The radio astronomy group at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB), led by Jun.-Prof. Christopher J. Riseley, is looking for a PhD student at the earliest possible date. The position is open to candidates from any country. The group is involved in analysis of radio astronomy data from the Pathfinder and Precursor instruments for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), in particular from large-area radio-wavelength imaging surveys such as the LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS) and the Evolutionary Map of the Universe (EMU) survey with the Australian SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP). Scientifically, the group is engaged in research on a variety of astrophysical topics including galaxy evolution, groups and clusters of galaxies, star formation, cosmic rays, and magnetic fields in the Universe.
The successful candidate will work on new radio observations in the (ultra-)low-frequency regime from the newly upgraded LOFAR2.0 telescope. The candidate will play a key role in development of end-to-end data processing pipelines for new data from the LOFAR Low-Band Antennas (LBA) system, with a particular emphasis on decametric observations in the 14 to 30 MHz regime. In addition, the candidate will play a role in benchmarking the efficiency of current leading radio interferometric software on commissioning data from SKA-Low as it becomes available. Scientifically, the candidate will have the opportunity to make best use of data yielded from their work with LOFAR2.0, with opportunities including radio continuum surveys, nearby galaxies, diffuse phenomena in groups and/or clusters of galaxies, depending on their scientific interest. The broader group at RUB provides a stimulating and international environment, with members from many different countries working in different fields.
