PhD fellowship in Theoretical Astrophysics

The Niels Bohr Institute invites applicants for a PhD fellowship in Stochastic backgrounds of gravitational waves. The project is part of the research project “"Illuminating the Dark Universe with Gravitational Waves", which is financed by funded by the Villum foundation.

Start date is March 1, 2022 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The project
Gravitational-wave astronomy has revolutionized science. In this project, we aim to explore the influence of gravitational waves in the dynamics of several systems. This includes the excitation of the normal modes of pulsars and their effects on rotation of stars, the heating up of the orbits of loosely bound systems (as wide binaries or Oort belt objects), influence the dynamics of triple systems, influence into populations of binaries (since for resonant binaries the effect is larger). This will allow us to explore new bands for stochastic GW backgrounds, though transient events may also be relevant.

 Who are we looking for?
We are looking for candidates within the field of gravitational-wave physics, and black hole physics.

Our group and research- and what do we offer?
The group is now forming, and funded by a Villum Investigator Program. The group - directed by Prof. Cardoso - is young and dynamic and will consist of around 10 researchers. The group focus is on strong-field gravity, including black hole spectroscopy, tests of the black hole paradigm and tests of extensions of General Relativity.

The group is a part of the Niels Bohr International Academy, Niels Bohr Institute, Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen. We are located in Copenhagen.

We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in dynamic and international research environment.

Principal supervisor isProfessor Vitor Cardoso, Niels Bohr International Academy, Niels Bohr Institute, [email protected].

The PhD programme

The PhD programme is athree year full-time study within the framework of the regular PhD programme (5+3 scheme), if you already have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish master’s degree.

Getting into a position on the regular PhD programme

Qualifications needed for the regular programme
To be eligible for the regular PhD programme, you must have completed a degree programme, equivalent to a Danish master’s degree (180 ECTS/3 FTE BSc + 120 ECTS/2 FTE MSc) related to the subject area of the project, in particular strong-field gravity and black hole physics. For information of eligibility of completed programmes, see General assessments for specific countries and Assessment database .

Terms of employment in the regular programme
Employment as PhD fellow is full time and for maximum 3 years.

Employment is conditional upon your successful enrolment as a PhD student at the PhD School at the Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen. This requires submission and acceptance of an application for the specific project formulated by the applicant.

The terms of employment and salary are in accordance to the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State (AC). The position is covered by the Protocol on Job Structure.

Salary range starts at DKK 27,871.40 per month incl. PhD supplement (1 Oct. 2021 level).

Responsibilities and tasks in both PhD programmes

• Complete and pass the MSc education in accordance with the curriculum of the MSc programme

 (ONLY when you are attending the integrated MSc and PhD programme)

• Carry through an independent research project under supervision

• Complete PhD courses corresponding to approx. 30 ECTS / ½ FTE
• Participate in active research environments, including a stay at another research institution, preferably abroad
• Teaching and knowledge dissemination activities
• Write scientific papers aimed at high-impact journals
• Write and defend a PhD thesis on the basis of your project

We are looking for the following qualifications:

• Professional qualifications relevant to the PhD project
• Relevant publications
• Relevant work experience
• Other relevant professional activities
• Curious mind-set with a strong interest in Stochastic Backgrounds of Gravitational Waves
• Good language skills

Application and Assessment Procedure
Your application including all attachments must be in English and submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below.

Please include: 

The deadline for applications is 9th of November, 2021, 23:59 GMT +1

We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.

The further process
After deadline, a number of applicants will be selected for academic assessment by an unbiased expert assessor. You are notified, whether you will be passed for assessment.

The assessor will assess the qualifications and experience of the shortlisted applicants with respect to the above mentioned research area, techniques, skills and other requirements. The assessor will conclude whether each applicant is qualified and, if so, for which of the two models. The assessed applicants will have the opportunity to comment on their assessment. You can read about the recruitment process at https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/ .

Interviews with selected candidates are expected to be held in week 49.

Questions
For specific information about the PhD fellowship, please contact the principal supervisor.
General information about PhD study at the Faculty of SCIENCE is available at the PhD School’s website: https://www.science.ku.dk/phd/ .

The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding community and invites all regardless of personal background to apply for the position. 

Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe’s top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation – with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture – creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career.