Predoctoral position (FPI-KOBE)

Call

The official call for applications can be found in this external link from the Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA). This webpage is only meant for specific details on the contract conditions.

General description

The Remote Worlds Lab offers one pre-doctoral position to join our team at the Center for Astrobiology (CAB) in the campus of Villafranca del Castillo, located inside ESA premises in Madrid (ESAC). The successful candidate will be involved in the actions related to the KOBE experiment (K-dwarfs Orbited By habitable Exoplanets) and TEMPO project(Temporal Evolution and Metamorphosis of exoPlanets and their atmOspheres), granted by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation.

Position

The activities related to this FPI are framed within the context of the national plan project entitled “STAR AND PLANETARY FORMATION: DIVERSITY AND HABITABILITY ACCORDING TO JWST AND PLATO” (PIs: David Barrado and Nuria Huélamo). This project has as a main goal the study of the different phases of genesis, evolution and end of planetary systems, including the habitability of rocky planets. In particular, the project is divided into 4 main axes:

Genesis
Identification and characterization of exoplanets and protoplanetary systems; search for brown substellar objects in stellar associations.
Adulthood
Search and characterization of exoplanets (including co-orbitals) using spectroscopic techniques; characterization of the host star.
Evolved
Long-period evolved planets using radial velocities; non-transient planets using REBs.
Habitability
Characterization of planetary and brown dwarf atmospheres with JWST; Astrophysical criteria for habitability: the age scale and the formation of stellar and planetary systems.

The PhD project will focus mainly on axes 2 (search and characterization of planetary systems) and 4 (Habitability). In both cases, the activities to be developed will be linked to the observation programs KOBE (K-dwarfs Orbited By habitable Exoplanets) with the CARMENES instrument, and KOFFEE (K-dwarf Opportunity For Finding Exo-Earths) with ESPRESSO. Both observation programs currently underway exploit the habitable potential of late K-type stars. The planets detected by these observation programs with the radial velocity technique may be key for future missions such as LIFE. The project will also include participation in axis 3 through the detection and characterization of planets in evolved stars, including their atmospheric characterization with programs from both the ground and from space.

Project tasks

The tasks related to this position will involve:

  • (i) Analysis of radial velocity data from the KOBE (Northern Hemisphere with CARMENES) and KOFFEE (Southern Hemisphere with ESPRESSO) programs. Detection and characterization of new planetary systems.
  • (ii) Preparation of the KOBE experiment products. Calculation of the rate of appearance of planets within the habitable zone of late-type K dwarfs from KOBE observations to understand the origin of the desert in this regime. Development of the database and publication of data.
  • (iii) Application of the estimated occurrence rates to future missions such as PLATO and LIFE and correction of the expected frequency in this regime of space of key parameters from the astrobiological point of view.
  • (iv) Atmospheric studies of planets around late-type K dwarfs by observations from ground-based facilities (ESPRESSO, CARMENES and preparation for the ELT) and space-based facilities (mainly JWST but also Ariel). v) Analysis and obtaining of observations for the detection of planets in stars beyond the main sequence using various techniques.
  • (v) Presentation of results at national and international conferences

    • Requirenments

    Summary of the minimum requirenments to apply to this position (see call for special cases):

    • Nationality: Either: a) be Spanish, b) be a national of an EU member state, c) Other cases (see call).
    • Degree in science or engineering from an official university
    • Master in Astrophysics (preferred, but a Master is required)
    • Doctorate Program Be enrolled in a Doctorate programaof a Spanish University (See call for details).

    Applicants are also expected to have expierence with data analysis, computational skills, and education in astronomy:

    • Experience in observational astronomy (if possible)
    • Computational skills (ability to code and develop analysis algorithms)
    • Additional experience in other observational techniques like radial velocity will also be positively evaluated

    Bennefits and conditions

    The successful applicant will be hired by INTA through an M3-grooup contract type for a 4-year period. This implies a gross yearly salary of around 23,700 €/year and a workday load of 7.5 hours/day. The expected time to start this contract is February 2025.

    Contract type
    M3
    Salary
    approx. 23,700 €/year (gross). This quantity can slightly vary according to official regulations.
    Workday load
    37.5 hours/week
    Tele-working
    Not yet possible.
    Starting date
    Expected February 2025
    Bennefits
    Spanish social security includes a large number of bennefits in terms of health, unemployment, and other aspects.

    The successful applicant will work at the Center for Astrobiology premisses located inside the European Space Agency (ESA) in Madrid (ESAC), located in Villafranca del Castillo, at aroun 30 km from Madrid city center and very close to small nearby towns like Villanueva de la Cañada, Majadahonda, Las Rozas or Villanueva del Pardillo. The facilities include gym and sport courts (including basketball, football, padel, tenis, etc.) and several other bennefits.

    The Center for Astrobiology (CAB) is a mixed research center of the CSIC and INTA. Created in 1999, it was the first center in the world dedicated specifically to astrobiology research and the first non-US center associated with the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI), currently the NASA Astrobiology Program (NAP). It is a multidisciplinary center whose main objective is to study the origin, presence and influence of life in the universe. The Astrobiology Center was distinguished in 2017 by the Ministry of Science and Innovation as a “María de Maeztu” Unit of Excellence. CAB has led the development of the REMS, TWINS, and MEDA instruments, all of which have been operational on Mars since August 2012, November 2018, and February 2021, respectively; as well as the science of the RLS Raman instrument from ESA's ExoMars mission. In addition, the center develops the SOLID instrument, intended for the search for life in planetary exploration. The CAB also participates in different missions +and instruments of great astrobiological relevance, such as CARMENES, CHEOPS, PLATO, BepiColombo, DART, Hera, the MIRI and NIRSpec instruments in JWST and the HARMONI instrument in ESO's ELT.

    How to apply

    Please read the official call and follow the instructions to apply.

    ** Deadline for applications: 7-November-2024 at 23:59 CET **

    Selection process

    The selection process will consist on the following steps:

    Step 1. Application
    See the "How to apply" section above.
    Step 2. Interview
    To be scheduled.
    Step 3. Evaluation
    The application and interview will be evaluated and the succesful applicant will be notified.