Professor/Associate Professor in Gravitational Physics

1.About Us

The TianQin Research Center for Gravitational Physics, Sun Yat-sen University, is dedicated to accomplishing the TianQin Project.

The TianQin Project was proposed by Jun Luo in 2014 and the goal is launch and operate the space-based gravitational wave (GW) observatory, TianQin, around 2035. The mission concept of TianQin envisions a constellation of three satellites on a geocentric orbit with radius of about 10⁵ km. The satellites are carefully controlled to provide ultra clean and stable environment for the scientific payloads, allowing gravity to take full governance of the motion of a set of test masses and allowing laser interferometry to reach extremely high precision. In this way, the minute variation in the distance between the test masses (partially caused by gravitational waves) can be measured with inter-satellite laser interferometry.

The major sources of TianQin include the inspiral of ultra-compact Galactic binaries, the inspiral of stellar mass black holes, the extreme mass ratio inspirals, the merger of massive black holes, and possibly also GWs from the very early universe or from exotic sources such as cosmic strings. TianQin is expected to provide key information on the astrophysical history of galaxies and black holes, the dynamics of dense star clusters and galactic centers, the nature of gravity and black holes, the expansion of the universe, and possibly also the fundamental physics related to the phase transition of the universe. To achieve the scientific goals, two core technology requirements have to be met: The residual acceleration on the test masses must reach the order 1*10^-15 m s^-2/Hz^1/2 and the noise of displacement measurement with inter-satellite laser interferometry must reach the order 1*10^-12m/Hz^1/2, both in the millihertz frequency range.

The TianQin Project has received significant support from both the central and the local governments. The TianQin Research Center for Gravitational Physics was established in April 2016. As of November 2019, the center has grown to have about 40 research staff (including 2 academicians), the new TianQin center building (with an area of about 38000 square meters) is scheduled to open in the middle of 2020. A new laser ranging station (equipped with a 1.2-meter telescope) for the TianQin Project has been built and has successfully ranged to all the five retro-reflectors on the Moon. The construction of a new cave lab and a ground simulation facility is currently underway. Major projects, such as the Lunar Relay Satellite Laser Ranging Experiment and the TianQin-1 experimental satellite, are also being carried out. The TianQin-1 experimental satellite has been launched on 20 December 2019, and the performance of all payloads has met (and some has exceeded) the design specifications.

2.Disciplines

Applicants with the following background are welcomed:

• GW science and data analysis (GW science, GW data analysis)
• Mission concept study of space-based GW detection (orbit and constellation design, space environmental effect evaluation, science payload formulation, astrometric application, geodetic and geophysical applications)
• Inertial reference technology (Inertial sensor, micro-Newton thruster, drag free control)
• Inter-satellite laser interferometry (ultra-precision opto-mechanical design and analysis, ultra-low noise electronics, ultra-stable optical bench, laser frequency stabilization, weak-light phase locking, inter-satellite laser beam pointing control, ultra-stable oscillator)
• Scientific satellite and its formation flying (Satellite system design, Dynamic and control of formation flying satellite, Drag-free and attitude and orbit control, Orbit measurement and determination of space target, Coupling integration of optic-mechanical and thermal, Super-stable structure, High precision thermal control, Integrated electronic, Precision assembly and calibration, System simulation and evaluation and so on)
• Lunar laser ranging/Satellite laser ranging (optical design, pulse laser technology, data processing and analysis, precision tracking and pointing control)

3.Qualifications

Have particularly excellent scientific research and technological innovation potentials; the research field has significant innovation prospect; has made professional achievements recognized at home and abroad; has published papers in top international academic journals as the first author or corresponding author; or achieved recognized scientific research results.

4.Remunerations and Benefits

• Salary and Benefits: The University provides generous salary, research start-up fee, talent allowance, and settlement allowance. Talents working in Zhuhai and Shenzhen campuses can enjoy subsidies of the local campuses.
• Housing Support: Talents can apply for the university's public rental housing. There are 1,200 new apartments in the Guangzhou campus; more than 1,000 new apartments and 1,500 new shared property houses in the Zhuhai campus; and 3,600 new talent indemnificatory apartments in the Shenzhen campus.
• Quality Healthcare: There are 10 SYSU affiliated hospitals that provide high-level healthcare service.
• Children Education: SYSU has constructed affiliated primary and secondary schools and kindergartens in Guangzhou, Zhuhai and Shenzhen campuses to provide high-quality elementary education for the children of faculty members.
• Employee Wellbeing: Provides "sports time"; free use of sports facilities on campus; and annual health checkup. The Zhuhai campus provides meal subsidies.

5.Contact

Contact Person：Minna Qiao

Email: qiaomn@sysu.edu.cn 

Tel: +86-0756-3668980

Website:  http://tianqin.sysu.edu.cn/en