Applications are invited for 1 full time postdoctoral position at the Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center of the Polish Science Academy (CAMK PAN), in Warsaw, Poland, in the field of extragalactic distance scale.
CAMK PAN is the leading astrophysical institute in Poland, hosting about 50 staff researchers and 30 PhD students. CAMK PAN scientists participate in many international projects.
A successful applicant will work with Prof. Grzegorz Pietrzynski as the Principal Investigator on the project Precision calibration of the cosmic distance scale. In a search for a new physics?. The position will be funded from a Polish National Science Centre (NCN) MAESTRO research grant (UMO-2025/58/A/ST9/00437). Funding for travel and excellent working environment is secured.
The scope of the work will be the calibration of the surface brightness color relation and Cepheids. She/he will be a part of the Araucaria group, which dedicated the last 20 years to distance determinations with different distance indicators in order to significantly improve the Hubble constant determination with Cepheids and SN Ia. Currently the whole scientific group consists of some 15 astronomers in CAMK and another 20 in several different countries. Our group operates a collection of small telescopes located in Cerro Murphy Observatory, Chile, just in front of the construction place of the E-ELT. Exceptional weather conditions make this observatory an excellent tool for our research project. The observatory is currently being significantly expanded through the construction of new telescopes, including a 2.5-metre telescope. Therefore candidates with observing / instrumental skills would find an excellent environment.
Requirements to be met by candidates include the following:
- Valid PhD degree in physics or astronomy (the degree must be obtained within 12 years before employment in the project, career breaks such as for maternity/paternity leave can be taken into account)
- Proven track record of publications
- Experience in analysis of variable stars
- Good command of English to enable efficient communication with the team and preparation of scientific reports and publications
- Additional assets: enthusiasm for work, independence, high personal culture, ability to work in a team
The person recruited in result of this competition must also meet all of the following conditions:
- is not a person for whom the Principal Investigator was a promoter or assistant promoter in his/her doctoral dissertation;
- The candidate must have obtained their PhD degree at an institution other than the Host Institution where they will be employed, or must have completed a continuous and documented postdoctoral fellowship of at least 10 months at an institution other than the Host Institution and in a country different from the country where they obtained their PhD degree
- during the employment in the project she/he will not receive any other remuneration from the funds allocated within the direct costs from any other research projects financed by NCN;
- during the employment in the project will not be employed by another employer on the basis of an employment contract, including an employer based outside the territory of Poland.
- During the period of employment under this position, the successful candidate may not receive retirement or pension benefits from the social security system.
The preferred starting date for the position is December 2026, but is to some extent negotiable. This position is offered for two years with a possibility to extend. The salary of the successful candidate will be comparable to that of Polish researchers at the same career stage.
Applications (in pdf format) should be submitted by e-mail with a subject “Maestro Post-doc position” to recruitment@camk.edu.pl and they must include:
- CV including an information clause available available here (PDF format)
- List of publications
- Copy of the PhD diploma
- Short statement of research achievements and plans (maximum 2 pages)
Questions about the position can be sent to: pietrzyn@camk.edu.pl.
For full consideration, applications should be received by July 31st, 2026.
The review of the applications will begin soon after this date and continue until the position is filled.
