[Everyone] Post-doctoral position to work on simulations for the Athena X-ray Observatory at the Institute of Space Sciences in Barcelona (Deadline: October 20th)

[Nanda Rea]

The Athena mission will be the next generation large X-ray observatory
offering spatially-resolved X-ray spectroscopy and deep wide-field X-ray
spectral imaging with performance greatly exceeding that offered by current
X-ray observatories. It was selected in 2014 by ESA to become the second
L-class mission of its Cosmic Vision programme. It will be launched in the
2030’ and it is now preparing its Mission Adoption Review that will end in
late 2022 when the instrument construction will start.



We welcome applications for a post-doctoral position on data simulations
for the Athena X-ray Observatory at the Institute of Space Sciences in
Barcelona (ICE), which is part of the Spanish National Research Council
(CSIC) and the Catalan Institute for Space Studies (IEEC). The Institute of
Space Sciences is deeply involved in the scientific preparation for the
mission being part of the Athena Science Study Team, and part of a bigger
network of Spanish institutes involved in several aspects of the Athena
preparation.



In this role, the post-doctoral researcher will be:



- Simulating Athena observations of pulsars, magnetars, pulsar wind nebulae
and neutron stars in binary systems.

- Improving existing and developing new pipelines for image, spectral and
timing X-ray analysis, focused on the future Athena X-ray Observatory.



He/she is requested to have experience in:



- High energy astrophysics in general.

- X-ray data analysis.

- Python and related libraries.



The successful candidate is expected to work actively on Athena simulations
but having 30% of the time to pursue his/her own scientific interests. A
scientific background on neutron star science is a plus, but not strictly
necessary.



He/she will be hired on a full-time contract from the Consejo Superior de
Investigaciones Científicas and funded by a European H2020 ERC Consolidator
grant (MAGNESIA ERC Consolidator project, PI: Rea). The position is for 2
years, with possible extensions. There will be a (relaxed) evaluation of
performance every year, and a report (a couple of pages maximum) to be
submitted to the European Commission. Salary and benefits will be in
accordance with the Spanish labour laws, and will depend on past
experience. This position further allows 1 month vacation per year, usually
taken in August. Working hours are flexible as typical for our discipline,
and we encourage performance-driven work, rather than a filling-hours
approach. The funding grant will also provide a laptop, accessories or
justified materials, which can be chosen and customized. Starting date
would be December 2021/Early 2022 but can be discussed with the potential
candidates. Given the current situation, working conditions will be
flexible if required.



Group activities will be in English (as are all the institute's activities)
and there is a weekly group meeting that the successful candidate is
expected to attend (remotely if needed). One crucial strength of our group
is the generally relaxed and supportive atmosphere between all its members,
and we are looking forward to having a new team member join in this spirit.
More information about the group here:
https://www.ice.csic.es/erc-magnesia/



About the institution:



Currently, the Institute of Space Sciences (ICE) counts over 20 faculty
members, about 20 engineers, about 20 post-doc fellows and a dozen of PhD
students. The areas of research vary from engineering applied to several
space missions to fundamental physics, cosmology, from high-energy
astronomy to theoretical astrophysics. ICE is part of the "Consejo Superior
de Investigaciones Científicas" (CSIC, the Spanish National Research
Council). CSIC is the largest public institution dedicated to research in
Spain and the third largest in Europe. ICE is also part of the Catalan
Institute of Space Studies (IEEC, Institut d'Estudis Espacials de
Catalunya). Our institute is an equal-opportunity employer committed to
building a culturally diverse community of researchers, dedicated to
contributing to an inclusive environment. We encourage, in particular,
applications by women and by members of minorities. ICE is located in a
modern building on the Campus of the Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona in
Bellaterra, just outside Barcelona. The Campus is well served by public
transportation (railways and buses), and a variety of temporary and
long-term accommodation options can be found both in Barcelona city center
and in the smaller towns close to the University Campus.



To apply please send your CV to: Nanda Rea <rea at ice.csic.es>



*Deadline: October 20th, 2021. *Applications are open until positions are
filled.
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