Research fellowship position in the field of Star Formation

Ref: IA2020-13-BID

The Centro de Investigação em Astronomia/Astrofísica da Universidade do Porto (CAUP) opens a call for one research fellowship in the field of star formation at the Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço (IA).

The position is offered in the context of the project "Zoom-In ON hIgh-mass Star forMation" with financial support provided by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) (refª IF/00956/2015/CP1273/CT0002).

The Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço (IA) is the most prominent research unit in the field of Astrophysics in Portugal, integrating researchers from the University of Porto and the University of Lisbon, and is responsible for a major fraction of the national productivity in international ISI journals in this area. The research and development effort at the IA include most of the topics at the forefront of research in Astrophysics and Space Sciences, complemented by work on instrumentation and systems with potential use in Astronomy and Astrophysics.

The call is open in the field of Star Formation, and has a maximum duration of 12 months and has to start preferentially no later than January 2021. It is expected that the successful candidate will compete and obtain a regular FCT fellowship or other institutional means in order to complete the PhD program.

The fellowship contract will comply with Lei nº 123/2019 de 28 de Agosto - ''Estatuto do Bolseiro de Investigação’’ in force  [https://www.fct.pt/apoios/bolsas/estatutobolseiro]  and Regulamento nº 950/2019 de 16 de Dezembro de 2019 - ''Regulamento de Bolsas e Investigação da Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia'' in force [https://www.fct.pt/apoios/bolsas/regulamento.phtml.pt].

According to the FCT table values [http:www.fct.pt/apoios/bolsas/valores], the monthly allowance will be €1.064,00 (tax free) and will be paid monthly by bank transfer. The fellowship holder will have a personal accident insurance. Funds for travelling (conferences, collaborations, observing missions) are also available.

The work plan will be carried out within IA, in Porto, under the supervision of Dr. Nanda Kumar.

Research work plan:
There are two main research topics available in the field of star formation, although the candidate is expected to freely choose and cross-pollinate between topics before settling upon a final thesis title.
 
1. Density amplified hub-filament systems: The science interest is to understand the formation of stars as total ensembles in the clustered mode, relating to the recently highlighted importance of hub-filament systems. Our team is the proponent of a new paradigm of star formation in this framework that is attracting much attention from the international community. The prospective candidate will use Far-Infrared and sub-millimeter cutting edge observational facilities available in order to study the formation, dynamics and structure of hubs and filaments

2. Zoom-in on the formation of highest mass stars: The physical processes that occur in the inner few to hundreds of au’s around the monstrous stars (>50Msun—200Msun) when they form are unknown and are expected to be violent and exaggerated as compared to what is known from the studies of Sun like stars. We have ongoing research to examine such physical processes, especially those such as ionized accretion flows and the nature of hub-filament systems leading to the formation of these stars. Priority observations consisting of very high-resolution near-infrared spectroscopic data are already obtained and several data sets of millimeter observations with ALMA are also available to examine this topic.

Application:
The application, to be submitted through the web form below, should include the following information:    
    - Cover letter with a brief description of the candidate's experience and motivation;
    - Curriculum Vitae describing the academic curriculum and research experience (up to 4 pages with at least 10pt font size) and a separate list of the completed curricular units with the respective marks;
    - MSc degree diploma or certificate (please see note 1);
    - Name and contact details (position, email, address) of two referees, available to provide information about the candidate (these will be contacted at the jury's discretion).

Applications will be accepted from 26 September to 12 October 2020.

Selection criteria and evaluation:
The applicant must have completed a MSc degree and be enrolled in a Phd Program or comply with the requirements to be enrolled in a Phd Program. Only applications from candidates having an adequate background in Astronomy, Physics, Mathematics, or other relevant domains, will be considered.

The curricular evaluation of the candidates will be done based on:
    - (20%) Cover letter with a brief description of the candidate's experience and motivation; You should demonstrate a flair to undertake the research and mention any specific interests in the choice of observational regime such as infrared, radio etc..
    - (45%) CV, considering the degree and the previous academic training, including outcomes and contents of completed curricular units and the relevance of that training for the topic;
    - (35%) Relevance and adequacy of previous research experience to the work plan, the priorities of the project, the team, and of IA.

An ordered list of candidates will be defined by the selection committee based on the submitted documents and the criteria mentioned above. If judged necessary, reference letters may also be asked to the aforementioned referees and will be taken into account in the evaluation process.

Awarding of the contract:
Following the evaluation process the contract will be offered according to the ordering list proposed by the selection committee. The position will be granted only if suitable candidates are found. Only candidates with a minimum grade of 70% will be accepted.

The selected candidates will be notified by e-mail.

For inquires please contact Dr. Nanda Kumar by email (nanda@astro.up.pt).

Selection Committee:
Nanda Kumar (chair)
Pedro Palmeirim
Vardan Adibekyan
Filipe Gameiro (alternate)

Notes:
1. In the event that the degree was awarded by a foreign higher education institution, that degree must comply with the provisions of Decree-Law no. 66/2018, of 16th August (approves the legal regime for the recognition of foreign higher academic degrees), and all formalities established therein must be complied with up to the date of hiring.
Applicants are advised to check the website of the Directorate-General for Higher Education (DGES) for further information: https://www.dges.gov.pt/en/pagina/degree-and-diploma-recognition.

2. The fellowship holders' functions are carried out under a scheme of exclusive dedication, in accordance with the terms established in the Research Fellowship Holder's Statute (Estatuto do Bolseiro de Investigação). For more information, see in particular article 5 - Performing Duties [https://www.fct.pt/apoios/bolsas/estatutobolseiro].

Publication date:
11 September 2020

The period for application submission has ended for this opportunity.