Postdoctoral Position on Fast Radio Burst in the AstroFlash Group

at  Universiteit van Amsterdam

Postdoctoral Position on Fast Radio Burst in the AstroFlash Group
Faculteit/Dienst: Faculteit der Natuurw., Wiskunde & Informatica
Opleidingsniveau: Universiteit
Functie type: Researcher
Sluitingsdatum: 29 November 2024
Vacaturenummer: 13407
We invite applications to join the AstroFlash research group as a 2-year junior postdoctoral researcher at the Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy (API) of the University of Amsterdam, advised by Dr. Ziggy Pleunis. This position could be extended up to a maximum of 4 years in total, if additional funds will become available in the research group.
The AstroFlash group is focused on the study of the fast radio bursts (FRBs), which are impulses of radio waves that last for only a fraction of a second and that are detectable over extragalactic distances. The origin of FRBs remains elusive, though various types of highly magnetized compact objects, e.g. magnetars, are favoured candidate sources. A small fraction of FRBs has been observed to repeat and the most hyperactive of repeating FRB sources produce up to hundreds of detectable bursts per hour.
We are seeking a postdoctoral researcher who is excited about revolutionizing our understanding of how the local environments of FRBs are connected to their activity and burst properties, which will both help understand the nature of FRBs and make them better astrophysical tools to study the Universe at large.
You will have the opportunity to join the CHIME/FRB collaboration and make use of world-class data from the CHIME/FRB experiment and its “Outriggers” upgrade and/or contribute to commensal searches for fast radio transients with the LOFAR 2.0 telescope.
Though our focus is on radio observations, we also welcome applications from more theoretically minded astrophysicists that could support observational activities in the research group with theoretical or computational modeling of FRBs and their environments.

ABOUT US

The University of Amsterdam is the Netherlands’ largest university, offering the widest range of academic programmes. At the UvA, 30,000 students, 6,000 staff members and 3,000 PhD candidates study and work in a diverse range of fields, connected by a culture of curiosity.
The Faculty of Science has a student body of around 8,000, as well as 1,800 members of staff working in education, research or support services. Researchers and students at the Faculty of Science are fascinated by every aspect of how the world works, be it elementary particles, the birth of the universe or the functioning of the brain.
The Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy (API) furthers research, teaching and public understanding of astronomy. It conducts astronomical research and trains astronomers from bachelor to postdoctoral level, aiming at world-leading levels and activities.

You will be a member of the AstroFlash research group, which is hosted at API/UvA as well as McGill University (Canada), ASTRON (Netherlands), and JIVE (Netherlands);

• You will devise a research plan together with your advisor, conduct research, and publish research results in the area of fast radio transients;
• You will collaborate with other faculty members, postdocs, and students in the AstroFlash research group as well as international collaborators;
• You will have the opportunity to co-advise research projects of PhD, MSc and BSc students;
• You will write or assist in writing research proposals;
• You will contribute to creating an open, safe and inclusive working environment.