out more about working at the University of Antwerp here.

Want to apply?

  • You can apply for this vacancy through the University of Antwerp’s online job application platform up to and including 26 February 2026 (by midnight Brussels time). Click on the ‘Apply’ button and complete the online application form. Be sure to include the following attachments:
  • a motivation letter (with description of past research)
  • your academic CV
  • three letters of reference
  • The selection committee reviews all applications as soon as possible after the application deadline. As soon as a decision is made, we will notify you. If you are still eligible after the pre-selection, you will be informed about the possible next step(s) in the selection procedure.
  • If you have any questions about the online application form, please check the frequently asked questions or send an email to jobs(at)uantwerpen.be. If you have any questions about the job itself, please contact dr. Hans Van Haevermaet (hans.vanhaevermaet(at)uantwerpen.be).

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Postdoctoral position in GW cosmology at ICG, University of Portsmouth

This postdoctoral position will focus on testing dark energy and modified gravity models with cosmological observations. Two aspects of this are of interest for this position, candidates are welcome via either route:

i) Linking simulations of large-scale structure (LSS) in modified gravity theories to observables relevant to stage IV surveys. Relevant skills include: experience with running and handling outputs from numerical simulations of LSS. Experience constructing emulators. Experience with forecasting and/or data analysis of galaxy clustering and weak lensing observables. Experience with HOD modelling. Other experience in constraining gravity with LSS will be considered.

ii) Testing gravity through the association of gravitational waves (GWs) and galaxies, e.g. dark sirens, GW-galaxy cross-correlation. Relevant skills include: experience with dark sirens software pipelines (e.g. gwcosmo, IcaroGW, CHIMERA…). Experience with GW x LSS cross-correlation computations. Experience with forecasting for 3G GW detectors. Other experience in GW cosmology will be considered.

Application deadline: 02/01/2026

The successful candidate will join the research team of Prof. Tessa Baker, and contribute to the ERC-funded SHADE project. Queries on the post can be directed to tessa.baker@port.ac.uk.

The working pattern for this post is full-time. Whilst there is a need to be in Portsmouth a few days a week, hybrid working is available for this role.

The interviews are currently anticipated to be held on 19 January 2025.

This appointment is a fixed-term contract for 12 months.

Applications (application form, CV, publication list and research proposal for the fellowship) should be submitted by the closing date. Applicants should also arrange for three letters of recommendation to be sent by email to icg-recruitment(at)port.ac.uk, to arrive by the same date.

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ETpathfinder Visiting Scientists Programme Open For Applications

The ETpathfinder Visiting Scientists Programme provides funding to welcome researchers and engineers to our ETpathfinder R&D facility in Maastricht, the Netherlands. This program is designed for senior scientists and engineers, postdoctoral researchers and experienced PhD students who wish to engage with cutting-edge interferometric technology while contributing their expertise to advance our experimental capabilities.

ETpathfinder serves as a R&D fieldlab facility for developing technologies that will enable future -generation gravitational wave detectors, such as Einstein Telescope. Our research focuses on high-precision interferometry with cryogenic silicon test masses, seismic isolation systems, optics, photonics, quantum noise reduction, controls and environmental monitoring as well as on engineering, systems engineering, integration and cleanliness aspects.

For any questions or enquiries, please contact us via etpf-visiting-scientist-prog(at)nikhef.nl

Applications can be submitted via this webpage.

Global Talent Ireland Call

Global Talent Ireland aims to attract exceptional mid-career and established researchers from across the globe to Ireland. Researchers funded through this programme are required to transfer their research activities from their current location to an Eligible Research Body in Ireland. Given its commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, Research Ireland welcomes applications from women and those from historically underserved communities.  
  • Deadline for Expression of Interest: 28th August 2025
  • Deadline for full-proposal: October 2025
  • Duration: 6 years
  • Amount: €2.25M to 3.25M (direct costs)

The programme budget includes the resources to build a research team (e.g., staff, consumables and travel) to carry out high-impact, world-class research, and additional start-up costs to support the researcher’s move to Ireland.

The programme comprises two streams: Rising Stars and Research Leaders. High level details are outlined in the table below:

Career stage

Award duration

Research funding

Startup funding

Maximum budget request

Rising Star

5-15 years post-PhD

6 years

€1.5M

€0.75M

€2.25M

Research leader

16+ years post-PhD

6 years

€2.5M

€0.75M

€3.25M

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CDD researcher (M/F) : Ultra-dense matter equation of state and gravitational Waves, Caen, France

The determination of the equation of state and composition of ultra-dense matter from multi-messenger astrophysical observations remains a central challenge in nuclear physics and high-energy astrophysics. Within this context, the LuTH-Caen theory group, as part of the Virgo collaboration, itself part of the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA consortium, has established a recognized expertise in the theoretical modeling of ultra-dense stellar matter and the development of advanced statistical methods for quantifying theoretical uncertainties and their impact on the confidence intervals of astronomical observables.

Application Deadline: March 27th 2025

This postdoctoral project aims to generate quantitative predictions for the key parameters governing the emission of detectable gravitational wave signals from compact objects, incorporating the uncertainties inherent in the underlying microphysics. Specifically, the successful candidate will focus on parameter estimation in one of two contexts: neutron star binary coalescence, either during the inspiral or post-merger phase, or the continuous gravitational waves emitted by isolated neutron stars.
Within this framework, the successful candidate will contribute to the interpretation of signals from past and ongoing LVK observational campaigns, as well as to the preparation for third-generation interferometers, including post-O5 and the Einstein Telescope. The research will specifically aim to constrain the microscopic properties of dense hadronic matter, such as the nuclear equation of state, and to identify potential signatures of deconfinement phase transitions.

Activities

The successful postdoctoral fellow will be responsible for maintaining and further developing the Bayesian analysis tools for equation-of-state inference within the LPC theory group. This work will be carried out in close collaboration with group members from GANIL and the Strasbourg Observatory, the latter being conducting numerical relativity simulations of post-merger remnants. Depending on the candidate’s previous research experience and interests, there may also be opportunities to contribute to the group’s theoretical developments related to the modeling of dense and superfluid matter in neutron stars. The candidate is expected to contribute to research activities and topics such as:

  • Development of the CUTER tool for the improvement of parameter estimation using microphysics informed equations of state, see https://zenodo.org/records/10781539
  • Numerical simulations for the physics case prospects of third generation interferometers
  • Theoretical modelling of the zero and finite temperature nuclear equation of state and its possible phase transitions, with both effective and microscopic models
  • Development and analysis of neutron star cooling simulations and applications to the measurable properties of the neutron star crust

Skills

The successful candidate must have a PhD in theoretical nuclear physics, gravitational wave data analysis or numerical hydrodynamics. Proficiency in scientific programming (C, C++, Python) and numerical simulations is expected. Familiarity with software development tools such as git and gitlab, while not essential, would be an advantage.

Work Context

The successful candidate will be assigned to the theory and phenomenology team, within the Corpuscular Physics Laboratory of Caen.
The team has a longstanding experience in theoretical nuclear modelling. Since 2020, it is part of the Virgo collaboration within a theoretical group including researchers from the astronomical observatory in Strasbourg, and the GANIL laboratory in Caen.
The LPC CAEN, with about 100 staff, is a joint research unit (UMR 6534) under the supervision of three institutions: the CNRS, the University of Caen Normandy (UCN) and the Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Ingénieurs de Caen (ENSICAEN). It is located on Campus 2 of the University of Caen (Campus Côte de Nacre) and is part of the research park of ENSICAEN (www.lpc-caen.in2p3.fr/).

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DESY-Fellowships in Experimental Particle Physics in Hamburg

DESY-Fellowships in Experimental Particle Physics; Remuneration Group 13; Limited: 2 years; Starting date: after Agreement; ID: FHFE001/2025; Deadline: 31.03.2025; Full-time/Part-time.

DESY, with more than 2900 employees at its two locations in Hamburg and Zeuthen, is one of the world’s leading research centres. Its research focuses on decoding the structure and function of matter, from the smallest particles of the universe to the building blocks of life. In this way, DESY contributes to solving the major questions and urgent challenges facing science, society and industry. With its ultramodern research infrastructure, its interdisciplinary research platforms and its international networks, DESY offers a highly attractive working environment in the fields of science, technology and administration as well as for the education of highly qualified young scientists.

We participate in leading roles in particle physics projects on our campus and in international laboratories such as CERN or KEK. We develop technologies for detectors and accelerators, and work on scientific computing. We operate important infrastructures such as the Tier2 centre or the test beam facility at DESY.

DESY Fellowships in Experimental Particle Physics are selected twice a year. Interested applicants who have recently completed their PhD are requested to submit their application including the scientific background and the usual documents (letter of motivation, research interest, CV, list of publications, copies of university degrees, three letters of reference) for the respective selection round via our application portal. The statement of future research should include both, physics analysis as well as detector or performance related interests. Application Deadline: March 31st, 2025.

The decision on the awarding of a fellowship for the 1/2025 selection round is presumably made on May 31.

About your role:

You are invited to take an active role in one or more of the following projects in Hamburg:

  • The ATLAS and CMS experiments at CERN or the Belle II experiment at KEK
  • Experimental activities on-site (ALPS II and preparation of future on-site experiments at DESY)
  • Preparations for future particle physics experiments, in particular detector and technology development
  • Scientific computing
  • Accelerator development (plasma wakefield)

Good reasons to join:

Look forward to a unique working environment on our international research campus. Respectful cooperation and the well-being of our DESY employees are particularly important to us. Gender equality is an important aspect for us. To support work life balance we offer flexible working hours, variable part-time, job-sharing models and participation in mobile work (up to 50%). You will benefit from our family-friendly and collegial atmosphere, our established health management and occupational pension provision. As a public funded employer, we offer you a secure workplace and facilitate your individual career with our comprehensive training and development opportunities. Remuneration is according to the regulations of the TV-AVH. DESY offers its employees a financial supplement for a German job ticket (Deutschland-Ticket) at both locations.

About you:

Ph.D. in physics (To be eligible, you have to take up the position at the latest 5 years after your doctorate)
Interest in particle physics, accelerator/detector development or scientific computing
Expertise relevant in at least one of the areas listed above

Further informations about the DESY-Fellowship can be found here: http://www.desy.de/FellowFH

Please arrange for three letters of reference to be sent to the DESY human resource department by using our online tool: Additional application documents.

Please find here full details.

Post-doctoral position in Computing for Gravitational Wave Experiments at INFN, Turin

A postdoc level position is opened at INFN Torino to work on Distributed Computing for the Einstein Telescope and in general Gravitational Wave Experiments. The topic is:Design and Implementation of a Multi-Research Infrastructure Data Access and Discovery model with Rucio for Gravitational Wave experiments. The position is initially funded for 24 months and can be extended for additional 12 months. Application deadline: January 26th, 2025.

We are looking for motivated researchers and developers to contribute to a cutting-edge project at the frontier of physics and computing. In the context of the EU-funded project MADDEN, we aim at building a data lake where multiple experiments in the Gravitational Wave community can seamlessly share and analyse experiment data based on FAIR principles. The work will be carried out within a multidisciplinary team of physicists, software engineers, and computer scientists collaborating in a stimulating and international environment.
For details, check out the MADDEN project here.

To apply:

  • go to: https://jobs.dsi.infn.it/index.php and search for grant number 27414.
  • Deadline for application is January 26, 2025 and it will be possible to take the interview for the selection process in videoconference.
  • Candidates should hold a second level degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics (or an equivalent degree obtained outside Italy) for no more than 9 years.
  • The annual gross salary is € 25.183,00. The net salary according to the current regulations is €1.850,04. This number might be subject to change. There will be compensation for winners who obtained their degree outside Turin, in the interest of encouraging mobility.

Feel free to contact federica.legger(at)to.infn.it for further details and information.

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