Postdoctoral Researcher in Astrophysics and Cosmology

Fysikum is one of the largest institutions within the Faculty of Science at SU and conducts a broad spectrum of fundamental research in experimental and theoretical physics.

The department has around 250 employees, of which 95 are doctoral students. Many are internationally recruited. Fysikum is part of the AlbaNova University Center, which also houses the Department of Astronomy, the physics departments at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), and the Nordic Institute for Theoretical Physics (Nordita).

Fysikum and Stockholm University are connected to the Stockholm Dual Career Network (SDCN), which offers expat partners professional events, career support, and opportunities to build networks in their new hometown. Learn more here. (https://www.sdcn.se/)

More information about us can be found here: Fysikum (https://www.su.se/fysikum/).

Project Description

We are seeking outstanding postdoctoral researchers with backgrounds in computational, theoretical, and/or observational projects to develop and apply advanced methods in machine learning and AI for astrophysics and cosmology. The goal is to enable precise tests of fundamental physics with current and upcoming galaxy and time-domain surveys. You will work closely with our teams within the Rubin Observatory's LSST, Euclid, ZTF, and LS4.

Responsibilities

• Field-level inference and simulation-based inference for cosmology.
• Neural emulators/surrogate models for faster forward simulations.
• Differentiable simulations and probabilistic programming for holistic chains.
• Robust uncertainty quantification, handling of systematic errors, and domain adaptation.
• ML for time-domain discoveries and characterization (e.g., transients, time-delay cosmography).

Environment & Collaborations

The position is funded by the Excellence Dark Universe Centre And Technology Enabler (EDUCATE), which brings together researchers at Stockholm University and KTH to develop ML for dark matter and dark energy. You will be a member of the Oskar Klein Centre (OKC), a dynamic hub with over 100 researchers in astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology, and particle physics, with active programs in dark matter, dark energy, structure formation, transients, and multi-messenger astrophysics.

Postdoctoral researchers at OKC are encouraged and supported to lead visible research projects in larger international collaborations, as well as to contribute to the broader scientific community through method development, survey data analysis, and interdisciplinary collaborations.

Postdoctoral researchers are welcome to participate in Nordita's scientific programs and can join the Aquila Consortium (an international collaboration on ML and data science for cosmic structure; Aquila Consortium (http://www.aquila-consortium.org)). You will also benefit from our engagement in Learning the Universe (Learning the Universe (http://www.learning-the-universe.org)), with partners such as Columbia University, LBNL, Harvard, Flatiron Institute, Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris, Université de Montréal, Princeton, Carnegie Mellon, and MPA Garching.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the postdoctoral position, a PhD degree or a foreign degree deemed equivalent to a relevant PhD degree is required. The degree must be obtained by the time the employment decision is made.

Assessment Criteria

It is advantageous if the PhD degree or equivalent has been obtained no more than three years before the application deadline. If there are special reasons, an earlier obtained degree may also be considered advantageous. Special reasons include leave due to illness, parental leave, trust assignments within trade unions, service in the total defense, or other similar circumstances, as well as clinical service or relevant service/assignments in the subject area.

In the appointment process, special emphasis will be placed on research competence in astrophysics and cosmology, programming, and machine learning. The position also requires a good command of English, both spoken and written.

About the Position

The position is full-time for a maximum of two years, with the possibility of extension under special circumstances. Start date as soon as possible or by agreement (funding is available for immediate start).

We Offer

With us, you will experience the dynamics of the interplay between higher education and research that makes Stockholm University an exciting and creative environment. You will work in an international setting and enjoy favorable conditions. The university is located in the National City Park with good connections to the city.

Stockholm University is committed to being a workplace free from discrimination and providing equal rights and opportunities for all.

Contact

For more information about the position, please contact: Prof. Jens Jasche, tel: 08-553 780 37, mailto:[email protected] and OKC's director and PI for EDUCATE, Prof. Ariel Goobar, tel: 08-553 786 59, mailto:[email protected].

Application

You apply for the position via Stockholm University's recruitment system. Attach a personal letter and CV as well as the requested documents in the application form. As an applicant, you are responsible for ensuring that the application is complete and that it reaches the university no later than the application deadline.

Instructions for applicants can be found on the website: Instructions for applicants (https://www.su.se/om-universitetet/jobba-p%C3%A5-su/att-s%C3%B6ka-en-anst%C3%A4llning).

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