PhD position space geodesy asteroids

PhD position:
Space Geodesy for Asteroids

Location:

Bern, Switzerland. Employment: 100% full‑time, fixed‑term contract.

Start date:

1 September 2026 (or by arrangement).

The Astronomical Institute of the University of Bern (AIUB) offers a PhD position for a candidate to contribute to the RAMSES mission (Rapid Apophis Mission for Space Safety). The research focuses on the gravity field, rotation state, and interior structure of the near‑Earth asteroid 99942 Apophis. The candidate will develop and apply simulation pipelines and tools to combine data from radiometric tracking, laser ranging, and optical camera (CHANCES instrument) for trajectory and geodetic parameter determination.

The work will use the in‑house developed Bernese GNSS Software extended for deep space probes. The candidate joins a team with PhD students, a postdoctoral researcher, and a software engineer.

• Successfully completed a master’s thesis (diploma/Master) in astronomy, geodesy, physics, or a related field.
• Experience in orbit and gravity field determination from satellite data is an advantage.
• Background in computer science (coding in Fortran
  90, C++, or Perl) is beneficial but not required.
• Fluent in spoken and written English.

• Fully funded PhD position with salary following University of Bern guidelines.
• Participation in a cutting‑edge ESA mission with high scientific impact.
• Access to state‑of‑the‑art computational resources.
• Collaborative international research environment.
• Opportunities for conference participation and scientific networking.

Average gross annual salary for 2026: 50'042 Swiss francs (including 13th month salary).

Deadline: 30 June 2026. Applications after this date will be considered depending on availability. Submit a letter of motivation (max 2 pages), detailed CV with publications (if applicable), transcripts of BSc and MSc, and names and email addresses of two references.

The University of Bern is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from women and under‑represented minorities.

Dr. Daniel Arnold, daniel.arnold