Center of Excellence in Space Sciences India
www.cessi.iiserkol.in, www.cessi.in
RESEARCH FELLOW POSITIONS
Two research fellow positions are available at the Center of Excellence in Space Sciences India (CESSI) – a multi-institutional Center of Excellence funded by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. CESSI is located at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata and involves collaborating faculty from IISER Kolkata, IISER Pune, Indian Space Research Organization, Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Udaipur Solar Observatory (Physical Research Laboratory) and Inter-University Center of Astronomy and Astrophysics. The primary aim of CESSI is to explore fundamental aspects of solar magnetic activity and develop the understanding necessary for space weather forecasting. Other aims include gravitational wave astronomy and support for Indian initiatives such as the Aditya-L1 space mission (India’s first space observatory to study the Sun) and the LIGO-India project. For more information see: www.cessi.in.
Eligibility
We seek candidates with a PhD (within the last 5 years) in Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Sciences, Physics, or Computer Sciences within the last five years, with at least 55% aggregate marks in their BSc and MSc or equivalent degree examinations, and whose research skills are relevant for the research being pursued at CESSI. Preference will be given to candidates with demonstrated ability in computational MHD or plasma physics, astronomical satellite data analysis and instrumentation techniques in the context of solar or space physics, space weather or Sun-Climate physics. We may relax some of the eligibility criterion regarding percentage marks in BSc and MSc degrees if the candidates PhD performance and experiences are particularly suitable for research at CESSI.
Fresh PhDs will be appointed at the Postdoctoral level while those with at least two years of post-PhD experience may be considered for appointment at the Research Scientist level.
Selection Procedure
Candidates will be short-listed based on their applications by a selection committee. Shortlisted candidates will have to furnish two letters of recommendation, and will be invited for a research seminar and interview. The seminar and interview dates may be flexible, and in case the candidate is unable to make it physically to IISER Kolkata, this may be conducted through video-conferencing. Final selection will be based on these academic interactions with the candidates. Positions will be filled only if suitable, high quality candidates are found and will remain open until an appointment is made.
Emoluments and Tenure
Fellowship amount will be as per CESSI-IISER Kolkata norms with salary ranging from INR 40,000 to INR 50,000 based on experience and position offered. Additional housing rent allowance may be provided based on need. A contingency allowance is available for conference travel and other academic expenses. The position is initially for a period of one year and extendable to a total or 2 years based on performance.
Required Documentation and Instructions for Emailing Applications
1. You will need a functional (personal) email-id for your application.
2. Please have your picture (soft copy, preferably in JPG format) ready.
3. Please read the eligibility criteria above carefully.
4. Application package: A CV in PDF or DOC format with at least the following information: 1) complete contact details, 2) embedded photograph, 3) date of birth, 4) educational qualification and performance (including year of degree, institution) starting with your BSc or equivalent examinations until your highest degree, 5) complete list of publications, 6) brief summary of your thesis research (within 1000 words), 7) a brief statement of research interests and future research plans (within 1000 words), 8) list of professional referees and their complete contact details including official email, 9) list of technical or professional skills, 10) any other items that you may like us to know about you. You must send in a complete application as a single (preferably PDF) file. Incomplete applications will be rejected.
5) Email your application file (named surname_firstname.pdf or .doc) with the subject “CESSI POSTDOC: SURNAME FIRSTNAME” and copy to both these email addresses:
cessi [AT] iiserkol.ac.in
prosenjit.lahiri [AT] iiserkol.ac.in
Replace the ATs with symbol.
Note: Please check www.cessi.in often for updates and notifications. Link to short-listed candidates for interview will appear at the main CESSI webpage. Candidates will also be notified by email.
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