Duration: The position is initially for 1 year, but it can be renewed depending on funding availability and project needs for up to six years. Expected starting date of the research fellowship is preferably on 1 January 2023.

 Description:

Gaia is an ESA Cornerstone Mission producing astrometry, photometry and astrophysical parameters for more than a billion stars, galaxies, and quasars. Gaia is among the INAF Main Stream projects. The successful candidate is expected to:

• contribute to the validation of the Gaia Catalogue using open and globular clusters 
• participate in the scientific exploitation of Gaia data

The successful candidate will be part of the International Gaia Consortium. He/She will be trained in the management of international projects, in the treatment of Big Data and on the Gaia data in particular.

This position is designed to offer a professional growth opportunity to young researches having PhD or equivalent three year research experience to research fellows or to fixed-term contract holder that want to engage in national and international network in a point of view of spinning and mobility, or to recruit particular competence people for temporary project and/or activity.

Requirements: The selection is open to Italian and foreign citizens meeting the following minimum requirements: 

• A PhD title in either Astronomy or Physics -or equivalent degree- issued by an Italian of a foreign advanced studies institute or university;

or, alternatively

• a master degree in either Astronomy or Physics - or am equivalent degree, including the Italian university degree obtained under the “vecchio ordinamiento”- awarded by and Italian or a foreign advanced studies institute or university, which would entitle the applicant to the enrolment in a PhD programme; followed by at leats three years of documented experience in scientific or technological activities (including years spend as a PhD student).

Application deadline: 23:59 (CET) of November 21, 2022;

Application procedure: 

Applicants should send the application, properly signed:

• with attachments in PDF format via e-mail to address Antonella.vallenari at inaf.it. The e-mail subject should indicate the position which is being applied for (“Assegno di Ricerca – Determina Direttoriale 525/2022”)
• by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt to: INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, vicolo dell’Osservatorio n. 5, 35122 Padova, writing on the envelope: "Selezione per il conferimento di un assegno di ricerca – Progetto: Gaia " – Determina 525/2022
• by posta elettronica certificata, attachment in format "PDF" o "TIFF", to this address: inafoapadova at pcert.postecert.it, writing in the e-mail object: "Selezione per il conferimento di un assegno di ricerca - Progetto: Gaia – Determina 525/2022”
• by authorized express courier, to this address: " INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, vicolo dell’Osservatorio n. 5, 35122 Padova, writing on the envelope: "Selezione per il conferimento di un assegno di ricerca - Progetto: Gaia – Determina 525/2022"

The applicant must include in the application the following documents:

1. Complete application form (annex 1), signed and dated
2. Curriculum vitae, signed and dated by the applicant, detailing on past fellowships 
3. Statement of past research.
4. List of publications.
5. List of any other title deemed relevant for the application.
6. Copy of the PhD certificate or of equivalent foreign academic qualification. Copy of the Master degree including the exam list with marks (only for foreigners applicant).
7. List of all the submitted documents
8. Declaration (annex 2) where the applicant must state clearly and precisely, under his/her own responsibility:
   • name(s) and surname, date and place of birth, nationality, place of residence and address for correspondence;
   • that he/she satisfies all the requirements described in article 2 of this Call;
   • that he/she is aware of and is not ineligible under any of the restrictions described in article 4 of this Call; 
   • that all the submitted documents, papers, Thesis conform to the originals

The declaration must be signed and dated. A copy of a valid identity document need to be enclosed. The lack of any of the above mentioned declarations will determine the exclusion from the selection procedure for incomplete application. 

In case he/she is awarded the post-doctoral fellowship, the successful candidate will have to provide the INAF-OA Padova administration, before taking up the position, with a copy of the PhD certificate or of equivalent foreign academic qualification.

Remuneration: The gross annual salary for this position will be 28,000.00 Euro with deductions of 11% for social security. This amount will be paid in deferred monthly instalments.
Applicable fiscal rules are the provisions of art. n. 4 of Italian law n. 476/1984 and subsequent modifications and integrations. Applicable social security rules are art. n. 2, paragraph 26 and following paragraphs of the Italian Law n. 335/1995 and subsequent modifications and integrations. Applicable rules for obligatory maternity leave are provided in the Decree of the Italian Ministry of Labour and Social Security dated 12 July 2007, published in the “Gazzetta Ufficiale” n. 247, October 23rd 2007. Applicable rules for sick leave are provided by art. n. 1, paragraph n. 788 of Italian law n. 296, December 27 2006, and subsequent modifications.

During the period of obligatory maternity leave, the allowance paid by INPS (Italian National Institute for Social Security) according to art. n. 5 of the above Decree dated 12 July 2007 is supplemented by INAF up to the total amount of the fellowship. The period of obligatory maternity leave will not contribute to the duration of the fellowship foreseen by the contract.

Selection procedure and evaluation: 

The selection will be performed by a Selection Committee appointed by the Director of INAF- OA Padova.

The selection is based on qualifications, possibly integrated by an interview. The Selection Committee can establish a short list of the eligible applicants to be interviewed, on the basis of titles and qualifications and documented experience in the scientific activities on the specific subject of the research fellowship. If approved by all members of the Committee, the interviews can be performed via video-conference, to ease the procedure for the foreign candidate and reduce costs. At the interview, applicants must exhibit their identity documents, unless the interview is being carried out remotely via electronic devices. In the latter case, the Selection Committee verifies the applicant’s identity. Applicants selected for the interview will be contacted by email. 

Evaluation will be based on qualifications and relevance. Applications will be further evaluated on the basis of the following selection criteria:

• Consistency of curriculum vitae, publications, educational background schools with the profile required from the research project, participation to conferences and advanced training, previous experience in the field.
• The Selection Committee can establish a short list of the eligible applicants to be interviewed. The total ranking score is 100 points: a maximum of 70 for titles and qualifications, and a maximum of 30 for the interview. At the conclusion of the selection procedure, the Selection Committee will produce a ranked list.
• The minimum score for admission to the possible interview for an applicant to be awarded the position will be decided by the Committee. 
• The approval decree of the selection procedure and the ranked list will be published on INAF- OA Padova web site: http://www.oapd.inaf.it. 

Contact: For further information about the scientific aspects of this opening, please contact the head of the project, Antonella Vallenari (antonella.vallenaria at inaf.it).