PhD position in Differential Topology (1.0 FTE)

In this PhD position in Differential Topology you will join the Mathematical Institute of Utrecht University. As a PhD candidate, you will carry out mathematical research in the context of the research project “Flexibility and rigidity of tangent distributions”, funded by an NWO Vidi grant of Dr. Álvaro del Pino Gomez .
The aim of the project is to develop a topological theory of tangent distributions. The outstanding example is the theory of contact structures, which is an extremely rich subfield of Differential Topology in which topological, analytical, and dynamical ideas interact in a highly non-trivial manner. Developing an analogous theory for other tangent distributions is an exciting direction of research that is still very much in its infancy.
During your PhD, you will focus on the so-called 'flexible' side of the story. This means developing new h-principle tools in order to provide explicit classification statements for distributions. This will involve geometric and topological aspects.
You will be part of the research team of Dr. Álvaro del Pino and work under his supervision. As part of the team you will interact with other PhD candidates and postdocs, some of them working on flexibility as well, and some others on rigidity (i.e. on the construction of new invariants of distributions coming from topological and analytical considerations). The research team fits within the larger research groups on Differential Geometry and Homotopy Theory.
During your PhD you will have light teaching duties. This is a 4-year position with preferred starting date 1 September 2024 (or earlier upon agreement).

We are looking for a PhD candidate with the following qualifications:

• a MSc degree (or equivalent) in mathematics, or to obtain such a degree before the starting date of the PhD project;
• a collaborative and enterprising attitude towards research in mathematics;
• a working proficiency in English, knowledge of the Dutch language is not required.

We offer:

• a position (1.0 FTE) for one year, with an extension to a total of four years upon mutual agreement and with the specific intent that it results in a doctorate within this period;
• a full-time gross salary between €2,770 in the first year and €3,539 in the fourth year of employment in scale P of the Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities;
• 8% holiday bonus and 8.3% end-of-year bonus;
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave, and flexible employment conditions based on the Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities.

In addition to the employment conditions from the CAO for Dutch Universities, Utrecht University has a number of its own arrangements. These include agreements on professional development , leave arrangements, sports and cultural schemes and you get discounts on software and other IT products. We also give you the opportunity to expand your terms of employment through the Employment Conditions Selection Model. This is how we encourage you to grow. For more information, please visit working at Utrecht University .

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University , the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes . Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow .
At the Faculty of Science , there are 6 departments to make a fundamental connection with: Biology, Chemistry, Information and Computing Sciences, Mathematics, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Physics. Each of these is made up of distinct institutes that work together to focus on answering some of humanity’s most pressing problems. More fundamental still are the individual research groups – the building blocks of our ambitious scientific projects. Find out more about us on YouTube.
Within our department, you will interact with other members via the weekly seminars on Differential Geometry, Homotopy Theory, and other topics, as well as through the UGC seminar (i.e. the colloquium on pure Mathematics). There is also a departmental seminar run by our PhD candidates.
Additionally, there is a lot of interaction between Dutch universities. Our research team is an integral part of the Dutch Differential Topology and Geometry seminar, which meets once per month in Utrecht, Amsterdam, or Leiden, on a rotating basis. We are also part of the GQT cluster, whose events (twice per year) bring together researchers on geometry and topology at a national level.

If you have any questions that you would like us to answer, please contact Álvaro del Pino ([email protected] ).
Do you have a question about the application procedure? Please send an email to [email protected] .
Are you an international applicant? Our International Service Desk can answer your questions about living in the Netherlands as international staff .

As Utrecht University, we want to be a home for everyone. We value staff with diverse backgrounds, perspectives and identities, including cultural, religious or ethnic background, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age. We strive to create a safe and inclusive environment in which everyone can flourish and contribute.
If you are enthusiastic about this position, just apply via the 'Apply now' button below. Please enclose:

• your letter of motivation;
• your curriculum vitae;
• a transcript of your grades, including the list of courses you are currently taking;
• please also arrange for two letters of recommendation to be sent to [email protected] by the application deadline.

If this specific opportunity is not for you, but you know someone else who may be interested, please forward this vacancy to them.
Some connections are fundamental – Be one of them
#FundamentalConnection