We invite applications for a PhD position at the Centro de Astrobiología (CAB, CSIC-INTA, Madrid, Spain, 50% of the time) and at the Center for Astrochemical Studies (CAS@MPE, Garching, Germany, 50% of the time). The deadline for the applications is July 31st (inclusive).

The candidate will work under the supervision of Dr. Laura Colzi (CAB), Dr. Olli Sipilä (CAS@MPE), and Prof. Dr. Paola Caselli (CAS@MPE) on the Project MIRAME: Measuring Isotopic Ratios Across Multi-scale Environments.

The first part of the PhD will be carried at CAS@MPE (https://www.mpe.mpg.de/CAS), which hosts experimentalists, observers, and theoreticians who investigate together the chemical and physical evolution of the interstellar medium and star-/planet-forming regions, from clouds to disks, with links to exoplanets and our Solar System. After that, the candidate will work at CAB in the astrochemistry/star formation group (https://cab.inta-csic.es/astrochem/). CAB provides a lively and stimulating research environment, covering research topics as diverse as astrophysics, prebiotic chemistry, biochemistry, planetology, and the discovery of biosignatures in planets in our Solar System.

Understanding the chemical processes in molecular clouds that shape molecular isotopic ratios is essential for determining the role of stellar nucleosynthesis in the evolution of the Galaxy. This knowledge is crucial for understanding how key elements of life, such as C and N, formed and evolved within the Milky Way. The candidate’s work will mainly focus on theoretical chemical modelling of molecular isotopic ratios in the interstellar medium, together with the analysis of astronomical data from radio telescopes.

The position will start no later than February 2026, and will last 3 years (with possibility of extensions upon funding availability). The PhD will be conducted in English.

To be eligible the candidate must have a Master’s degree in Physics, Astrophysics, or related field. Experience with programming will be evaluated positively. The candidate should be enrolled in a Spanish PhD program before the beginning of the contract (see https://www.ucm.es/doctorado/doctoradoastrofisica and https://www.uam.es/EscuelaDoctorado/programa-doctorado-astrofisica?language=en_GB).

Applicants should submit a CV, letter of interest, Master’s thesis or summary, and names and contact details of two individuals (who can provide letters of recommendation upon request) to lcolzi@cab.inta-csic.es , osipila@mpe.mpg.de and caselli@mpe.mpg.de. The final selection will be made after top 3 candidates have been interviewed.

Deadline: July 31st, 2025

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.