The University of Auckland in New Zealand is seeking a highly motivated and skilled student with a strong background in physics, mathematics, statistics, computer science, or a related discipline to take on a three-year PhD project that will help us prepare for the next galactic supernova using deep learning.
Core-collapse supernovae are among the most energetic events in the Universe and are expected to produce rich gravitational-wave (GW) signals that encode information about extreme matter, rotation, and explosion mechanisms. Unlike compact binary mergers, these signals are poorly modelled and difficult to detect using traditional matched-filtering techniques. This PhD project aims to develop and apply modern deep learning methods to detect and characterise supernova GW signals in data from ground-based detectors such as LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA.
The successful candidate will design probabilistic deep learning models to learn physically meaningful signal representations and to perform Bayesian inference in the presence of realistic detector noise and transient glitches. The project will explore how learned latent spaces can be used for detection, parameter estimation, and model comparison, and how these approaches complement existing burst and excess-power searches used by the LIGO–Virgo–KAGRA Collaboration.
This research sits at the intersection of astrophysics, statistics, and artificial intelligence, and will involve close interaction with international GW data-analysis efforts. The student will gain experience in deep learning, Bayesian inference, high-performance computing, and gravitational-wave astronomy, with opportunities to contribute to cutting-edge searches for the first gravitational-wave detection of a core-collapse supernova.
Applicants should have a strong background in physics, mathematics, statistics, computer science, or a related discipline, with an interest in machine learning and astrophysical data analysis. Programming experience (e.g. Python, PyTorch/JAX) is desirable.
The PhD scholarship is available from March 2026 and provides an annual (tax-free) stipend of $35,000 NZD plus tuition fees for three years.
To apply for this scholarship, please send your CV, academic transcript, and a description of yourself to Dr Matt Edwards (matt.edwards(at)auckland.ac.nz).