Postdoctoral Position in Multimessenger Astrophysics and Stellar Evolution Near Massive Black Holes

Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center; Poland; On-site; PLN 132,000 - 158,000; Full time

Job summary

Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center in Warsaw invites applications for a postdoctoral position in astronomy/astrophysics. The successful candidate will join the project on stellar EMRIs/IMRIs as electromagnetic and gravitational‑wave sources and collaborate with CAMK PAN researchers and international partners.

Requirements include a PhD in astrophysics or related field, 4–10 years of research experience, and excellent English.

Qualifications

• PhD in astrophysics, astronomy, physics, or a closely related field by start date.
• Languages ENGLISH Level Excellent.
• Years of Research Experience: 4 - 10 years.

Responsibilities

• Join the project on stellar EMRIs/IMRIs as electromagnetic and gravitational-wave sources for LISA.
• Co-lead exploration and modelling of stellar interactions with massive black holes.
• Publish scientific results in peer‑reviewed journals and present at international conferences and workshops.
• Collaborate with CAMK PAN researchers and international partners.

Skills

English (Excellent)

Education

PhD in astrophysics / related field

4–10 years of research experience

Job description

Organisation/Company Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center Research Field Astronomy » Astrophysics Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Established Researcher (R3) Positions Postdoc Positions Application Deadline 15 Nov 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Warsaw) Country Poland Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Applications are invited for a postdoctoral position at the Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center of the Polish Academy of Sciences (CAMK PAN) in Warsaw with a deadline of November 15, 2026.

The postdoctoral researcher will join the project “Stars Near Massive Black Holes as Electromagnetic Sources and Future Gravitational-Wave Targets for LISA”, led by Dr. Aleksandra Olejak. The successful candidate will also work in close collaboration with other researchers at CAMK PAN, including Dr. Abbas Askar and Dr. Verónica Vázquez Aceves, as well as with international collaborators.

The main scientific focus will be on stellar EMRIs/IMRIs as a class of multimessenger sources for LISA. The position is particularly suitable for candidates with a background in one or more of the following areas: stellar and binary evolution; hydrodynamical simulations of stellar interactions; stellar oscillations and tidal interactions; modelling or observations of electromagnetic counterparts and tidal disruption events; gravitational-wave astrophysics.

Depending on the candidate’s expertise and interests, possible research activities include:

• developing detailed stellar and binary evolution models (e.g. with MESA), or semianalytical frameworks, for stars interacting with intermediate-mass and supermassive black holes;
• modelling tidally excited stellar oscillations and tidal heating, and investigating their impact on the orbital and stellar evolution of extreme mass-ratio systems;
• developing hydrodynamical simulations of stellar interactions with massive black holes and connecting them with stellar-evolution calculations;
• modelling the gravitational-wave/electromagnetic signals of star–massive-black-hole systems and assessing their detectability with LISA and electromagnetic observatories;
• connecting theoretical models to observed classes of high-energy sources and transients, such as ULXs/HLXs, QPEs, QPOs, and exotic tidal disruption events;
• contributing to population and event-rate predictions by combining detailed stellar models with dynamical formation scenarios for star–IMBH systems in dense stellar environments;
• publishing scientific results in peer‑reviewed journals and presenting findings at international conferences and workshops.

While the main expectation of the position will be to contribute to and co‑lead the exploration of stellar EMRIs/IMRIs as electromagnetic and gravitational‑wave sources, the successful candidate will also be encouraged to pursue partly independent projects, develop their own research ideas, and bring complementary expertise to the group and the institute. Candidates with expertise in other relevant areas are also encouraged to apply if they can clearly motivate how their background could contribute to the project.

Requirements

Research Field Astronomy » Astrophysics Education Level PhD or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Applicants should hold a PhD in astrophysics, astronomy, physics, or a closely related field by theexpected starting date.

Languages ENGLISH Level Excellent

Research Field Astronomy » Astrophysics Years of Research Experience 4 - 10

Additional Information

Duration: Up to 30 months, depending on the starting date.
Expected start date: Flexible, but no later than October 2027.
Location: Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw,Poland.
Salary: approx. 13,000 PLN gross per month (approx. 9,800 PLN net per month, depending onthe individual tax situation).

The project involves international collaborations, with dedicated funding available for conferenceparticipation, research visits, collaborative activities, and computing equipment.

Selection process

Applicants should provide:

• a CV;
• a list of publications;
• a brief research statement (maximum 3 pages) describing previous research, current researchinterests, and motivation for joining the project;
• a copy of the PhD diploma or information on the expected PhD completion date;

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview and asked to give a short presentation. Interviews are expected to take place in December 2026.

This position will be financed by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) under the Polish Returns (Polskie Powroty) programme, grant no. BPN/PPO/2025/1/00007/U/00001.

Additional comments

For other inquiries, please contact:
Dr. Aleksandra Olejak
Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center
Polish Academy of Sciences
Email: [e-mail]