The IRMP Research Institute in Mathematics and Physics (CP3 center http://cp3.phys.ucl.ac.be/ and CURL group: https://curl.group/) of the Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain) in Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium) and the STAR institute (https://www.star.uliege.be/) of the Université de Liège (ULiège) invite applications for four three-year positions at the post-doctoral level to join our effort on gravitational wave data analysis, commissioning and instrumentation development within the Virgo experiment. Three of the four positions are at UClouvain and one at ULiège.

UCLouvain and ULiège have recently joined the Virgo Collaboration and have a new research program in gravitational wave physics, in connection with dark matter and cosmology, in addition to contributions to the Virgo computing and detection systems. This program is strongly supported by the universities and the funding agencies as testified by the large number of available positions (PhD positions are also available as advertised in a separate announcement). Analyses within the CBC, CW and/or SGWB LIGO/Virgo physics groups are envisaged, along with activity in Virgo commissioning and instrumentation.

UCLouvain hosts, among others, research on fundamental interactions and cosmology, equally strongly on the experimental and theoretical fronts. More than 100 physicists and mathematicians from all over the world currently work at the IRMP institute of UCLouvain. The IRMP computing cluster (2500 cores and 1400 TB), currently dedicated to the CMS and NA62 experiments, the MadGraph project and theoretical cosmology, will also be made available, starting from the O3 run, to Virgo and in particular to members of UCLouvain and ULiège.

The STAR institute of ULiège concentrates on topics linked to astrophysics. More than 100 researchers conduct research focused on planetology, stellar physics, extragalactic astrophysics, astro-particles and instrumentation. It also benefits from the environment of the laboratories of CSL (Centre Spatial de Liège).

Applicants must hold a Ph.D. and have a strong background in gravitational wave data analysis and/or commissioning and/or instrumentation. The appointments are for a duration of three years. Two positions can start anytime, while the other two cannot begin earlier than September 2019. The positions are open to candidates who have not spent more than 2 years in Belgium within the last 3 years at the time of the beginning of the appointment. The salary is around 28 k€/year net free of taxes, and includes all social security coverage. Each position also comes with appropriate travel money of at least 5 k€/year.

Applications will be accepted until positions are filled.

Applications, including a curriculum vitae, a list of publications, and at least two letters of recommendation should be submitted online at: https://cp3.irmp.ucl.ac.be/jobs/54 .

For more information, please, contact

Giacomo Bruno (Giacomo.Bruno@uclouvain.be ; tel: +32 (0)10 473215)
Jean-René Cudell (jr.cudell@uliege.be ; tel: +32 (0)4 366 3654)
Krzysztof Piotrzkowski (krzysztof.piotrzkowski@uclouvain.be ; tel: +32 (0)10 473244)
Christophe Ringeval (Christophe.Ringeval@uclouvain.be ; tel: +32 (0)10 472075)

Managers:

Jean-René Cudell
Christophe Ringeval
Krzysztof Piotrzkowski
Giacomo Bruno

Related groups:
Virgo