PhD position Placing the Local Group in a cosmological context

Job description

Understanding how our Milky Way and its nearest neighbors formed is a central theme of modern Astrophysics, and one for which our group at the University of Groningen has worldwide recognition. The field of Galactic Archaeology uses the detailed fossil record of stars in our Galaxy, M31 and their satellites to reconstruct this history. It is currently undergoing a revolution thanks to the Gaia satellite and to massive spectroscopic surveys. However, we are currently missing sufficiently realistic cosmological simulations to fully interpret and exploit these datasets. Thanks to a recent development by our international team, producing such very realistic analogues of the Milky Way and M31 is within reach. Such high-resolution cosmological simulations of the evolution of gas, stars and dark matter with state-of-the-art codes, will allow us to quantitatively link the observed spatial, dynamical, and chemical structure of the Milky Way and M31 to their assembly history and environment and provide new tests of the standard cosmological model.
What are you going to do?
Co-develop the most sophisticated suite of cosmological models of the Local Group galaxies to-date. Using the initial conditions provided by our new technology, you will carry out and analyze hydrodynamical simulations of the formation of the Local Group. By comparing these with observational datasets, you will identify mechanisms at play and establish where the models need improvement, make predictions to be tested observationally and envision new tests of the cosmological model. The project will be jointly supervised by prof. Amina Helmi at the University of Groningen and Dr Ruediger Pakmor from the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics in Garching (Germany). Furthermore, you will be part of an international collaboration that also includes colleagues in Paris and Stockholm.

Requirements

We seek excellent candidates with a strong academic record and a solid foundation in physics and mathematics who want to pursue a PhD in Astrophysics at the University of Groningen, a top European University. A successful candidate must hold an MSc or equivalent degree in Physics, Astronomy, or a closely related field by the starting date of the position. Research experience (evidenced for example through an MSc or BSc thesis) and good programming skills (e.g. Python, C/C++) are amongst the selection criteria. Experience with numerical simulations is a strong asset. A good command of written and spoken English is essential.

Conditions of employment

Fixed-term contract
: A fixed-term full-time position of 1.0 FTE for four years. The selected PhD candidates will be first offered a temporary position of one year with the option of renewal for another three years.
What can you expect from us?
232 vacation hours per year, based on a 38-hour workweek (1.0 FTE). You can also work more or fewer hours in exchange for more or fewer free hours. For example, with a 40-hour workweek, you save 96 extra free hours, and with a 36-hour workweek, you lose 96 hours.
End-of-year bonus of 8.3% and 8% holiday allowance.
Extensive opportunities for personal and professional development.

Employer
University of Groningen
At the University of Groningen (UG), researchers from all fields of academia and technology are working on academic challenges and societal questions. Lecturers prepare their students for meaningful careers within or outside the academic world. Interdisciplinary research and teaching, sharing of knowledge, collaboration with businesses, government institutions, and societal organizations are aspects that are of the utmost importance to this European top university. The UG aims to be an open academic community with an inclusive and safe working climate that invites you to add your value.

Department
Faculty of Science and Engineering
The Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE) provides teaching and research across a wide range of disciplines, from physics and biology to artificial intelligence, mechanical engineering, and pharmacy. In close collaboration with partners from industry, healthcare, and society, we contribute to the urgent challenges of our time, such as energy, sustainability, digitization, and medical technology. Our community is open and informal, with more than 7,000 students, 1,000 PhD students, and 1,400 staff members from all over the world. If you would like to learn more about the Faculty of Science and Engineering, visit rug.nl/fse
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The Kapteyn Astronomical Institute is part of the Faculty of Science and Engineering and of The Netherlands Research School for Astronomy (NOVA). With 17 faculty members and about 60 PhD students, it is the second-largest astronomical institute in the Netherlands and recognised worldwide for the quality of its research in multiple areas of astronomy.
Groningen, a historic University town in the Northern Netherlands, occupies a strategic place in Dutch astronomy, hosting also the low-energy astrophysics division of the Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON) and the NOVA sub-mm lab. The Kapteyn Institute has a strong connection with the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON) in Dwingeloo, a European centre of radio astronomy research. Staff and PhD students at the Kapteyn Institute frequently collaborate with SRON and ASTRON scientists and engineers. There are also strong interdisciplinary connections with other institutes in the Faculty of Science and Engineering in Groningen, and across the Netherlands, such as with the Dutch Origins Center. English is the common language spoken at the institute.

Additional information

Do you have any questions or need more information?
Questions about the content of the job?
Amina Helmi (Full Professor):
A.Helmi@rug.nl
Questions about your application process?
Amina Helmi (Full Professor):
A.Helmi@rug.nl