Applications are invited for 1 student position at the Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center of the Polish Science Academy (CAMK PAN), in Warsaw, Poland, in the field of extragalactic distance scale.
CAMK PAN is the leading astrophysical institute in Poland, hosting about 50 staff researchers and 30 PhD students. CAMK PAN scientists participate in many international projects.
A successful applicant will work with Prof. Grzegorz Pietrzynski as the Principal Investigator on the project Precision calibration of the cosmic distance scale. In a search for a new physics?. The position will be funded from a Polish National Science Centre (NCN) MAESTRO research grant (UMO-2025/58/A/ST9/00437).
The scope of the work will include observations and multiwavelenght analysis of the Cepheid P-L relations. She/he will be a part of the Araucaria group, which dedicated the last 20 years to distance determinations with different distance indicators in order to significantly improve the Hubble constant determination with Cepheids and SN Ia. Currently the whole scientific group consists of some 15 astronomers in CAMK and another 20 in several different countries. Our group operates a collection of small telescopes located in Cerro Murphy Observatory, Chile, just in front of the construction place of the E-ELT. Exceptional weather conditions make this observatory an excellent tool for our research project. The observatory is currently being significantly expanded through the construction of new telescopes, including a 2.5-metre telescope. Therefore, candidates with observing / instrumental skills would find an excellent environment.
Requirements to be met by candidates include the following:
- The candidate has to be a student of first-cycle, second-cycle, long-cycle (integrated master's) at a university in Poland
- Proven track record of publications (if any)
- Good knowledge of general astrophysics
- Experience in data reduction and analysis
- Good command of English to enable efficient communication with the team and preparation of scientific reports and publications
- Additional assets: enthusiasm for work, independence, high personal culture, ability to work in a team
Employment conditions:
- Type of contract: scientific scholarship agreement
- Scholarship: PLN 2,500/month (brutto brutto)
- Employment period: 12 months, with a possible extension
- The preferred starting date for the position: September 2026, but is to some extent negotiable
- The scholarship holder will be selected through a competition, governed by the Regulations for Awarding NCN Scientific Scholarships in Research Projects Funded by the National Science Centre
Applications (in pdf format) should be submitted by e-mail with a subject “Maestro Student Scholarship” to recruitment@camk.edu.pl and they must include:
- CV including an information clause available here (PDF format)
- Self-report (scientific career overview, list of scientific achievements, participation in research projects, honors, awards, internships/training, etc.)
- Certificate confirming student or PhD student status
- Other relevant documents/materials
Questions about the position can be sent to: pietrzyn@camk.edu.pl
For full consideration, applications should be received by August 23rd, 2026
The review of the applications will begin soon after this date and continue until the position is filled.
