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Reference: Prf-2020-041_CHIPS#2
Start date: September 1, 2022.
Description of the position
The School of Engineering of the University of Liege and the Royal Observatory of Belgium invite applications for a full-time position to fill their profile CHIPS – Conceiving Hardware to Investigate the Physics of the Sun, open in the framework of the Belgian federal FED-tWIN programme (Programme of sustainable research cooperation between the federal scientific institutes (FSI) and the universities).
This position involves a part time (50 %) scientific position at the Royal Observatory of Belgium, and a complementary part time (50 %) academic position at the School of Engineering of the University of Liège in the field of “Opto-thermo mechanical design of space experiments”.
Work environment
The position offered is in an ideal research environment to develop projects with international space agencies and with both academic and industrial partners.
The Solar Influences Data analysis Centre of the Royal Observatory of Belgium (ROB) has its research focus on the analysis of solar imagery from space and from the ground, with goal to monitor solar activity and to perform fundamental solar physics research. The SIDC is the PI institute for instruments onboard the PROBA2, PROBA-3 and Solar Orbiter space missions. It also harbours the World Data Centre for the Sunspot Index and a Space Weather forecast centre. The group consists of 4 permanent staff researchers, 31 contractual researchers, 7 PhD students and 6 support staff.
At the University of Liège, the successful candidate will be affiliated with the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering (A&M) of the School of Engineering and, therefore, will be in direct connection with the Centre Spatial de Liège.
A&M is both a teaching department and a research unit. Building on the heritage of the former LTAS (Laboratoire de Techniques AéroSpatiales), it has achieved international recognition for the development of advanced numerical methods and tools and their applications in aerospace engineering. Numerical modeling forms the backbone of A&M research and is effectively complemented by a long expertise in experimental measurements that can leverage state-of-the-art infrastructure and equipment. A&M is particularly active in the fields of aerospace engineering, materials and processes, energy conversion, mechanical systems, and biomechanics.
A&M is committed to the development of multilateral and interdisciplinary scientific collaborations with other academic partners, research institutes and private companies/industries, at both the regional and international levels, to contribute to the advancement of knowledge and to support high level education/training programs.
The Centre Spatial de Liège is an applied research centre of the University of Liège focusing on the design of space observation instruments. In addition, the CSL has a state-of-the-art environmental test centre serving the European Space Agency (ESA), the space industry and regional companies. The CSL has been contributing to numerous missions to observe the cosmos, the earth and its atmosphere, meteorology, developed largely by ESA and to a lesser extent by NASA. In particular, it has a long-standing expertise in leading the development of space solar instruments, e.g. onboard the SOHO, PROBA2, PROBA-3, and Solar Orbiter missions. The CSL has developed software for satellites equipped with radar, built part of an instrument or been the prime contractor in the construction of an instrument and, in many cases, carried out the very delicate and sometimes very long tests, under space conditions, of many instruments and even entire satellites. Along these missions, the about 100 engineers, physicists and technicians of the Centre Spatial de Liège have developed a strong expertise in extremely varied fields such as optics, electronics, lasers and non-destructive testing of various materials, thermics, surface analysis and structure, …
A detailed description of the A&M department, the Centre Spatial de Liège, the Royal Observatory of Belgium and their activities can be found on their websites http://www.am.uliege.be, http://www.csl.uliege.be, https://www.astro.oma.be/en/, and http://sidc.be/aboutSIDC.
Research activities
The general objective of the FED-tWIN Profile is to conceive the next generation of solar space-borne instrumentation by pioneering new technologies and designs optimized for future solar physics. The ultimate goal of the FED-tWIN expert is to prepare the concept of new space-borne instruments to observe the Sun for the upcoming mission calls in the science programme of the European Space Agency (ESA).
A particular attention will be paid to the technological developments required to measure the magnetic field in the solar corona, to improve the solar coronagraphy, to provide extreme-violet (EUV) imaging of the solar corona at very high spatial resolution and to measure flare energy in a broad spectral range.
The successful candidate is expected to take a leading role internationally in the conception and development of space instruments for solar physics missions, to acquire competitive research funding, and to aim at excellence in research i.e. by publishing in outstanding journals and giving presentations at the main conferences in the field.
Teaching activities
The part-time academic position requires a contribution to the teaching activities organized by the A&M department, including the development of specific courses in the field of opto-thermo-mechanical design of space experiments and hardware, in the framework of the master programmes in aerospace engineering and in engineering physics.
He/she will additionally take part in the supervision of internships, final year projects and PhD projects in his/her field of research.
The teaching load may not exceed 125 hours per year (including any practical work and seminars).
Service activities
The selected candidate will participate in service activities to ensure the visibility and promotion of the activities developed at the Royal Observatory of Belgium and at the department of Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering of the School of Engineering. He/she will be prepared to provide scientific and expert services and outreach in the two institutes, both towards society in general and to internal committees.
He/she will develop a solid and effective collaboration between the University of Liège (A&M Department and CSL) and the Royal Observatory of Belgium.
Required qualifications
The candidate will hold a PhD with thesis in physics/astrophysics or engineering/instrumental optics. He/she will have international experience and proven track record in research in observational solar physics or solar instrumentation, in particular in space-borne remote-sensing solar instrumentation.
A successful candidate will have strong scientific project management skills, organisational skills, a cooperative attitude, leadership capacities and be committed to intensive collaboration between the two institutes. He/she will also have developed the related technical skills, like programming (e.g. in Interactive Data Language, Python, Matlab), or optical calculations (e.g. sequential and non-sequential ray-tracing, Fourier optics).
Proficiency in written and spoken English is required; knowledge of French is an advantage.
The FED-tWIN project requires that applicants have obtained their PhD no more than 12 years before the job application submission date. This period is extended with 1 year for each long-term leave for a child or illness.
Selection procedure
A selection committee appointed by the School of Engineering and the Royal Observatory of Belgium with both internal staff members and external experts will assess the applications files.
In a second step, short-listed applicants will be invited for an interview during which they will present their research project, give a trial lecture, and discuss with the selection committee.
The University of Liège and the Royal Observatory of Belgium are equal opportunity employers that strive to foster diversity. All qualified applications will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender, sexual orientation, origin, beliefs, disability, or nationality.
Application procedure
Candidates are requested to send their application electronically to Postesacademiques@uliege.be with a copy to Mrs. Aurélie Lecca (Aurelie.Lecca@uliege.be) and Dr. Andrei Zhukov (Andrei.Zhukov@sidc.be). The deadline for applications is on March 1, 2022.
The following documents are required by the final date for applications:
- a motivation letter,
- a Curriculum Vitae including a complete list of publications,
- a list of 5 key publications and for each a short a description of their contribution to the state of the art,
- a summary of past and ongoing research, as well as a statement on future research including the planned integration within the project,
- a teaching statement including a report on previous teaching activities (if any) and a prospective pedagogical project,
- a copy of five most representative publications,
- full copies of certificates/diplomas.
Documents may be delivered either in French or in English and must be provided in electronic form (PDF).
Terms and conditions of employment
The selected candidate will receive a part-time (50 %) position as SW2 scientific staff at ROB (contract of undetermined duration) and a part-time (50 %) academic position at the University of Liège (ULiège).
At ULiège, he/she will be appointed for an initial fixed term of four years, which may then lead to a permanent appointment (tenure-track). The achievements of the new academic will be assessed at the end of the third year.
- If the evaluation is negative, the appointment will end after the four-year term.
- If the evaluation is positive, he/she will receive tenure.
In addition, a progress evaluation will be organized annually.
Information
Additional information about research and education opportunities at ULiège can be obtained from Professor Olivier Brüls – tel.: +32 4 366 91 84 – o.bruls@uliege.be. For specific questions about the CHIPS scientific profile, please contact Prof. Jérôme Loicq, e-mail: j.loicq@uliege.be, or Dr. Andrei Zhukov, e-mail: Andrei.Zhukov@sidc.be
For any additional administrative information, please contact Mrs. Aurélie Lecca – tel.: +32 4 366 94 68 – Aurelie.Lecca@uliege.be, or the HR service at ROB – tel +32 2 790 39 94 –hrrob@oma.be
Salary and benefits
The 50% appointment at the Royal Observatory of Belgium will be a contract of undetermined duration in the salary scale SW2 (Work Leader).
Remuneration scales at the University of Liège and how they are applied are available from the University’s Human Resources department: Mrs. Ludivine Depas – tel.: +32 4 366 52 04 – Ludivine.Depas@uliege.be
