PhD Positions 2024

The Forming Worlds Lab at the Kapteyn Astronomical Institute invites applications for one PhD position focussed on the interior and atmospheric evolution of rocky planets. The prospective student will model the transition from hot magma ocean epochs to cooler climatic and geodynamic regimes of rocky exoplanets and early Earth analogues. The goal is to interpret observations of lava exoplanets to gain insights into the formation of the prebiotic atmosphere of the earliest Earth.

Application Information

Information on how to apply and more details on the positions can be found at https://www.rug.nl/research/kapteyn/vacatures/phd-positions. You may apply for this position until December 2nd, 2024, at 23:59 (CET) by means of the application form. In-person interviews are planned between January 27th and February 7th, 2025.

The application package consists of (all in one PDF):

A cover letter with a) your motivation to apply for one or more of the proposed PhD projects (please clearly indicate which projects you apply for and rank them in your order of preference); b) a brief statement of research interests and a description of past research experience (3 pages max in total).
An up-to-date curriculum vitae.
A certified list of courses and grades from your undergraduate degree(s) up to the moment of application (in case your degree has not yet been awarded). Please provide translation if they are not in English or Dutch.

In addition, two letters of reference should be sent directly to vacancykapteyn@astro.rug.nl by the application deadline.

Informal inquiries about the thematic direction of the positions are welcome and should be sent to tim.lichtenberg@rug.nl.