Postdoctoral position in astrophysics of relativistic jets

The Finnish Centre for Astronomy with ESO (FINCA) is a national research institute that takes care of Finnish co-operation with the European Southern Observatory (ESO), practices and co-ordinates high quality astronomical research, and technological development work related to ESO; participates in researcher training; and promotes co-operation of Finnish universities in astronomy.

The successful candidate will join the Research Council of Finland -funded JetOrigin project, which is run jointly by  Dr. Talvikki Hovatta at FINCA at University of Turku and by  Dr. Tuomas Savolainen at the Department of Electronics and Nanoengineering and Metsähovi Radio Observatory at Aalto University.

Job description

The research concentrates on the physics of relativistic jets launched from accreting supermassive black holes in active galactic nuclei (AGN). These black hole powered jets are among the most energetic long-lived phenomena in the Universe and despite their ubiquity, many of the fundamental questions regarding their physics are still open. We do not for example understand well their launching and acceleration mechanisms. With its sub-milliarcsecond resolution, very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) with radio telescopes is the only observational method that allows us to image the jet formation region. The most remarkable example of the power of this technique are the recent images by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT).

Your task is to analyze existing polarization observations conducted with the EHT in order to study magnetic fields in the plasma jets launched by supermassive black holes. You will also compare the observations with numerical simulations and theoretical models, and apply for new observations.

You will get to work in a research group that has several PhD students and postdocs and an active environment at Aalto University Metsähovi Radio Observatory. There are also many international collaborators, and an excellent possibility to network and participate in international conferences and workshops, and make research visits.

Requirements

• PhD in astronomy or a closely related field
• Strong background in radio interferometry, preferably very long baseline interferometry
• A track record of scientific publications in high-quality peer reviewed journals
• Professional-level communication and presentation skills in English
• Self-motivated and able to work independently

Experience in polarimetric VLBI observations and analysis of EHT data is considered an advantage.

The qualification requirements of the position are stated in the University of Turku Rules of Procedure: https://www.utu.fi/en/university/organisation.

The selected candidate should start in the position by September 1st 2025 the latest. The fixed-term contract is initially for two years with a possible extension of a 3rd year at Aalto University. The 3rd year employment at Aalto would be either as a postdoctoral researcher or a research fellow, depending on the qualifications of the applicant.