We invite applications for a funded PhD position focused on the physical and atmospheric characterization of exoplanets. The project will combine transit photometry, radial-velocity measurements, and atmospheric transit spectroscopic observations to determine planetary radii, masses, and atmospheric properties. The successful candidate will work with data from leading space missions and ground-based facilities. The project will also explore the use of machine-learning and deep-learning techniques for the analysis of large and complex exoplanet datasets. The PhD will be carried out at the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (IAA-CSIC) in Granada and jointly supervised by Francisco J. Pozuelos and Giuseppe Morello. The candidate will join an active and international research environment, with opportunities to participate in major collaborations, attend international conferences and schools, and undertake research stays at collaborating institutions.

Candidate profile:
Applicants should have a background in Physics, Astrophysics, Astronomy or a closely related field. Experience in scientific programming and data analysis is desirable. Previous experience in exoplanets, Bayesian methods, atmospheric modeling or machine learning would be an advantage, but is not essential. 

Conditions and timeline:
The position is funded through a four-year, full-time predoctoral employment contract under the CSIC JAE-PRE 2025 program. The selected candidate will conduct their PhD research at the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (IAA-CSIC) and enroll in the PhD Program at the University of Granada. The official vacancy will be published through EURAXESS and the CSIC Job Bank in September 2026. Candidates must register with the CSIC Job Bank and submit their application through the official selection procedure by the deadline specified in the announcement. Candidates who are not already enrolled in a PhD program should be ready to apply for admission to the University of Granada by 28 September 2026. Candidates currently completing their Master's degree are welcome to apply, provided that they complete it in time to meet the doctoral admission requirements. The selected candidate must be enrolled in a PhD program when the employment contract is signed and must be available to start before 15 December 2026. Salary details will be provided in the official announcement.

Contact Information:
Interested candidates are strongly encouraged to contact us as soon as possible by sending a CV, academic transcript, a short description of their research interests, and the contact details of two referees whom we may approach for letters of recommendation. For further information about the position, the research project, or the application procedure, please contact the researchers responsible for the offer:

Francisco J. Pozuelos: pozuelos@iaa.es
Giuseppe Morello: gmorello@iaa.es