Job description

Position as PhD Research Fellow in Extragalactic Astrophysics is available at the Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics.

No one can be appointed for more than one PhD Research Fellowship period at the University of Oslo.

The fellowship period is for 3 years, devoted to research education. Starting date 01.03.2021.

More about the position

The current position is supported by the EU-funded project called “Towards an Atacama Large Aperture Submillimeter Telescope (AtLAST)” (Horizon 2020, GA number 951815). The EU-funded project aims to perform a comprehensive Design Study for AtLAST, which is a concept for a next generation, 50 meter – diameter single dish telescope operating at (sub-)millimeter wavelengths, to be built near the ALMA site. Astrophysical observations at (sub-)mm wavelengths (λ from ~300 μm to ~3mm) allow us to study the cold and dense material in the Universe, hence probing the formation of stars and planets, and the interstellar and circumgalactic medium of galaxies across all cosmic times. AtLAST will have an extremely large field of view (the goal is ~ 2 degrees in diameter), high spatial resolution (up to ~1.5 arcsec at 350 μm), and high sensitivity to both point sources and large-scale structures. Furthermore, it will be the first astronomical facility of this scale for which a full environmental sustainability study is implemented at the Design Study stage. All these characteristics make AtLAST a transformational facility in the 2030s.

The present fellowship is for a PhD student to join the Extragalactic Astrophysics group and do a thesis project supervised by Associate Professors Claudia Cicone and Sijing Shen. The candidate will perform original research in the field of galaxy formation and evolution, aimed at deriving theoretical expectations for extragalactic observations with AtLAST. The successful candidate will become familiar with computational tools and cosmological numerical simulations developed at UiO. These methods will be applied to investigate the gas and dust content, as well as their physical properties, of galaxy haloes at different redshifts, focusing on the tracers and signals accessible by AtLAST. The student will also collaborate with the international team involved in the EU project to produce mock AtLAST observations of the interstellar, circumgalactic and intergalactic medium of galaxies, as well as their expected Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) effect.

For more information regarding the Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics and the AtLAST project, please see:

https://www.mn.uio.no/astro/english/

http://atlast-telescope.org

Qualification requirements

The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences has a strategic ambition is to be among Europe’s leading communities for research, education and innovation. Candidates for these fellowships will be selected in accordance with this, and expected to be in the upper segment of their class with respect to academic credentials.

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Astronomy, Physics, Informatics, Statistics or a related topic
• Foreign completed degree (M.Sc.-level) corresponding to a minimum of four years in the Norwegian educational system
• Documented English proficiency (minimum scores: TOEFL: 90, IELTS: 6.5, PTE Academic: 62, or Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) and Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)). The following applicants are exempt: EU/EEA countries, applicants with one year of completed university studies in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, UK, USA, applicants with International Baccalaureate (IB) diplomas, applicants who have completed their bachelor's and/or master's degree with English as the language of instruction in one of the Nordic countries or the Netherlands.
• Prior research experience with numerical simulations and/or analysis of (sub-)mm data sets is considered as an asset for this position.

Candidates without a Master’s degree have until January 1, 2021, to complete the final exam.

Grade requirements:

The norm is as follows:

• the average grade point for courses included in the Bachelor’s degree must be C or better in the Norwegian educational system
• the average grade point for courses included in the Master’s degree must be B or better in the Norwegian educational system
• the Master’s thesis must have the grade B or better in the Norwegian educational system
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English
• English requirements for applicants from outside of EU/ EEA countries and exemptions from the requirements:

http://www.mn.uio.no/english/research/phd/application/application.html

Personal skills

The purpose of the fellowship is research training leading to the successful completion of a PhD degree.

The fellowship requires admission to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. The application to the PhD programme must be submitted to the department no later than two months after taking up the position. For more information see:

http://www.uio.no/english/research/phd/

http://www.mn.uio.no/english/research/phd/

We offer

• Salary NOK 479 600 – 523 200 per annum depending on qualifications and seniority as PhD Research Fellow (position code 1017)
• Attractive welfare benefits and a generous pension agreement
• Vibrant international academic environment
• Career development programmes
• Oslo’s family-friendly surroundings with their rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities

How to apply

The application must include:

• Cover letter - statement of motivation and research interests
• CV (summarizing education, positions and academic work - scientific publications)
• Copies of the original Bachelor and Master’s degree diploma, transcripts of records and letters of recommendation
• Documentation of English proficiency
• List of publications and academic work that the applicant wishes to be considered by the evaluation committee
• Names and contact details of 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and telephone number)
• [optional] Transcript of a self-written computer code from a project work or from the thesis. Link to a GitHub repository or similar is welcome.

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system (please follow the link “Apply for this job”). Foreign applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their University's grading system. Please note that all documents should be in English or a Scandinavian language.

Applicants may be called in for an interview.

Formal regulations

Please see the guidelines and regulations for appointments to Research Fellowships at the University of Oslo.

According to the Norwegian Freedom of Information Act (Offentleglova) information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure.

The University of Oslo aims to achieve a balanced gender composition in the workforce and to recruit people with ethnic minority backgrounds. The University of Oslo seeks in particular to increase its number of female scientists, and women are particularly encouraged to apply.

The University of Oslo has an agreement for all employees, aiming to secure rights to research results etc.

Contact information

For further information please contact:

• Assoc. Prof. Claudia Cicone, e-mail: claudia.cicone@astro.uio.no

For technical questions about the recruitment system, HR Adviser Elin Thoresen, email: elin.thoresen@mn.uio.no

Apply for this job