Postdoctoral Position at the Astronomical Institute 2012
4. October 2011
at the Astronomical Institute
of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i.
The Astronomical Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i. opens temporary postdoctoral position for the year 2012. The applicant is expected to have an experience in one of the fields studied at the Astronomical Institute (see below) and to be holding a PhD at the time of arrival.
The Astronomical Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i. is the largest professional astronomical institute in the Czech Republic. It is located partly at the Ondřejov Observatory (40 km from Prague) and partly in Prague. There are 10 working groups at the Institute:
Physics of Solar Flares and Prominences (numerical simulations of plasma processes and radiation transfer in flares and prominences, optical and UV spectral diagnostics, X-ray and radio observations)
Structure and Dynamics of the Solar Atmosphere (quiet and active regions, sunspots, granules and supergranules, interactions between plasma motions and magnetic fields)
Heliosphere and Space Weather (magnetohydrodynamic numerical simulations of propagation and evolution of coronal mass ejections and other transient disturbances; solar activity monitoring and forecasting, image processing)
Planetary Systems*(Earth rotation, gravity field of Earth and Planets; motion of artificial satellites under the influence of gravitational and non-gravitational forces; resonances and dynamics of asteroids and Kuiper belt and exoplanetary systems)
Meteor Physics (physical properties, chemical composition and spatial distribution of meteoroids; physical processes during meteoroid penetration into the atmosphere; meteor observations)
Asteroids (rotations, shapes, surface and bulk properties of near-Earth objects; binary asteroids; photometry and astrometry of asteroids)
Physics of Hot Stars (theoretical and observational studies of binaries, early-type stars, Be and B[e] stars, massive hot stars, white dwarfs, stellar atmospheres, radiative transfer, line formation and hydrodynamics of stellar winds, Czech virtual observatory, analysis of ground-based and satellite (Gaia) data; 2m-telescope with classical coudé and echelle spectrographs are available)
Astrophysics of Galaxies* (formation of clusters and evolution of galaxies; comparison of infrared, UV and X-ray observations with analytical models and computer simulations of gravitational and hydrodynamic processes, star formation, gas stripping and tidal fields, ISM, kinematics, sizes and physical properties of central parts of the active galaxies)
Relativistic Astrophysics* (active galactic nuclei and Galactic black hole candidates; analysis of high-energy X-rays within the framework of general relativity; comparison of models with observations)
High Energy Astrophysics (celestial X-ray and gamma-ray sources, analyses of ground-based and satellite data; development of X-ray optics)
* located in Prague (small part of the Planetary Systems group is located in Ondřejov)
The Institute has a large library, computing resources (including a cluster system) and its own observing facilities. More information can be found at http://www.asu.cas.cz.
The position is open to scientists of all nations (the age limit is 40 years). The scholarship will be based on a standard domestic scale. The expected starting date is January 1, 2012 and the appointment is for one year. Extension for another year could be possible upon satisfactory scientific results, publication output and availability of funding. The candidates should send their applications (curriculum vitae, list of publications, and summary of their research work and plans) and two letters of recommendation to the director of the institute, Prof. Petr Heinzel, Astronomical Institute of the ASCR, v.v.i., Fričova 298, 251 65 Ondřejov, Czech Republic. They should indicate in the cover letter the working group they wish to work in. Applications must be received before November 15, 2011. The applicants will be notified before November 30, 2011.