One Predoctoral Research Contract in Astrophysics (ChronoGal)

The proposed doctoral project focuses on the stellar populations of the Milky Way bulge by reconstructing the star formation history in different fields within this Galactic component, using state-of-the-art data from Rubin/LSST or the Roman Space Telescope. A substantial part of the project will involve deriving photometry from images currently being acquired, and yet to be acquired, by these two surveys. Strong programming skills and the ability to develop automated data-analysis pipelines are highly desirable.

The successful applicant will be based at the IAC headquarters in La Laguna, Tenerife, in a stimulating research environment, where s/he will undertake research on a specific and innovative project leading to the award of a doctoral degree. S/he will join the “Galaxy Evolution in the Local Group” research group, an expanding, dynamic, enthusiastic and collaborative team focused on Galactic archaeology and near-field cosmology, from both observational (e.g. Gaia, WEAVE, 4MOST and LSST) and theoretical perspectives, in collaboration with the “Numerical Astrophysics” research group.

Research at the IAC spans most areas of astrophysics, including solar physics, planetary systems, stellar and interstellar physics, galaxy formation and evolution, the Milky Way, cosmology and astroparticle physics. These research activities are supported by an ambitious instrumentation programme. Further information about the IAC’s research programme, its observatories and the 10.4-m Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC) is available on the IAC website (https://www.iac.es/).

Where to Apply

Website: https://iac.sede.gob.es/en/procedimiento/portada?idProc=100500

Requirements

Research Field: Astronomy » Astrophysics

Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Applicants must hold a university degree in Physics or Mathematics.

Specific Requirements

The qualification must provide access to the PhD Programme at the University of La Laguna (ULL), and applicants must meet the requirements for admission or enrolment in that programme. The admission requirements for ULL doctoral programmes are set out on the University’s website. By way of guidance, these requirements are met, among others, by applicants holding a university master’s degree and by those who, without such a degree, hold an undergraduate degree and have completed a total of 300 ECTS credits, at least 60 of which must correspond to master’s-level study. Other routes of entry to the ULL PhD Programme are described on its website (https://www.ull.es).

This requirement must be met at the time the application is submitted.

Languages: ENGLISH — Level: Good

Additional Information

Benefits

Remuneration:

• Predoctoral contract, excluding the Postdoctoral Orientation Period (up to a maximum of four years):
• First and second years: €21,728.76.
• Third year: €22,918.06.
• Fourth year (without POP): €27,979.48.
• Postdoctoral Orientation Period (up to 12 months): €29,684.12.

Relocation allowance: This call includes the possibility of a relocation allowance for the person proposed for appointment. Up to €2,500 may be awarded to cover actual, necessary and duly documented expenses associated with taking up the post at any IAC workplace. Eligible expenses must fall within the categories below and must have been incurred during the 14 days immediately preceding the contract start date:

(1) Air or ferry travel from the applicant’s place of residence to Tenerife, at the lowest available fare. The fare includes one cabin bag (56 × 40 × 25 cm, maximum 10 kg) as hand luggage and one item of checked baggage (maximum combined dimensions of 158 cm and maximum weight of 23 kg).

(2) Accommodation costs for UP TO 13 nights.

(3) Subsistence expenses of UP TO €37.40 per day for 14 days.

No other expenses (taxi, train, bus, etc.) will be reimbursed. This allowance is treated as monetary remuneration, and the applicable personal income tax withholding (Impuesto sobre la Renta de las Personas Físicas, IRPF) will be deducted from the substantiated amount.

Successful applicants who have previously received this allowance will not be eligible to receive it again if fewer than 12 months have elapsed since their most recent IAC contract ended. Nor will applicants be eligible if, at the time of application, they reside on the island where the IAC workplace for their new post is located (Tenerife or La Palma).

Additional comments

IMPORTANT: Academic documentation and equivalence of grades and credits

Applicants must provide academic transcripts for the bachelor’s and master’s degrees, or equivalent qualifications, submitted for assessment, showing the subjects studied, grades awarded and associated credits.

For each academic transcript relating to studies undertaken at an institution outside Spain, applicants must attach the corresponding Declaration of Equivalence of Average Grade (Declaración de Equivalencia de Nota Media, DENM), generated using the official application of the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities and signed by the applicant. This requirement applies regardless of the grading scale used by the foreign institution, including where that scale runs from 0 to 10.

The declaration must be completed in accordance with the Ministry’s instructions and using the grading scale applicable to the transcript. Grades must be converted subject by subject, after which the equivalent average grade must be calculated using the appropriate weighting. Direct conversion of the original average grade, or submission of a conversion prepared outside the Ministry’s procedure, will not be sufficient.

– Access to the application: https://sede.educacion.gob.es/sede/login/inicio.jjsp?idConvocatoria=818

– Ministry information and instructions: https://www.ciencia.gob.es/Universidades/NotaMedia.html

– Access and registration instructions: Annex II of the Ministry’s guide, pages 9–13.

The procedure is free of charge and requires prior registration. Applicants from outside Spain who have neither a Spanish national identity document (DNI) nor a foreign national identity number (NIE) may register using their passport number by selecting “Otro” (Other) in the “Tipo documento” (Document type) field, and then sign in using a username and password, without needing Cl@ve or a Spanish electronic certificate.

Where credits are not expressed in ECTS, applicants must provide their ECTS equivalence, supported by documentation from the awarding university or a competent authority. Where no established equivalence exists, evidence must be provided of the credits completed, the definition of the credit unit used and the prescribed full-time duration of the programme, together with its total workload where available. The IAC will determine equivalence for assessment purposes in accordance with the criteria published in this call. Unsupported estimates will not be accepted. The DENM does not replace this documentation concerning credits.

Academic transcripts issued in a language other than Spanish or English must be accompanied by a translation into one of these two languages, without prejudice to any specific translation requirements established for the Ministry’s procedure.

For qualifications awarded outside the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), the degree certificate must be accompanied by a non-certified translation into Spanish or English, together with the corresponding certificate of equivalence or formal recognition (homologación). Evidence that the relevant recognition or equivalence procedure has been initiated may be submitted; a decision by the competent authority rejecting the application will constitute grounds for termination of the contract.

The grade obtained in the relevant qualification must be at least 7.0 (on a scale of 0 to 10) for applicants presenting a licenciatura degree, and at least 7.5 (on a scale of 0 to 10) for the master’s degree for applicants presenting both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree.

The studies qualifying the applicant for admission to the PhD Programme must have been completed on or after 31 January 2023.

Website for additional job details: https://www.iac.es/en/employment/one-predoctoral-contract-iac-chronogal-ps-2026-084

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available: 1

Company/Institute: Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias

Country: Spain

State/Province: Santa Cruz de Tenerife

City: La Laguna