Promovendi

7 PhD positions at the Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, University of Groningen, The Netherlands 

Job description

The Kapteyn Astronomical Institute of the University of Groningen invites applications for at least 7 PhD positions in the areas planet forming disks, exoplanet astronomy, dwarf galaxies and galactic archeology. Here we give a brief description of each position.

1.DISKS-ROCK - Chemistry in the inner warm regions of planet forming disks

Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Inga Kamp

Description: The James Webb Space Telescope shows an intriguing difference between the mid-IR spectra of disks around Solar mass stars and Very Low Mass Stars, the former being oxygen-rich, the latter carbon-rich. Within my ERC project DISKS-ROCK, we will decipher these JWST spectra and characterize the current birth environment of planets forming there. The PhD candidate will develop a novel gas-dust chemistry approach for the inner disk that includes dust as an ‘active’ component of the chemistry, instead of the current approach that treats dust as an inert surface on which reactions can occur. The project comprises the development of a new computational method, its implementation into a thermo-chemical disk code and exploring the parameter space of the warm, dense inner disks. Applicants with a background in (astro-)physics, astrochemistry are particularly encouraged to apply.

2.DISKS-ROCK - Gas and dust content of planet forming disks from JWST spectra

Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Inga Kamp

Description: The James Webb Space Telescope shows an intriguing difference between the mid-IR spectra of disks around Solar mass stars and Very Low Mass Stars, the former being oxygen-rich, the latter carbon-rich. Within my ERC project DISKS-ROCK, we will decipher these JWST spectra and characterize the current birth environment of planets forming there. The PhD candidate will perform 1D retrievals on a large sample of JWST/MIRI spectra of disks, characterizing the gas and dust content, as well as performing forward modeling using an existing thermo-chemical disk code. The project comprises applying existing codes to analyse and simulate mid-IR molecular spectra of the warm inner disks. Applicants with a strong background in (astro-)physics and/or computer science are particularly encouraged to apply.

3.Studying exoplanet atmospheres with JWST

Supervisor: Dr. Quentin Changeat

Description: The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is transforming our understanding of planets beyond our Solar System. With its unparalleled ability to peer into distant atmospheres, JWST has opened a new era in exoplanet science. Yet, small rocky worlds and sub-Neptunes continue to push the boundaries of what this remarkable instrument can reveal. In this project, the PhD candidate will delve into the modeling and analysis of transitional exoplanets observed with JWST. Depending on your interests and skills, your work may range from developing advanced data reduction and calibration tools to building atmospheric interpretation and retrieval models that decode the nature of these mysterious worlds. Applicants with a background in mathematics, physics (including astro.), computer science, or engineering are encouraged to apply.

4.MagmaWorlds – Tracing the chemical evolution of super-Earth exoplanets

Supervisor: Dr. Tim Lichtenberg

Description: The origin and evolution of the atmospheres of rocky worlds is a major question of exoplanet science, affecting the frequency of potentially habitable worlds and the prebiotic environment of the earliest Earth. In the ERC MagmaWorlds project our team will build a numerical framework of the chemical evolution of super-Earth exoplanets, bridging the ultra-hot conditions of atmosphere-stripped lava worlds with the climate of temperate volatile-rich super-Earths. The PhD candidate will study the influence of internal geophysical and/or atmospheric processes on the composition, climate, and observable signatures of super-Earth exoplanets. Focus areas include the roles of atmospheric disequilibrium chemistry and escape, and the internal structural and tidal evolution during mantle crystallization. The project will focus on developing and applying novel computer codes to numerically simulate these geophysical and atmospheric processes for interpretation of exoplanet surveys. Applicants with a background in planetary geoscience, physics, astronomy, or atmospheric science are particularly encouraged to apply. More information can be found at: https://www.formingworlds.space/erc-magmaworlds-positions 

5.Dwarf galaxies and primeval systems across cosmic history

Supervisor: Dr. Ting-Yun Cheng

Description: Dwarf galaxies provide a unique window into the early Universe, as many are thought to be relics of the first galaxies that formed after cosmic dawn. Understanding their properties is therefore essential for reconstructing the processes that drove early galaxy formation and evolution. This project will search for and investigate dwarf galaxies and primeval systems using both imaging and spectroscopic data, combined with machine learning techniques. Imaging will be used to identify and characterise candidate systems, while spectroscopy will probe their stellar populations, chemical abundances, and kinematics. The candidate will be supervised by Dr. Ting-Yun Cheng and Prof. Reynier Peletier, and learn to apply advanced machine learning methods to conduct classification and property extraction on both imaging and spectroscopic datasets. At different redshifts, the candidate will develop different approaches to identify and study such systems, addressing the challenges of faintness, observational limits, and cosmic evolution.

6.EARLYMW - A reconstruction of the early Milky Way from its most metal-poor stars

Supervisor: Prof. Else Starkenburg

Description: The most metal-poor stars provide us with the opportunity to study the early history of the Milky Way at a level of detail that is not attainable in – and thus highly complementary to – studies of the high-redshift Universe. In the ERC EARLYMW project, our team aims to provide a more quantitative picture of the proto-galaxy that became our Milky Way. 

This PhD-project will combine narrow-band photometry information (from the Pristine survey), with data from the novel 4MOST and WEAVE spectrographs on these rare stars. A first aim is to quantify how the stars that are targeted / observed in the new Galactic Archaeology surveys of 4MOST and WEAVE represent the whole of the metal-poor Galactic stellar populations. We will use this information together with the WEAVE and 4MOST data to provide (3D) mapping of metallicity and chemical compositions and investigate early enrichment across the large-scale Galactic halo. 

Experience with, or close familiarity with, the fields of Galactic archaeology, near-field cosmology and/or stellar spectroscopy are clear assets.

7.EARLYMW - Early chemical enrichment in the Milky Way system

Supervisor: Prof. Else Starkenburg

Description: Very metal-poor stars carry valuable information as our witnesses of the evolution of the Galaxy back to the earliest times. In the ERC EARLYMW project, our team aims to provide a more quantitative picture of the proto-galaxy that became our Milky Way.

This PhD-project will combine available stellar spectroscopic analysis on extremely low-metallicity stars from various sources, including the novel massively multi-plexed Galactic Archaeology surveys within WEAVE and 4MOST, but also targeted follow-up campaigns. We will map the chemical abundances of the most metal-poor stars (interpreted as early generation) in dynamically uncovered Milky Way halo substructures. Finally, this project aims to help provide an answer to the open question “How universal is early chemical enrichment in small galaxies?”

Experience with, or close familiarity with, the fields of Galactic archaeology, near-field cosmology and/or stellar spectroscopy are clear assets.

For detailed questions about a particular project, you can also email the prospective supervisors: https://www.rug.nl/research/kapteyn/institute/people/medewerkers
Please write a clear reference in the email subject (e.g. number(s) of the project you are applying for and/or name of the supervisor(s)).

Qualifications

We seek excellent candidates with a strong background in the physical sciences who desire to obtain a PhD degree from a top European University. A successful candidate must hold an MSc or equivalent degree in Physics, Astronomy, Geoscience, Mathematics, Computational Science or a related field by the starting date of the position. Previous research experience and skills will be important criteria for the selection.

Organisation

The Kapteyn Astronomical Institute is part of the Faculty of Science and Engineering and of The Netherlands Research School for Astronomy (NOVA). With 17 faculty members and about 60 PhD students, it is the second-largest astronomical institute in the Netherlands and recognised worldwide for the quality of its research in multiple areas of astronomy. Groningen, a historic University town in the Northern Netherlands, occupies a strategic place in Dutch astronomy, hosting also the low-energy astrophysics division of the Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON) and the NOVA sub-mm lab. The Kapteyn Institute has a strong connection with the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON) in Dwingeloo, a European centre of radio astronomy research. Staff and PhD students at the Kapteyn Institute frequently collaborate with SRON and ASTRON scientists and engineers. There are also strong interdisciplinary connections with other institutes in the Faculty of Science and Engineering in Groningen, and across the Netherlands, such as with the Dutch Origins Center. English is the common language spoken at the institute.

Conditions of employment

We offer you in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities:

• a salary of € 3,059 in the first year to a maximum of € 3,881 gross per month in the final year (PhD salary scale), based on a full-time position

• a holiday allowance of 8% gross annual income

• an 8.3% year-end bonus

• a full-time position (1.0 FTE)

• a position for four years. The selected PhD candidates will be first offered a temporary position of one year with the option of renewal for another three years.

Application

A complete application file should include the following:

• A cover letter including a) your motivation to apply for one or more of the proposed PhD projects (please clearly indicate which projects you apply for and rank them in your order of preference); b) a brief statement of research interests and a description of past research experience. The cover letter should be 3 pages max in total.

• Up-to-date curriculum vitae.

• A certified list of grades from your undergraduate degree(s) up to the moment of application (in case your degree has not yet been awarded). Please provide translation if they are not in English or Dutch.

Please upload your application as a single pdf file, following the order stated above. The application also asks for the Name and contact information of 2 referees. These could be contacted at a later stage.

You may apply for this position until 28 November 11:59pm Dutch local time (CET) by means of the application form (click on "Apply" below).

Interviews are planned between 26 January and 06 February 2026.

The University of Groningen strives to be a university in which students and staff are respected and feel at home, regardless of differences in background, experiences, perspectives, and identities. We believe that working on our core values of inclusion and equality are a joint responsibility and we are constructively working on creating a socially safe environment. Diversity among students and staff members enriches academic debate and contributes to the quality of our teaching and research. We therefore invite applicants from underrepresented groups in particular to apply. For more information, see also our diversity policy webpage: https://www.rug.nl/about-ug/policy-and-strategy/diversity-and-inclusion/ 

Our selection procedure follows the guidelines of the Recruitment code (NVP): https://www.nvp-hrnetwerk.nl/nl/sollicitatiecode and European Commission's European Code of Conduct for recruitment of researchers: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/sites/default/files/brochures/am509774cee_en_e4.pdf 

Unsolicited marketing is not appreciated.

Information

For information you can contact:

• For information you can contact, vacancykapteyn@astro.rug.nl

Please do not use the e-mail address(es) above for applications.