Postdoc to study B-modes in large imaging surveys

We invite applications for a postdoctoral research position at Leiden Observatory, funded by a grant awarded to Henk Hoekstra and Elisa Chisari to study the curl in the patterns of galaxy shapes (so-called ‘B-modes’). The jump in precision thanks to the deluge of data from Euclid and Rubin Observatory allows for such subtle effects to be explored for the first time and thus test the current paradigm in new ways.

The successful applicant will join both surveys and their work will focus on extracting B-mode signals from the data. This is a challenging task, given the wide range of contaminants that need to be characterized and accounted for. The results, however, are also expected to lead to further improvements in the analysis pipelines of both Euclid and LSST. Moreover, the postdoc is expected to support efforts by a PhD student in Utrecht that has started to examine the physical processes that can source B-modes.

The appointment is for three years, and the position comes with a competitive salary and an attractive benefits package with additional holiday and end-of-year bonuses. A starting date no later than September 2026 is preferred. The successful candidate must have a PhD by the starting date. The successful applicant will join the Euclid Consortium and the LSST Dark Energy Science Collaboration.

Leiden Observatory is a lively world-class university astronomy department that covers a wide range of science. Leiden itself, is a charming university town with international flair with easy connections to other European countries.

We encourage applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds and from underrepresented groups in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.