Research Fellow in Exoplanets

Salary: As this vacancy has limited funding the maximum salary that can be offered is Grade 7, salary £37,099

Contract Type: Fixed Term contract up to May 2027

Background

The Sun, Stars and Exoplanets research group at the University of Birmingham invites inventive and talented individuals to apply for a postdoctoral research position for an STFC funded project entitled “Temperate exoplanets from Chile & Antarctica”.

The successful candidates will join a vibrant group of astronomers. The Sun, Stars, and Exoplanets group consist of six permanent researchers: Amaury Triaud, Guy Davies, Annelies Mortier, Anjali Piette, Bill Chaplin and Yvonne Ellsworth, along two main research themes: exoplanets and asteroseismology. Members of the group have responsibilities in SPECULOOS, ASTEP, BiSON, TESS, Kepler and the PLATO mission. The group benefits from newly refurbished offices at the heart of a beautiful campus.

The successful applicant will work primarily with Prof. Amaury Triaud as part of the ASTEP consortium (operating one telescope at Concordia Station, on Dome C in Antarctica), and of the SPECULOOS consortium (operating four telescopes in Cerro Paranal, one (soon two) on El Teide, and one at San Pedro Martir, in Mexico). We particularly welcome applicants with expertise in transit photometry, with modelling transit timing variations, with modelling radial-velocities, and where possible, with some experience with technical/manual labour on a telescope. Candidates might be asked to go on technical missions to the Atacama and/or to Antarctica that can last several weeks to several months.

Role Summary

The successful candidate will work as part of the ASTEP and SPECULOOS consortia to confirm temperate exoplanets with photometry, and where possible, engage in radial-velocity follow-up to measure their masses. In addition, in specific systems, they will take series of transits to measure transit timing variations.

• Work within an STFC small award grant entitled “Temperate Exoplanets from Chile and Antarctica” and to contribute to writing funding and telescope time bids.
• Operate within area of specialism, here the photometric and velocimetric study of exoplanets.
• Analyse and interpret research findings and results (photometry and radial-velocities).
• Contribute to generating funding.
• Contribute to licensing or spin out deals with demonstrated commercial success (such as revenues, asset or company sales, IP generated) and/or public understanding of the discipline or similar.

Person Specification

• PhD degree (or near to completion) in Physics and/with Astrophysics, and experience with data analysis and a high level of statistics.
• High level analytical capability.
• Evidence of multiple peer-reviewed scientific publications, with preference to publications in Exoplanetology.
• Technical and practical experience in dealing with telescope will come as a bonus to any application.

Applications should include a CV (max 2 pages) with a list of publications (as long as necessary), and a two-page statement describing your research interests and plans, and what expertise and skills you bring to the project, but also to the wider research group. Applicants should also provide contact details for 3 referees. Complete applications should be received by 15 April 2024 for full consideration.

Informal enquires can be made to Amaury Triaud, email: [email protected]  

To download the full job description and details of this position and submit an electronic application online please click on the above ‘Apply’ button.

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We value diversity and inclusion at the University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community and are open to discussions around all forms of flexible working.