Postdoctoral Fellowship in Theoretical and Gravitational Wave Astrophysics

About this position

• The Niels Bohr International Academy (NBIA) at the Niels Bohr
• Institute invites expressions of interest for a three-year
• postdoctoral fellowship in theoretical and gravitational wave
• astrophysics. The appointment is expected to begin in fall 2027, but
• other starting dates can be negotiated.

• The postdoctoral fellow will join the Theoretical Astrophysics Group
• led by Martin Pessah and develop research projects as part of a major
• expansion supported by an ERC Advanced Grant and the Carlsberg
• Foundation’s Semper Ardens Accomplish Grant. A main goal of the
• program is to bring together astrophysical fluid dynamics and
• gravitational wave astrophysics to understand the environments leading
• to compact binary mergers, from stellar-mass compact objects to
• supermassive black holes. A central focus is the formation, evolution,
• and observable signatures of black-hole binaries in turbulent,
• magnetized disks around supermassive black holes. Candidates with
• relevant expertise from other areas will receive full consideration.

• We seek a researcher with a record of original research contributions
• and the ability to develop creative and independent research. We
• particularly welcome candidates whose complementary expertise can open
• new directions for the Theoretical Astrophysics Group. The
• postdoctoral fellow will be encouraged to pursue their own research
• ideas and collaborations while contributing to the broader scientific
• program.

• The postdoctoral fellow will have opportunities to mentor students and
• junior researchers and to co-organize international workshops and PhD
• schools. There will also be opportunities to participate in teaching,
• outreach activities, and the organization of seminars. The fellow will
• have access to travel funding and the Tycho high-performance computing
• facility, which includes more than 10,000 CPU cores and GPU resources.

• NBIA is an international center for fundamental research in
• theoretical physics. NBIA provides an open intellectual environment
• where researchers can pursue their own questions and exchange ideas
• across disciplines. It brings together researchers across
• astrophysics, gravitational physics, particle physics, quantum
• sciences, and soft matter physics. NBIA also hosts seminars,
• international visitors, workshops, and PhD schools. Its research in
• black-hole dynamics, gravitational-wave modeling, and multimessenger
• astrophysics offers further opportunities for collaboration. NBIA
• members interact and collaborate with the larger community of
• scientists in Copenhagen, including the Center of Gravity, DAWN, DARK,
• and StarPlan.

• Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, CV, publication
• list, and a research statement describing previous achievements,
• future directions, and connections to the program via Academic Jobs
• Online by November 15, 2026. Expressions of interest received after
• this date may also be considered. Applicants should hold a PhD in
• astrophysics, physics, or a closely related field by the starting date
• of the appointment.

• Employees at the University of Copenhagen receive a competitive
• salary, including pension. Denmark offers generous parental leave,
• subsidized childcare, six weeks of paid vacation, and access to public
• healthcare. Eligible international researchers may also benefit from
• Denmark’s special researcher tax scheme. Copenhagen is a beautiful,
• family-friendly city with a large international community, a lively
• and diverse cultural scene, and a very high quality of life.

The University of Copenhagen welcomes all qualified applicants

regardless of personal background.

Scientific inquiries may be addressed to Martin Pessah (mpessah@nbi.ku.dk)

with email subject ASTRO27PDR