PhD position to work on tests of general relativity with next generation gravitational wave detectors such as LISA and the Einstein Telescope. This PhD opportunity is a joint project between the LUX (Laboratoire d’étude de l’Univers et des phénomènes eXtrêmes) in Paris and the L2IT (Laboratoire de 2 infinis - Toulouse) in Toulouse.
Application deadline: May 19th 2026.
Please find here full details.
The Physics Division of the GSSI – Gran Sasso Science Institute (L’Aquila, Italy) is opening 10 PhD positions in Astroparticle Physics, starting in the Academic Year 2026/2027.
Two additional PhD positions are offered through the FIS project Deep Loop Shaping for Gravitational-wave Detection, and another position through the AstroCent+ project on dark-matter searches with DarkSide-20k.
The research pursued by the Physics Division focuses on neutrinos, gravitational waves, dark matter detection, and cosmic rays.
The Gravitational-Wave Group is active in the LVK, ET, LGWA, and LISA collaborations. Its research activities are in instrument science, data analysis, waveform and population modelling, multi-messenger and transient astrophysics, stellar evolution and dynamics.
The applications must be submitted by May 28, 2026, 3:00 p.m. (Central European Time) through the online form available at the following link http://www.gssi.it/phd/ , where the call (both in Italian and English) can also be found.
If you have questions, please contact us:
Manuel Arca Sedda manuel.arcasedda(at)gssi.it
Marica Branchesi marica.branchesi(at)gssi.it
Jan Harms jan.harms(at)gssi.it
Antonio Perreca antonio.perreca(at)gssi.it
Andrea Maselli andrea.maselli(at)gssi.it
Gor Oganesyan gor.oganesyan(at)gssi.it
The NZ Astrostatistics and General Relativity Group (NZ Gravity) is coordinating applications for several PhD scholarships within an interdisciplinary team to work on
• interstellar objects, stellar populations, supernovae, large scale structure formation and ultralight dark matter, engaging with the Vera Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) and
• gravitational wave astronomy and statistical data analysis for the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission.
The cross-institutional research team spans astrophysics, cosmology, mathematics and statistics with members at five New Zealand universities as well as international collaborators within the Vera Rubin Observatory and the International LISA Consortium.
The LSST is a ten-year, wide-field astronomical survey designed to image the entire southern sky every few nights using a 3.2 gigapixel camera, creating a massive 200-petabyte dataset for studying dark energy and dark matter, mapping the Milky Way, exploring the transient optical sky, and identifying potentially hazardous near-Earth asteroids. The space-based gravitational wave mission LISA raises deep challenges regarding source modelling and numerical simulation and requires new statistical methodologies. We are seeking highly motivated and skilled students with a strong background in statistics, physics, mathematics or a related discipline, with sound computing skills and a keen interest in interdisciplinary research in gravitational wave science. All PhD and MSc candidates will have the opportunity to join the NZ Gravity Group, obtain academic support from an interdisciplinary supervisory team and will contribute to cutting-edge research for the LSST and the LISA mission. The PhD scholarships will be available from May 2026 and provide an annual (tax-free) stipend of NZ$35,000 plus tuition fees for three years. Starting dates are flexible throughout the year.
PhD Projects
More details about each of the PhD projects including the required skillsets and supervisors can be found here. Admissions decisions will be made by individual universities – please direct initial enquiries to the supervisors of specific projects that interest you or send general queries to
Professor Richard Easther (R.Easther(at)auckland.ac.nz) and
Professor Renate Meyer (Renate.Meyer(at)auckland.ac.nz).
This PhD project focuses on the fabrication and experimental demonstration of a mechanical oscillator whose motion is limited by the quantum radiation-pressure noise from a laser beam. Application deadline: April 26th 2026.
The oscillator will consist of an ultra-light mirror, with a mass of approximately 100 mg, suspended as a microscopic pendulum by two fused-silica fibers thinner than a human hair. The mirror will be integrated into a suspended optical cavity designed to enhance the quantum fluctuations of the laser field. The motion of the mirror will be measured with high precision using dedicated techniques. After demonstrating quantum-noise-limited motion, the system will serve as a platform to demonstrate novel methods for surpassing quantum noise limits in optical measurements.
The PhD candidate will play an active role in the fabrication of the suspended mirror using the Artemis laboratory’s dedicated facilities. This work includes pulling ultra-thin fused-silica fibers, welding them to a custom mirror substrate, and characterizing their thermal noise. Initial fabrication results are expected to happen within the first year of project and lead to a first publication.
The second phase of the thesis will focus on assembling the suspended optical cavity, measuring the thermal-noise properties of the mirror, and optimizing the system for quantum-noise sensing experiments.
Throughout the project, the student will acquire strong experimental skills essential to modern precision physics, including optical alignment, cavity design and control, laser frequency stabilization, feedback electronics, vacuum technology, quantum-noise modeling, and low-noise detection techniques. The outcomes of this research are directly relevant to high-precision measurement technologies, including next-generation gravitational-wave detectors and the generation of strong bright squeezed light.
The student will be based at the Artemis laboratory, located at the Mont-Gros site of the Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur in Nice, France. He/She will work within the Lasers and Cavities group and benefit from close supervision by permanent researchers, as well as support in mechanical and electronic engineers. The candidate will join an internationally connected research environment, contribute to publications, present results at conferences, and participate in the Einstein Telescope collaboration.
Keywords
Optomechanics, Pendulum mirror, Bright squeezing, Quantum noise Mitigation
Profile and skills required
The candidate should hold a Master’s degree in Physics, with a solid background in optics. Experience in experimental physics is highly desirable but not strictly required. We seek a candidate with a strong motivation to develop hands-on laboratory skills and that can work well in autonomy within a team.
Please find here full details.
Expressions of interest are invited for PhD Fellowships in Particle Astrophysics and Multi-messenger Astrophysics to be held within the AstroNu Group led by Prof. Tamborra at the Niels Bohr International Academy and DARK. The foreseen appointment is for a fixed period of three years with a starting date in fall 2026. Application deadline May 1st 2026.
We seek highly motivated, outstanding individuals eager to join an ambitious research program at the intersection of particle astrophysics, nuclear astrophysics, transient astrophysics, and multi-messenger astrophysics. Preliminary expertise in neutrino transport, (magneto)hydrodynamic simulations of astrophysical sources, nucleosynthesis, particle acceleration in astrophysical sources, modeling of multi-messenger emission from cosmic sources, and/or high-performance computing will be considered valuable assets.
The Niels Bohr International Academy is a young initiative committed to fostering the traditions of internationalism, interdisciplinarity and excellence in physics, which characterize the Niels Bohr Institute. It functions as a primary center for fundamental research including theoretical and computational astrophysics, particle astrophysics, gravitational physics, high energy particle physics, quantum physics, and biophysics. Areas of research of the DARK Center at the Niels Bohr Institute include, but are not limited to: observations, multi-messenger transient astronomy, high-redshift galaxies, dark matter and dark energy, black holes, and cosmic dust.
The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the diversity of society and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background. The primary criterion for the evaluation of candidates is the excellence of their track record and future promise.
To guarantee full consideration, the requested material should be uploaded before May 1, 2026. For inquiries, kindly write at nbia(at)nbi.ku.dk, with email subject “PhD Fellowship in Particle Astrophysics and Multi-messenger Astrophysics, UCPH-NBIA-PHD_RFNU.”
Please find here full details.
Five new postdoc (application deadline: May 8th 2026) and PhD (deadline extended to 19/4/2026) positions at the new German Center for Astrophysics (DZA), spanning key areas in multi-messenger and gravitational wave astrophysics, across both theory, data analysis and observations.
The DZA is a newly established and rapidly growing centre in the beautiful city of Görlitz in the eastern part of Germany. The positions offer a unique and exciting environment to contribute and to help shape the future of multi-messenger astrophysics in Europe and internationally, with strong links to major current and next generation gravitational wave and time-domain facilities in the optical and radio.
Further details and application links can be found:
https://aas.org/jobregister/ad/7165c08b (deadline extended to 19/4/2026)
https://aas.org/jobregister/ad/b633f60c
The following positions are to be filled (4 Postdoctoral Researcher positions) starting 1 September 2026 and are limited to 3 years in accordance with the German Act on Fixed-Term Employment Contracts in Academia (WissZeitVG):
Postdoctoral Researcher in Gravitational-Wave and Multi-Messenger Astronomy (f/m/d)
(Depending on personal qualifications, up to pay grade E 13 according to the German federal pay scale – TVöD Bund)
YOUR TASKS:
REQUIREMENTS:
WE OFFER:
The DZA strives to increase the proportion of women in its workforce and therefore expressly encourages women to apply. Applications from people with severe disabilities are also particularly welcome. If equally qualified, these applicants or those who are legally equivalent to them under SGB IX will be given preference in hiring.
Please apply via our online application portal by 8 May 2026. Please upload your detailed application documents (cover letter, detailed CV, copies of certificate, a statement regarding proposed research (3 pages max), a statement about previous research (2 pages max), the names and contact details (email) of three reference letter writers and possible starting date) there, quoting the job reference A03-26-02.
Please find here full details.
The Institute of Theoretical Physics at the Faculty of Physics and Astronomy has a vacancy for two
PhD positions in the field of
gravitational-waves and numerical relativity (theory)
commencing on August, 1. 2026
We offer a part-time position (50%, 20 hours per week)
The Gravitational-wave and Numerical relativity Working Group investigates questions relating to gravitational waves from compact binaries, relativistic and multimessenger astrophysics, and numerical methods for Einstein equations and relativistic fluids.
Your responsibilities:
Your profile:
We offer:
The position is a fixed-term position initially limited for three years; an extension is possible.
Candidates with severe disabilities will be given preference in the case of equal qualifications and suitability.
Are you eager to work for us? Then apply by May 1st, 2026 using our online form.
Please find here full details.
To increase the scientific return from its space science missions, ESA welcomes applications from scientists interested in pursuing research based on publicly available data in the ESA Space Science Archives. The Archives host data from all current and past ESA space science missions in astronomy, planetary science, and heliophysics.
The ESA Archival Research Visitor Programme is open to scientists at all career levels who are affiliated with institutes in ESA Member States and Cooperating States (note that all visits must comply with the ESA Security Directives, which may necessitate additional checks). Early-career scientists are particularly encouraged to apply, including PhD students (see below). We encourage applications from women and minorities. The peer-review evaluation process is anonymised to ensure equal opportunities for all applicants.
Residence lasts typically between one and three months, also distributed over multiple visits, depending on the complexity of the research project. The research projects can be carried out at ESAC (Madrid, Spain) and at ESTEC (Noordwijk, Netherlands). To offset the expenses incurred by visitors, ESA covers travel costs from and to the home institution and provides support for lodging expenses and meals.
During their stay, visiting scientists have the opportunity to interact with archive and mission specialists for questions on the retrieval, calibration, and analysis of archival data. In principle, all areas of space research covered by ESA science missions can be supported (the data must be publicly available in the archives). To ensure that technical expertise in the specific area of interest is available at ESAC or ESTEC, applicants should consult the table of expertise and contact the relevant scientists in their field of interest (this is very important). In case of doubts, write to the programme coordinators for assistance at arvp@cosmos.esa.int.
The next deadline for applications is Wednesday 30 April 2026, 23:59 UTC
Call for applications
Applications can be submitted at any time by sending email to arvp@cosmos.esa.int. The email should contain a single PDF document of at most three pages detailing:
Please keep it short (max 2 pages for the text of the proposal, max 1 page for figures, references, and contact information) and follow the simple template provided here. Note that this is just a template, you can use the font type and size that you prefer (not smaller than 10), but please do not exceed two pages for the text and one page for figures, references, and contact information. You must indicate in which year you obtained (or will obtain) your PhD.
To prevent unconscious biases, your name, email address, and other contact information (on the third page) will not be visible to reviewers. To help in the process, you must write your application in an “anonymous” way, i.e. do not identify yourself in the text. For instance, do not mention the name of your institute or collaborators in the scientific description of the project (page 1 and 2) and when you are referring to one of your papers, do not write “I have shown that … (Author Name, 2023, Journal, 954, 125)”, but rather write “It has been shown that … (Author Name, 2023, Journal, 954, 125)”. If you identify yourself, the application will not be considered.
We encourage you to contact us if you have any questions about the data that could support your research project. You will find the names of our experts in the various science areas in the table of expertise below. Or write to the programme coordinators for assistance at arvp@cosmos.esa.int.
Students
We welcome proposals by graduate students. The proposals can be submitted by the students themselves or in collaboration with their supervisors. If you are a student and would like to visit ESA to learn more about doing science with archival data, make sure that you coordinate and agree your research project with your supervisor. Mention this in the application, but omit the name of the supervisor, otherwise the application is not anonymous.
Deadlines
Applications can be submitted at any time and are reviewed twice a year, with deadlines usually on 30 April and 31 October. The results of the review will be communicated to applicants within about two months of the deadlines. Applicants are encouraged to contact the ESA scientists or the programme coordinators well ahead of the deadlines in order to discuss their research plans.
Applications received by 30 April 2026 (23:59 UTC) will be considered for visits in autumn and winter 2026/2027.
Please find here full details.
The Institute for Nuclear Physics in the Faculty of Physics at the University of Münster, Germany, is seeking to fill the position of a Doctoral Research Associate (Wissenschaftlicher MitarbeiterIn, salary level E 13 TV-L) at the earliest possible date. We are offering a fixed-term part-time position (67%) for 3 years. Full-time employees are required to teach 4 hours per week during the semester. Application deadline February 28th, 2026.
Please find here full details.