Two researcher (researcher or postdoc) positions at Astronomical Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Ondrejov

Closing date: 2020-05-05
Contact: Petr Kabath

The exoplanet group of the Astronomical Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences (AI ASCR, http://www.asu.cas.cz/en/about/about-the-institute) offers up to two appointments for researchers wishing to pursue the exoplanetary and stellar research in context of PLATO and TESS missions.

The exoplanet group is involved in PLATO space mission and it coordinates Czech contribution to PLATO. Furthermore, we are developing a new spectrograph PLATOSpec dedicated to exoplanet candidates follow-up, which will be operated at La Silla, Chile starting in 2023. Furthermore, the exoplanet group is heavily involved in using of the Ondrejov echelle spectrograph (OES) on a local 2-m telescope for Kepler/TESS exoplanet follow-up.

The first offered position would include tasks such as overseeing operations of OES spectrograph and supporting the observing and later PLATOSPec installation and operations at La Silla, Chile. The telescope support duties should be complemented with own research topic of the successful candidate on exoplanets and/or stellar pulsations in context of TESS and PLATO space missions. Experience with observing, instrumentation,spectroscopic data reduction and programming is an advantage.

The second position would focus on PLATO participation. Successful caniddate becomes a member of the PCOT team (PLATO Characterization and Operations Team) of PLATO Space Mission. Sound programming skills (e.g. Python) are required. The PLATO participation should be complemented with own research topic of the successful candidate on exoplanets and/or stellar pulsations. Experience with observing, instrumentation, spectroscopic data reduction is an advantage.

Both positions are foreseen initially for 2 years and can be extended (subject to performance) up to 4 years. We offer a comprehensive salary package with health and social security insurance and 25 days of annual leave. Accommodation in Ondrejov close to the institute can be arranged for very affordable price. Furthermore, generous travel budget to participate in conferences and workshops is available. Frequent traveling is foreseen.

We encourage applicants to submit a 1 page motivation letter describing candidates experience and proposed research, a CV including the publication profile and two letters of reference from staff familiar with candidates research.

The application materials should be sent to kabath @ asu.cas.cz no later than May 5, 2020 or later until position is filled. The selected applicants will be invited for the interview. The succesfull applicant is expected to start preferably between June and September 2020.

More information about the Exoplanet group of AIASCR can be found here: http://stelweb.asu.cas.cz/exogroup/
Would you require more information about the job offer, please contact Dr. Petr Kabath kabath @ asu.cas.cz.

Postdoctoral Position in Meteor Physics at the Astronomical Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences

Closing date: 2019-09-15

The Group of Meteor Physics at the Astronomical Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Ondřejov, Czech Republic invites application for a postdoctoral position, which will be open from January 1, 2020 in scope of the project Compositional and orbital mapping of meteoroid sources in the Solar System funded by the Czech Science Foundation. 

The successful candidate will work under the leadership of Dr. Jiří Borovička with collaboration with Dr. Pavel Spurný on the analysis and interpretation of data from the European Fireball Network. The possible topics include analysis of fireball spectra, modeling of meteoroid atmospheric fragmentation on the basis of fireball data (light curves, deceleration, morphology), orbital integrations or search for parent bodies.

Astronomical Institute is a Public Research Institution and the largest professional astronomical organization in the Czech Republic. It is located at the Ondřejov Observatory near Prague (see http://www.asu.cas.cz/en/). The European Fireball Network is the world’s longest operating fireball network. The headquarters have been in Ondřejov since the network was established in 1963. The network has been modernized and digitized in the recent years, which led e.g. to the recovery of four meteorites and to the discovery of a new branch of the Taurid meteoroid stream.

The appointment is initially for one year; an extension 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 Ondřejov.

Successful candidates must hold PhD degree not older than 8 years at the time of start of the employment (in case of maternity leave or long-term illness, these periods are not counted into the limit). 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.

Applications (containing Curriculum Vitae and List of Publications) are to be submitted by email to:

jiri.borovicka@asu.cas.cz.

The deadline is September 15, 2019 (but the position will remain open until filled). The applicant should also ask two referees familiar with his/her work to send a letter of recommendation to the same address with the same deadline. For additional questions please also use the same email address.

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