Prize fellowship and postdoctoral positions in exoplanet characterization at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy - Ref. 396

We invite applications for multiple postdoctoral fellowships at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany (https://www.mpia.de/en), including independent fellows and project-based postdocs (listed below). The successful candidate(s) will be hosted by the Atmospheric Physics of Exoplanets (APEx) Department and take part in the Max Planck Postdoc Program. The department’s research covers a broad range of topics in exoplanet characterization, including the chemical composition, thermal structure, and dynamics of gaseous planetary atmospheres; the formation and properties of clouds and hazes; the search for atmospheres on rocky planets; the internal structure and bulk composition of gas giants; planet detection and orbital dynamics; and the characterization of exoplanet host stars. APEx is also a partner in the construction of several new instruments over the coming decade, including VLTI/GRAVITY+, ELT/METIS, and ELT/ANDES. For more information on our research activities and scientific staff, see http://www.mpia.de/en/apex.

We anticipate offering positions on the following topics:

• APEx Prize Postdoctoral Fellowship, for independent research on exoplanet characterization (3+1 years, with extension based on successful performance).
• Studying the range of atmospheric dynamics in giant planets, from (ultra) hot Jupiters to more weakly irradiated planets that may be eccentric and not tidally locked, to isolated planets, using GCMs. This is a senior postdoctoral position that includes the possibility to pursue independent projects (3+2 years, with extension based on successful performance).
• Characterizing the atmospheric composition of directly imaged planets and brown dwarfs using medium/high-resolution spectroscopy at a population level; developing high-resolution observation and analysis techniques to reveal 3D structure and atmospheric dynamics of gas giants (3 years).
• Observations of transiting exoplanets with JWST: data analysis with a focus on multi-wavelength observations or atmospheric modelling of sub-Neptunes and gas giants (3 years).
• Developing next-generation techniques for atmospheric characterization through retrievals with machine learning, including techniques such as simulation-based inference or attention-based emulators (3 years).
• Measurements of thermal emission from rocky exoplanets with JWST, or theoretical modeling related to the circulation, outgassing, and/or escape of secondary atmospheres (3 years).