2024-12-12 10:00

Ref0127 / Deadline: January 17th, 2025 (14:00 CET)

Abierto / Open

Offer description

The "Centro de Estudios de Física del Cosmos de Aragón" (CEFCA) invites applications for one predoctoral positions in Astrophysics. This action is funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (MCIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 / FEDER, UE) with grant PREP2023-000232 associated to the project LA NATURALEZA Y EVOLUCION COSMICA DE LAS GALAXIAS CON LINEA DE EMISION EXTREMA "XTREM" (PID2023-147386NB-I00).

CEFCA is a research institution located in Teruel, Spain, in charge of the operation, data management and scientific exploitation of the Observatorio Astrofísico de Javalambre (OAJ), an astronomical facility specifically suited for carrying out large astronomical surveys with very large field-of-view (FoV) telescopes: the 2.5m Javalambre Survey Telescope (JST250; 3deg diameter FoV) and the 83cm Javalambre Auxiliary Survey Telescope (JAST80; 2deg diameter FoV).

JST250 is equipped with JPCam, a 1.2Gpix panoramic camera consisting of a mosaic of 14 CCDs of ~9.2k x 9.2k pix. The JPCam/JST250 system provides a 4.1 deg² FoV and hosts a complete new set of 54 filters of 145A width, covering the whole optical spectral range plus two broader filters at the blue and red ends. During the next years, JPCam/JST250 will be mostly devoted to carry out the Javalambre Physics of the accelerating Universe Astrophysical Survey (J-PAS), , which is producing photo-spectra of hundreds of millions of astronomical objects with a wide range of applications in Astrophysics and Cosmology. The J-PAS early data release, covering 12 deg², was made public in November 2024.

JAST80 is equipped with the panoramic camera T80Cam, hosting one CCD identical to those in JPCam. The T80Cam/JAST80 system provides an effective FoV of 2 deg². Since 2016, it is primarily devoted to conduct the Javalambre Photometric Local Universe Survey (J-PLUS), whose third data release, amounting ~3200deg² was public in December 2022.

The OAJ is a Spanish ICTS (Unique Scientific and Technical Infrastructure). As such, CEFCA offers 20% of OAJ Open Time to competitive P.I. projects, including Legacy Surveys with the JAST80.

CEFCA is also a core institution of the ARRAKIHS consortium, the first F-class ESA space mission led by a Spanish institution. The mission ARRAKIHS (Analysis of Resolved Remnants of Accreted galaxies as a Key Instrument for Halo Surveys) aims to test our current understanding about dark matter by observing a hundred Milky Way-like galaxies reaching unprecedented low-surface brightness limit, sufficient to detect the faint tidal tails predicted by current galaxy formation theories.

The OAJ data is reduced, calibrated and released by the Unit for Data Processing and Archiving (UPAD) at CEFCA. In addition, the data from the main CEFCA surveys is validated and exploited at scientific level by the Research Area at CEFCA.

The PhD project will be pivotal in the XTREM long-term research program. Its main objectives are the scientific exploitation of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and the wide-field spectrophotometric mapping of J-PAS to study the most extreme emission-line galaxies (EELGs) through cosmic time. XTREM will primarily study low-mass galaxies, compact in size, exhibiting high star formation rates, and easily identifiable in the extragalactic ecosystem due to their extreme emission lines and faint continuum emission, even in broad- and medium-band photometry. Recent work on high-redshift galaxies highlights the key role of EELGs as significant drivers of cosmic Hydrogen reionization and early chemical evolution at z > 6 while providing a brief but crucial glimpse into the evolution of galaxies during major phases of galaxy growth at later cosmic epochs. While EELGs are thus excellent laboratories for studying starburst-driven evolution of galaxies in quasi-pristine environments that are common in the early universe, they appear increasingly rarer at lower redshifts. Detailed studies and comparison of their main properties across cosmic time are now feasible with HST, JWST, Euclid, and big ground-based telescopes. However, a statistically complete census and characterization of the physical properties of EELGs are yet much needed. This is key for a better understanding of their significance on the cosmic star formation history and for selecting representative samples enabling detailed studies, for example on the physics of their interstellar medium and the role of starbursts and feedback in shaping the chemical enrichment and the production and escape of ionizing photons in such galaxies. With this in mind, XTREM aims at comprehensively and statistically studying the population of EELGs from redshift z = 0 to the reionization epoch (z > 6).

To achieve this, we plan to 1) build the most comprehensive samples available with optical spectro-photometry from the ground for nearby objects using JPAS and DESI, leveraging their extensive coverage and precise redshifts, and 2) select and study high-z EELGs from deep cosmological fields using photometric color criteria and spectroscopic observations with JWST/NIRSPec and NIRCam, and ground-based follow-ups (e.g. GTC, VLT, ALMA).

In this context, CEFCA is seeking one predoctoral researcher to conduct ambitious research centered on the following goals: a) the star formation history of EELGs; b) the internal (stellar formation, dynamics) and external processes that influence the initiation and propagation of star formation; c) the chemical abundances defining this population at all redshifts via main fundamental relations (e.g. mass-metallicity-SFR) and their interpretation in terms of chemical evolution models; d) the gas kinematics of these galaxies, whether they rotate like disks or are dominated by turbulence and outflows, and lastly e) the ISM physics to understand the escape of ionizing photons and how these processes might be applicable to reionization galaxies.

The predoc researcher will work under the supervision of Dr. Ricardo Amorín, PI of the project, and will engage in all the activities planned for XTREM, including frequent working visits to XTREM collaborators at IAA-CSIC, and training visits in international partners, e.g. INAF-Rome and STScI.

The contract will be conducted at the CEFCA’s headquarters in Teruel. In addition to the salary and the needed equipment, funds to assist national and international meetings and workshops will be provided.

Evaluation process

The committee will first evaluate the suitability of the candidates on the basis of their CVs and reference letters. In this first stage, the evaluation criteria will be:

Criterion 1. Academic and/or scientific-technical background of the candidate (up to 50 points).

Subcriterion 1.a): Scientific-technical contributions (up to 45 points).

The academic record and other curricular merits of the candidate will be evaluated, as well as their relevance to the tasks to be performed, based on their education and professional experience.

Subcriterion 1.b): Mobility and internationalization (up to 5 points).

The relevance and impact of the candidate's stays at national and international institutions and/or in the industrial sector will be assessed in relation to their research trajectory, taking into account the prestige of the host institution and the activities undertaken during the stay.

Criterion 2. Suitability of the candidate for the research activities to be undertaken (up to 30 points).

The candidate's suitability for the program, project, or research activities to be carried out will be evaluated based on their prior education and experience. This will include consideration of the added value the project will bring to the candidate's research career, as well as the contribution to the host center and team.

The best candidates will move to a short list for a final interview. The interview phase will add up to 20 points to the Criterion 2 above, for a maximum of 50 points at the end of the process.

The position will be offered to the best candidate after the full evaluation process.

Being aware of the impact of family leaves (maternity, paternity, adoption, or leaves to take care of family members with serious health conditions) on scientific careers, properly justified family leaves will be taken into consideration during the evaluation process.

Terms and conditions

Education:	300 ECTS or equivalent at the moment of the incorporation, as requested to be enrolled in the University of Zaragoza Doctorate Program.
Doctorate program:	Physics at University of Zaragoza (UniZar).
Work Place:	CEFCA Headquarters, Teruel, Spain.
Contract Duration:	Four years.
Gross salary:	Fulfilling the requirements of the "Estatuto del personal investigador predoctoral en formación".
Application deadline:	January 17th, 2025 (14:00 CET)
Incorporation date:	No later than June 1st 2025.
Applications:	Applications shall include: 1) a cover letter with the main interests in the position 2) CV including the academic transcript with the marks obtained in the Bachelor's and Master's degree courses, and 3) two reference letters, at least one from the TFM supervisor. To be submitted via email (Subject: "Ref.0127. FPI PID2023") to jobs@cefca.es. Reference letters shall be sent directly by the recommender, not by the candidate. Before submitting your application, you should carefully read the "basic information on the protection of personal data" below. Sending your application to the email jobs@cefca.es will be your confirmation that you understand the use we will make of your personal data and that you accept our privacy policy. CEFCA is an equal opportunity employer committed to increase the diversity in its workplace. Applications of candidates from underrepresented social groups in our staff are welcome. CEFCA is committed in promoting the gender parity among its staff. Hence, applications from women are strongly welcome.