PhD student

Are you our new colleague?

TALES Doctoral Network: Outflows and feedback from supermassive black holes using machine learning techniques.

You and SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research

Are you a student with interest in supermassive black holes and experience in machine learning techniques? You want to further develop your knowledge and skills?

We are looking for you!

Your position and team

Supervisor: E. Costantini (SRON/UvA)

Supermassive black holes accretion and ejection mechanisms are the subject of intense study, due to their importance in the compact object origin and sustenance as well as their role in the growth and evolution of galaxies in the Universe.

Recently, timing-spectroscopy methods, applied to high quality X-ray data has been developed to study the properties of AGN outflows (e.g. Silva, Uttley & Costantini 2016, Juranova, Costantini & Uttley 2022), showing their potential in determining crucial physical parameters, like distance and density, of the winds, with far-reaching consequences in our understanding of active galactic nuclei feedback.

This project aims at the study of supermassive black holes ejection mechanisms using timing and spectroscopy techniques applied to X-ray data. Particular emphasis is given to developing and testing machine learning techniques to make use of the increasily complex models and data sets from present (XMM-Newton, Chandra, XRISM) and future (e.g. NewAthena) X-ray missions.

Your project

The offered PhD position is part of the TALES (Time-domain Analysis to study the Life-cycle and Evolution of Supermassive black holes) Doctorate Network, funded by a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions programme. This is a consortium of 10 astrophysics research groups, 8 industrial and 4 academic partners spread across Europe. SRON, Netherlands Institute for Space Research, is one of these nodes. The student will be based at SRON, but keeping a close contact with the University of Amsterdam.

The recruited researcher will have the opportunity to work within an international and multidisciplinary team. The TALES Doctorate Researchers will be offered a broad range of opportunities for professional and personal development through numerous focused training events. They are expected to gain a unique skill-set at the interface between astrophysical modelling, astronomical observations and data science.

Position requirements

Interested applicants are invited to submit their application through the UvA portal:

https://werkenbij.uva.nl/

Important note on trans-national mobility: the applicant — at the date of recruitment — should not have resided in the country where the research training takes place for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to recruitment, and not have carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in that country. For refugees under the Geneva Convention (1951 Refugee Convention and the 1967 Protocol), the refugee procedure (i.e. before refugee status is conferred) will not be counted as ‘period of residence/activity in the country of the beneficiary.

What we offer

PhD positions projects in the Netherlands have a duration of four years. The candidate will work mainly at SRON, but formally obtaining the PhD title at the University of Amsterdam (UvA).

The position we offer at SRON is a full-time position in which you will be employed by NWO-I (The Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research Institutes) for a period of 4 years (provided a positive evaluation after a 9 months contract). The salary will be in accordance with the salary scales of NWO-I, starting at €2.884,- in the first year and rising to €3.694,- in the fourth year of employment. Compensation for commuting expenses will be provided.

NWO has good secondary employment conditions such as:

• An end of year bonus of 8,33% of the gross yearly salary;

• A holiday allowance of 8% of the gross yearly salary;

• 42 days of vacation leave a year on full-time basis;

• An excellent pension scheme;

• Options for (additional) personal development;

• Excellent facilities for parental leave;

• Ample training opportunities;

• Possibility of flexible working hours

Why SRON

SRON is the national base for the Netherlands participation in the ESA science program. On the national level, it works in close collaboration with the Dutch universities, other NWO institutes, and governmental agencies to pursue a cohesive agenda for space-based research.

About SRON

SRON is the Netherlands Institute for Space Research. Based at locations in Leiden and Groningen, SRON combines fundamental scientific research, technology innovation, and instrumentation development to enable breakthroughs in astrophysics, exoplanet research, and earth atmospheric research from space. In partnership with leading international partners and space agencies such as ESA, NASA and JAXA, SRON provides scientific and technological contributions to international space missions as well as expertise and support to the Dutch and international scientific communities.

For more information, please contact

Please combine all documents into a single PDF file and submit using the CV upload box in the application form. Applications in .pdf should include:

• a CV; please mention the months (not just years) in your CV when referring to your education and work experience;
• a transcript of all university courses taken and grades obtained; If you have not yet finished your Masters degree, a list of grades received to date is sufficient (official transcripts preferred if available from your University, but not required);

• a cover letter which includes a brief statement of research interests and experience;
• contact details of at least two referees.

Applications need to be submitted on or before 4 November 2024. We will be contacting only shortlisted candidates mid-November to request their reference letters to be sent to us via email. Reference letters cannot be uploaded via the application system. The deadline for receiving the reference letters is 29 November 2024.

We will invite at UvA potential candidates for interviews on 6 February and 7 February 2025.

Furthermore

At SRON we believe that a workforce diverse in gender, age, and cultural background is key to performing excellent research. We therefore strongly encourage qualified applicants of all ages, sexual orientations, gender expressions, members of minorities, persons with disabilities, and potential dual-academic-career hires to apply.

Online screening may be part of the selection procedure.

Recruitment consultants, please put down the phone. Well do the recruitment ourselves so unsolicited acquisition to this vacancy is not appreciated.