Postdoctoral position and PhD position on a project "Unification of Black Holes across the Mass Scale"

The Astronomical Institute offers two positions for prospective young researchers, 1 postdoctoral position and 1 PhD position to work on a project "Unification of Black Holes across the Mass Scale" under the supervision of Jiri Svoboda and in collaboration with Abhijeet Borkar.

Astrophysical black holes exist with a wide range of masses, from a few to ten billion times the mass of the Sun. The project aims to unify black holes across their mass scale by a detailed comparison of accretion states in super-massive black holes in active galactic nuclei (AGN) and stellar-mass black holes in X-ray binaries (XRB). The goal of the project is to significantly enhance our current knowledge about the accretion physics and observed radio dichotomy of AGN.

• Postdoctoral position

The postdoctoral researcher will perform the spectral analysis using multi-wavelength observations (from radio to X-rays) and will study the spectral states of different kinds of AGN. The focus of the analysis will be given to the spectral decomposition of the nuclear and host-galaxy emission of low-luminosity AGN. The promising candidate should already have some experience with the astronomical data analysis in radio, UV or X-ray domain. Good knowledge of the statistical methods, computational skills, high motivation and ability to work independently as well as in the team collaboration are expected.

The position of the postdoctoral researcher is supposed to start on 1st May 2019 (the exact date may be negotiable). The applicants are expected to have completed their PhD in astronomy or a related field by the start date of the appointment. The position is opened for 1 year, after which it can be prolonged until the end of 2021 based on successful performance. The interested candidates should send their CVs, the motivation letter and ensure sending of two recommendation letters by the deadline to jiri.svoboda@asu.cas.cz.
The monthly gross salary of the postdoctoral researcher is 39 000 CZK (~1500 EUR, approx. 1.3 x average salary in the Czech Republic) from which tax, social and health insurance (all together ~25%) are deducted. The travel funds are available in the project.

All applicants should send their materials to jiri.svoboda@asu.cas.cz by *15th of March 2019*.

• PhD position

The PhD student will study the multi-spectral long-term variability of AGN. She/he will investigate how to use the flux variability to decompose the emission from the nucleus and the host-galaxy of AGN. The interested candidates for the PhD position should send their CV, the motivation letter and ensure sending of two recommendation letters to jiri.svoboda@asu.cas.cz by the deadline. The candidates should have already completed Masters degree in Astrophysics, Physics or related field, or plan to defend their Master Thesis by July 2019. Good level of spoken and written English, high motivation for scientific research and ability to work independently as well as in the team collaboration are expected. The candidate will also need to apply for the PhD position at the Charles University (deadline for application to University is 30th April). The PhD study at the Charles University usually takes 4 years during which the student is awarded a stipend provided by the University (about 400-600 EUR/month based on the successful completion of exams). In addition to that, the student will be employed at the Astronomical Institute for 0.3 FTE (about 500EUR/month) during the project and will also have access to
travel funding for conferences and international collaborations.

All applicants should send their materials to jiri.svoboda@asu.cas.cz by *15th of March 2019*.

The Astronomical Institute has a large tradition in astronomical research in various fields and is running several international collaborations. One of the ALMA EU-ARC node is settled at the institute, the Prague Relativistic Group is involved in projects on future X-ray missions (such as Athena, eXTP, IXPE). The Czech Republic is part of ESO and ESA, allowing the access to the most advanced astronomical facilities. The successful candidates will thus have good possibilities for their career development. The institute also offers a possibility of a short-term accommodation at the guest-house during the start of the project.

Postdoctoral Position at the Astronomical Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic

Closing date: 25.2.2019

We are Public Research Institution and the largest professional astronomical organization in the Czech Republic, located at Ondrejov observatory and in Prague. Successful applicants will collaborate with researchers in our scientific departments (theory, observation, and data analysis are all welcome). Recently the Institute has been involved in space programs of ESA and ground-based projects within ESO, including the European ALMA. Experience in one of the subjects studied at the Institute is valued but independent new projects will be also considered.

The appointment is initially for one year; an extension for another year is expected upon satisfactory scientific performance. A necessary condition is to satisfy legal requirements for the employment in Czech Republic (EU member state). Salary will be based on the domestic level and it includes health insurance. There is a possibility of institute accommodation in Ondrejov; in Prague private accommodation has to be arranged.

In a cover letter please indicate the working group that you intend to join. Applicants should contact a faculty member with whom they wish to work for further information, to define a joint research programme, and to discuss the starting date. This is considered to be an important part of the proposal.

Applications (containing Curriculum Vitae, List of Publications, and Summary of Research Plans) can be submitted by email to:
sekretariat@asu.cas.cz (subject: "postdoc 2019", pdf file please).

Please provide the exact date of PhD defense. Applications can be submitted before finishing PhD, in which case a statement from the supervisor stating the planned date of the defense should be included. Successful candidates must hold PhD degree in the field and present a certificate of that by the date of employment. Preferences will be given to early-stage researchers.

Please arrange for two recommendation letters to be sent directly (the same electronic address as above).

To receive full consideration, this year application deadline is: 25th February 2019 (spring call). Applications will be acknowledged by email and a confirmation will be requested from eligible applicants. Once the selection process is completed, successful applicants will be notified.

Further information: 
see http://www.asu.cas.cz for the list of working groups at the Institute,
see http://www.euraxess.cz for details about the research employment and work conditions in Czech Republic,
see http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/comparison.jsp to compare cost of living.