Postdoctoral position in the field of Instrumentation for Cosmology.

About the Institute:

The Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences (FZU) is a public research institution, focusing on basic and applied research in physics. FZU is the largest of the institutes of the Czech Academy of Sciences with more than 1300 employees, including a considerable number of international workers. The ambition of FZU is to push forward the boundaries of knowledge and to conduct first-rate research in the fields of elementary particles, condensed systems and solid particles, optics, plasma physics and laser physics.

Project description:

The Central European Institute for Cosmology and Fundamental Physics (CEICO) is a new centre within the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences. We are an international research group focused on the interplay between cosmology, gravity and string theory. The successful candidate will work within the experimentally focussed sub-group. This sub-group is focused on the instrumentation of experiments and analysis of experimental data, which provide input for the theoretical studies. We are active within the Vera C. Rubin Observatory (LSST), mainly within the Dark Energy Science Collaboration (DESC) and the Transients and Variable (TVS) Stars Collaboration. We also operate a laboratory for testing and development of optical sensors for astronomy.

Responsibilities:

• Assembling and operating the experimental setup for testing CCD and CMOS chips.
• Testing and characterizing new cameras for astronomy, data analysis, image analysis.
• Cooperation with other research institutions on developing and building the Large Synoptic
• Survey Telescope (LSST), taking part in data acquisition and analysis.
• Development of DAQ software and drivers
• Optical test bench design and optimization
• Electronics testing and optimization

Required qualifications:

• PhD. in physics with a thesis in a related field of research (detector physics, astronomy, astro-particle physics, etc.)
• Experience in data analysis and programming (python, C++, ...).
• Excellent problem-solving skills.
• Good team-working skills.

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience with Linux operating systems.
• Experience working with laboratory equipment and electronics, data acquisition.
• Experience with statistical analysis of large data samples.

What can we offer to you?

• Working in an international and creative environment
• Unique research facilities
• Training and development possibilities (seminars, workshops, conferences)
• Soft skills training (project management, grant applications, etc.)
• Language courses
• Flexible working hours
• And more benefits such as Multisport card, meal vouchers, kindergarten operated by the ASCR

Terms of employment:

Start of employment as soon as possible, depending on the availability of the applicant. Position is offered until 31 Oct 2022. An extension for an additional year is subject to funds availability.

Application procedure:

Please submit your application through online application system (email applications will not be considered).

Please attached the following

• Curriculum Vitae.
• A one-page statement of past research achievements.
• A two-page research proposal, describing also how their research interests would fit within CEICO.
• List of publications.

The contact details of three academic referees must be supplied online. As the application system will contact the referees automatically, it is the applicant’s responsibility to inform them of their application and the deadline.

The deadline for all application material (including reference letters) is 10th of January 2021.

Research-related enquiries may be addressed to Dr. Christov (christov [at] fzu [dot] cz).

In case of general employment questions please contact Ms. Daceva (daceva [at] fzu [dot] cz) Please note that applications sent directly to these email addresses will not be accepted.

CEICO values diversity and is committed to equality of opportunity.