The Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC, Tenerife, Spain) invites applications for one PhD pre-doctoral contract within the framework of the project “Polarized Radiation Diagnostics for Exploring the Magnetism of the Outer Solar Atmosphere” (POLMAG), funded by the Advanced Grant that the European Research Council (ERC) has awarded to Prof. Javier Trujillo Bueno (see http://www.iac.es/proyecto/polmag/ ).

The IAC is a Public Consortium and a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence doing research on the following areas of astrophysics: solar physics, planetary systems, stellar and interstellar physics, galactic formation and evolution, cosmology and astroparticles, as well as on development of instrumentation. Further information about the IAC's research programme is available at http://www.iac.es/. The appointed candidate will benefit from the research environment at the IAC, which hosts one of the largest and most active Solar Physics groups in Europe. The group covers theory, numerical modeling, observations and instrumental development, and is seriously involved in novel international projects such as the EST (European Solar Telescope) and CLASP (Chromospheric LAyer SpectroPolarimeter).

Duties: The selected candidate will develop her/his PhD thesis having Prof. Javier Trujillo Bueno  and Dr. Tanausú del Pino Alemán as thesis advisors.

Topic: This PhD research project aims at a true breakthrough in the development and application of polarized radiation diagnostics methods to make feasible the investigation of the magnetic and geometrical structure of the outer atmosphere of the Sun and of other stars via ultraviolet spectropolarimetry. In particular, in order to decipher the physics of the upper solar chromosphere and transition region, where the average ratio of gas to magnetic pressure is smaller than unity, we will investigate the polarization produced by scattering processes and the joint action of the Hanle and Zeeman effects in ultraviolet spectral lines located between 1000 and 4000 Angstroms. This novel investigation is of great present scientific interest. For example, after the success of the first flight of the Chromospheric Lyman-Alpha Spectro-Polarimeter (CLASP, a series of international suborbital rocket experiments developed by Japan, USA and Europe in which we are seriously involved) NASA has accepted its second flight for 2019 in order to observe the intensity and polarization of the Mg II h & k lines. On the other hand, the SUNRISE III ballon-borne solar observatory, led by the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, will be equiped with a spectropolarimeter for the 300-400 nm wavelength range. Moreover, there is also increasing interest in developing novel telescopes and instruments to measure with high spectral resolution the polarization of the integrated stellar disk radiation (e.g., the POLLUX instrument planned for the LUVOIR space telescope).

Qualification requirements: To be considered, applicants must have a degree in Physics or Mathematics. The degree must satisfy the admission requirements of the University of La Laguna (ULL)to the  PhD Programme in astrophysics, in which the selected student must register. Applicants must have met these requirements by 15th November 2018. The ULL requirements are satisfied by applicants with an MSc, as well as by those students with an Undergraduate Degree who have already obtained at least 300 credits (ETCs) of which at least 60 credits should correspond to an MSc Degree (other ways to fulfil the ULL requirements are possible; see the ULL website for details). The undergraduate or MSc degree required to register in the ULL PhD Programme must have been obtained after January 31, 2015.

Duration: The starting date can be 1st December 2018, ideally, although the exact date can be negotiated. The duration of the contract will be four years, subject to annual revisions. Students obtaining their PhD within three years will be offered the possibility to continue at the IAC one further year with a Postdoctoral Training Period contract. These contracts are intended to offer the new doctors a bridge between their studentships and the postdoctoral phase of their careers

Remuneration:

Each pre-doctoral yearly contract (up to four years): 18.714,28   Euros

One year Post-doctoral Training Period contract (in the event that the candidate has obtained her/his PhD before the beginning of the fourth year): 24.267,38  Euros

Research travel funds: The contract includes all the travel expenses needed for the successful development of the PhD thesis (meetings, workshops, observations, collaborations, etc.).

Relocation allowance: This call includes an incorporation allowance only for the selected candidate comprising the cost of the flight ticket (booked and issued by the IAC). The maximum amount the IAC will reimburse is 1,000 Euros.

Non-UE citizens: If you are citizen of a country not belonging to the European Union, you can apply for this position, but if selected, you will not be allowed to sign the contract with the IAC until you obtain the compulsory documentation required to live and work in Spain (NIE card). 

How to apply: use the online application system, http://www.iac.es/ensenanza/solicitudes, including the required information and documents. Alternatively, follow the instructions in the official announcement (only in Spanish).

The required documentation must be submitted using the online application system and received by the application deadline: 15th November, 2018, 23:59h (Canarian Local Time, same as London).

Applicants must go to: http://www.iac.es/ensenanza/solicitudes, and:

1 •        Attach a pdf file with the following documents:

a)         Application Form (Annex III) completed and signed (applications not including this form will be automatically excluded), specifying which field the candidate is applying for (1 or 2).

b)         Photocopy of the University Degree

• .If the candidate already satisfies the requirements to register for the ULL PhD Programme by the application deadline:

Academic Certificate containing:

•           Official Stamp.

•           Date when the studies were completed

•           List of subjects studied during the whole Degree programme

•           Marks obtained with dates

.

ii. If the candidate does NOT meet the requirements to register for the ULL PhD Programme by the application deadline:

• Official Stamp.
• List of subjects studied and corresponding dates
• Average marks.

In both cases, the applicants must declare that the subjects listed are those required to register in the ULL PhD Programme or, those that have been passed at the date of submitting the application (Annex VI).

The qualification obtained in each subject should be presented on a scale of 0-10. If your University uses a different scale then convert your qualification to this scale in each of the subjects studied and indicate the method applied.

In the case of certificates issued by non-Spanish institutions the candidates must specify the maximum and minimum qualifications within the corresponding evaluation system and what mark corresponds to the minimum pass grade.

If the certificate is issued in a language other than Spanish or English, it must be accompanied by its translation into either of these languages.

d)         «Currículum vitae», in which the applicant includes all the previous fellowships, the corresponding results, grants and recognized merits.

e) Photocopy of certificate of B1 level in English language (or Spanish if English speaker), as detailed in the Common European Frame of Reference (CEFR).

f) Documents and certificates proving the merits listed in Annex I and which the applicant wants to have taken into consideration. Any fellowship, contract, course, seminar, conference or merit listed must be supported by an appropriate document in order to be evaluated by the members of the selection committee.

g) Declaration that the applicant has not been contractually linked with the IAC in the past nor enrolled in an equivalent organisation under the kind of contracts listed in Annex V of this call for applications.

h) Photocopy of valid passport (if not a Spanish citizen).

i) Certificate of disability (if applicable).

j) Certificate of dependent child/children under 6 years; 2.3.2 b (if applicable).

2 • Detailed completion of the application, including the names and e-mails of three scientists familiar with the candidate’s abilities

Once you have submitted all the information related to your academic qualifications on-line, it is NOT necessary to submit it also by post or present it personally at the IAC General Register Office.

Late applications or those which do not include the mandatory application form (Annex I), will not be considered for admission.  Incomplete applications will have a period of five (5) days, starting from the day after publication of the provisional list of accepted and excluded candidates, to provide the missing documentation.

Contact: For scientific enquiries please contact Dr. Tanausú del Pino Alemán (tanausu@iac.es) and Prof. Javier Trujillo Bueno (jtb@iac.es).