PhD Candidate in Instrument Performance Analysis: The Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC) invites applications for a PhD candidate position aimed at supporting the research activities of the ARRAKIHS project, dedicated to low surface brightness structures in nearby galaxies.
PhD Candidate in End-to-End Simulation, Calibration, and Instrument Performance Analysis
Designation
PhD Candidate – Research Trainee
Research Area
Astrophysics and Instrument Performance Analysis
Location
Institute of Space Sciences, UAB Campus, Can Magrans S/N, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
Eligibility/Qualification
- Degree and Master’s in Astronomy, Physics, Engineering, or related disciplines
- Admission to a doctoral program prior to the start of the contract
- Strong knowledge of astronomical instrumentation and data analysis
- Experience in scientific programming, preferably in Python
- Good command of English (spoken and written)
Desirable Merits (max 20 points)
- Experience in end-to-end simulations or performance modeling (6 points)
- Familiarity with optical system modeling and calibration processes (4 points)
- Understanding of radiometric assumptions and noise sources (4 points)
- Experience in ESA projects (3 points)
- Motivation towards a career in astronomical instrumentation (3 points)
Job Description
The selected candidate will:
- Develop and maintain end-to-end simulation tools for the ARRAKIHS mission
- Implement optical, thermal, and detector models
- Construct and update the instrument noise budget
- Perform sensitivity analyses and generate synthetic datasets
- Collaborate with the Calibration Scientist and contribute to internal documentation and scientific publications
How to Apply
Interested candidates should send a motivation letter and a curriculum vitae (CV) in PDF format, indicating the reference “Surnames and Name – OF_IEEC_227_2025” in the subject line, to the email: RecursosHumans@ieec.cat. Ensure that documents are signed as certification and provide a brief description of previous tasks.
Last Date for Apply
Applications must be submitted by December 29, 2025.
