Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center invites applications for astronomy and astrophysics PhD studies
The Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center (CAMK PAN), a leading institute of the GeoPlanet Doctoral School, offers the opportunity to carry out graduate studies leading to a PhD degree in astronomy. The PhD studies are related to subjects pursued at CAMK PAN including observational and theoretical astrophysics as well as cosmology. Our senior scientists participate in the H.E.S.S., CTA, Hyper-Kamiokande, GADMC, DarkSide, LUMI-Q, and VIRGO/LIGO/Kagra, ET and EGO projects and are involved in instrumental projects concerning the astronomical satellites eROSITA, ARCUS, PLATO, Ariel and ATHENA. CAMK PAN represents the Polish astronomical community in the SALT consortium which operates an 11-m optical telescope in South Africa. The Center's scientists are leading participants in the Polish scientific satellite project, BRITE, dedicated to precise stellar brightness measurements, and in the project ARAUCARIA, dedicated to the calibration of the cosmological distance scale. They also operate Cerro Murphy Observatory in Chile and SOLARIS – a network of southern hemisphere small robotic telescopes committed to stellar astronomy, the search for exoplanets, and quantum satellite communication.
Studies last 4 years and begin on October 1st, 2025. For this call, the start date is expected to be before 28 February 2026 (no later admission possible). During the 4-year period, students are required to take specific courses, lectures (including interdisciplinary lectures) and participate in seminars, as well as prepare the doctoral thesis. All seminars and lectures are in English. The regulations of the doctoral school, including the program of the Studies, are posted on the CAMK PAN web page.
Information about the proposed research topics and their supervisors is attached to this announcement. Candidates can apply for up to two topics, but should indicate the preferred one. Before applying, candidates should contact their potential supervisors to obtain more details on the proposals.
Doctoral school students receive a scholarship for four years. The minimum amount is 3,466.90 PLN/month gross (approx. 3,077 PLN net) for the first two years and 5,340.90 PLN/month gross (approx. 4,740 PLN net) after a positive mid-term evaluation. See the project description below for details of grant funding.
The recruitment process will take place via an online application system available at:
will be launched no later than August 5th (link will be updated here)
In the online system, choose "Register" and "Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center, Polish Academy of Sciences". After giving your consents, you will be able to enter your data and upload your application documents and select a topic. After uploading the documents you should receive an email confirmation. Please do not use only capital letters (do not use caps lock) in forms and attach only pdf files (no graphical files, no doc, no docx files).
Candidates must submit a complete application, including:
- The application for admission to the doctoral school together with GDPR statement (following the templates available for download in the online application form; address given above).
- A copy of their master’s/university and bachelor’s degree diplomas. In case master’s degree diploma is not yet available, it must be provided before the candidate is admitted to the school.
- A transcript of grades (Bachelor and Master Courses).
- A Curriculum Vitae including an education and employment records, list of publications, information on involvement in scientific activities – membership in scientific groups/societies, participation in scientific conferences, internships and training, awards and distinctions.
- A letter of motivation containing a short description of the candidate's interests and scientific achievements, and justification of the intention to undertake education at the Doctoral School.
- English language certificate(s), if available.
All documents, including scans, must be in PDF format and submitted by August 31st, 2025 (23:59 CEST). In addition to application documents given above, at least one recommendation letter should be sent directly by the referee to: phdstudies@camk.edu.pl, before the application deadline (August 31st).
The Recruitment Board will select candidates for the interview, which will take place September 15th-30th, 2025 (9 am – 4 pm, CEST). Decisions about admission will be made by the end of September, 2025 and all the candidates will be notified by e-mail. For additional information contact the coordinator of the doctoral school, Dr. Radosław Smolec (smolec@camk.edu.pl) or the Center’s secretary office (Mrs. Katarzyna Morawska, kasia@camk.edu.pl).
Warsaw, July 30th, 2025
Attachment: Proposed topic of PhD thesis:
Subject: Generating Synthetic Observations of Star Clusters from Numerical Simulations
Supervisor: dr Abbas Askar (CAMK PAN; contact: askar@camk.edu.pl), prof. Mirosław Giersz (CAMK PAN).
Understanding the dynamical evolution, stellar populations, and structural properties of dense star clusters requires linking detailed numerical simulations with observations. The aim of this project is to simulate how star clusters would appear in photometric and astrometric observations, using outputs from state-of-the-art numerical simulations that model star cluster evolution. The successful candidate will develop and apply a suite of tools to generate synthetic photometric datasets and analyze them to produce colour-magnitude diagrams, light curves, and surface brightness profiles. These outputs will be compared with real observations from both ground- and space-based instruments, such as the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and Gaia.
The synthetic observations will be used to study a wide range of astrophysical phenomena in star clusters, including binary stars, blue stragglers, multiple stellar populations, and compact object binaries. This work will address fundamental questions related to the evolution of dense star clusters and their stellar and binary populations. The project is part of a broader Polish National Science Centre (NCN) project to bridge the gap between simulations and observations and will be carried out in collaboration with a research team comprising the PI (Dr. Abbas Askar) and a postdoctoral researcher working on generating synthetic spectroscopic observations.
Tasks description
The successful applicant will join a funded research team developing a comprehensive toolkit to produce and analyze realistic synthetic photometric observations from star cluster simulations and compare them with observational data. Specific responsibilities will include:
- Developing and automating pipelines to generate synthetic telescope images and extract photometric measurements from MOCCA and direct N-body simulation outputs;
- Simulating time-resolved observations to study stellar variability and motions, including eclipsing binaries;
- Analyzing synthetic data to determine global cluster properties, binary fractions and characteristics, internal structure, and kinematics;
- Contributing to the further development of the MOCCA code and comparing its results with those from direct N-body simulations;
- Publishing scientific results in peer-reviewed journals and presenting findings at international conferences.
Requirements:
The main requirement for this position is possession of a valid MSc degree in astrophysics, astronomy, physics, or a related discipline by the start date of the project.
Doctoral scholarship will be awarded provided that the PhD student meets the doctoral scholarship requirements laid down in the Act on Higher Education and Science of 20 July 2018 throughout the performance period of the tasks in the project (except when education at the doctoral school is suspended).
Additional desired qualifications include:
- Good programming skills (e.g., Python, Fortran, C, or C++);
- Familiarity with star cluster dynamics, stellar or binary evolution, observational astronomy, or photometric techniques;
- Proof of English proficiency that demonstrates excellent writing and communication skills, sufficient to work effectively in an international research environment.
- Experience with observing star clusters and/or analyzing star cluster data will be considered an asset.
Location: Warszawa
Funding: Grant fellowship (National Science Center SONATA grant no 2024/55/D/ST9/02585) for 3 years: 5000 PLN/month, gross, before the mid-term evaluation (ca. 3790 PLN/month net; years 1-2), 6500 PLN/month, gross, after positive mid-term evaluation (ca. 4930 PLN/month net; year 3), followed by a scholarship under general regulations for the remaining period, up to a total of four years. Funding is available for travel to conferences/workshops/schools and computing equipment.
Note: A single position is available. A separate ranking list will be created for this topic.
Subject: Accretion Discs and Outflow Phenomena in Accreting White Dwarf Binaries
Supervisor: dr Krystian Iłkiewicz (CAMK PAN; contact: ilkiewicz@camk.edu.pl), prof. Joanna Mikołajewska (CAMK PAN).
Accreting white dwarf binaries are interacting binary systems in which a white dwarf gains material from a companion star through mass transfer. Depending on the nature of the donor star and the rate of mass transfer, these systems can manifest in various forms, such as cataclysmic variables or symbiotic stars. They serve as valuable laboratories for studying fundamental astrophysical processes, including accretion, mass loss, and binary evolution. These systems are also linked to high-energy phenomena, such as nova eruptions, and are considered important progenitor candidates for type Ia supernovae and potential sources of gravitational waves.
The research will investigate the physical processes involved in mass transfer and angular momentum exchange between the binary components. Particular emphasis will be placed on the formation and evolution of accretion discs and their potential tilts and instabilities, as well as large-scale outflow structures such as jets, bow shocks, and nova shells. These features may serve as key tracers of how angular momentum is redistributed or expelled from the system.
The project is based on a collection of spectroscopic and photometric observations of a large sample of objects. The research will combine observational analysis with theoretical modeling, tailored to the specific interests of the PhD candidate. Possible directions include investigating how disc morphology influences angular momentum dynamics, identifying the mechanisms behind outflows, or assessing how these systems evolve over time and affect their environments.
The expected outcome is a deeper understanding of accretion physics and the long-term evolution of interacting binary systems. The findings may also address unresolved issues in binary population models and contribute to broader astrophysical questions, such as galactic feedback and the life cycle of compact stellar systems.
Location: Warszawa
Funding: Grant fellowship (National Science Center SONATA grant no 2024/55/D/ST9/01713) for 3 years: 5000 PLN/month, gross, before the mid-term evaluation (ca. 3790 PLN/month net; years 1-2), 6500 PLN/month, gross, after positive mid-term evaluation (ca. 4930 PLN/month net; year 3), followed by a scholarship under general regulations for the remaining period, up to a total of four years. Funding is available for travel to conferences/workshops/schools and computing equipment.
Note: A single position is available. A separate ranking list will be created for this topic.
Temporal and dynamical behaviour of multi-phase accretion flow
