CENTRA in association with LAM invites applications for a PhD student position. Candidates will develop innovative research into data-analysis algorithms aimed to extract the most precise measurements of photometric brightness, astrometric position, and morphology for planets, stars, and galaxies from adaptive-optics (AO) assisted observations on current and future ground-based telescopes.
Our team is leading a large effort to bridge the important gap between the technology and the science facilitated by AO-assisted instruments. For this end, we are seeking a PhD student to work on the following:
1. PSF reconstruction from multi-Wavefront Sensor telemetryThe student will develop and integrate efficient data-driven methods using system telemetry to provide a parametric AO-corrected Point-Spread-Function (PSF) across the field for laser tomographic modes.
2. Parametric PSFs for standard photometry/astrometry software packagesThe student will investigate the coupling of parametric PSF models into data-reduction pipelines using inverse-problem theory with the goal of providing an unsupervised estimation and the SW tools available to the community
The student will have access to data collected from state-of-the-art AO systems at the VLT and Keck from/in preparation of the laser tomographic systems of either one.
Excellent candidates with astronomy, applied physics, mathematics, engineering backgrounds with strong signal processing and programming skills are encouraged to apply.
Applicants should email (single pdf file)
• a curriculum vitae and a list of publications
• a one-page motivation letter
• the contact details of up to three reference persons (no need for the reference letters at this stage)
• a short research statement describing past achievements and future projects
to Carlos Correia (carlos.correia@lam.fr), Paulo Garcia (pgarcia@fe.up.pt), Benoit Neichel (Benoit.neichel@lam.fr) and Thierry Fusco (Thierry.Fusco@onera.fr).
The student will be enrolled in the Doctoral Programme in Engineering Physics at Porto University. The monthly stipend is in line with national FCT rules. The student is expected to spend long periods at Porto and Marseille. Extra funding is available for travel.
The first deadline for applications is the 31st January 2020. Past this date, applications will be considered depending on availability until filled. Porto University and its partners are actively committed to equal opportunity in employment.