Research Fellow – Extreme Radio Flares from Young Stellar Objects

FTE: 1.0FTE (working 37 hours per week)

Duration of Contract: Fixed term (36 months)

Annual Leave: 35 days plus standard public holidays and an additional 4 days including the closure of our office between Christmas and New Year

Location: Hatfield

Main duties and responsibilities

Applications are invited for a 36-month position to lead and publish original scientific investigations in the area of star formation. The successful applicant will use recently obtained data from an ALMA high-priority project featuring the first simultaneous ALMA and VLA observations of the Orion Nebula Cluster, led by Jan Forbrich. Additionally, extensive previous observations using VLA, Chandra, VLBA and ALMA as part of the Orion Radio All-Stars project will be used to characterise individual sources. With radio light curves and spectral index time series extracted you will work with solar physicist Mykola Gordovskyy (also at CAR) on initial physical modelling to better understand these extreme flares and to compare them with solar flares.

You will also be expected to prepare and submit articles for publication in refereed journals and to assist with or lead initial physical modelling or observational follow up of sources of interest. This may require you to visit and use astronomical telescopes overseas. You will work with Jan Forbrich, Mike Kuhn and Mykola Gordovskyy at the Centre for Astrophysics Research as well as the wider Orion Radio All-Stars collaboration.

The post – one of 3 new STFC-funded positions awarded to CAR as a result of the STFC Astronomy Grants scheme (2024) – is available from 01 October 2026 and the successful candidate will ideally be in post as soon as possible thereafter.

Skills and experience required

You will have an impressive track record of research in a relevant area of expertise, including observational astrophysics. You will also have a record of submitting/publishing scientific research in leading astronomical journals, experience with scientific computing/scripting tasks and experience of presenting research findings such as contributions to conferences and symposia at a local and national level.

Qualifications required

You will be educated with a Degree or equivalent level 6 qualification, or higher qualification in a relevant discipline and must either hold, or by the start date have submitted their thesis for, a PhD (or equivalent level 8 qualification) in Astrophysics or a closely related discipline.

Please view the job description and person specification for a full list of the duties and essential criteria, click the 'Apply' button above. 

Applications should be submitted online via the recruitment website and should be accompanied by PDF versions of a CV, a list of publications and a personal statement/cover letter (maximum two sides of A4 paper) explaining your motivation for applying, summarizing your research interests and what you would bring to the position (in reference to the Person Specification). Finally, you must also include the contact details of two referees willing to write on your behalf.

Internal applicants – please ensure you apply via your employee self-service portal.

An appointment to this role may require an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate.

Please note, this post cannot be visa sponsored unless you can evidence a PhD / Doctorate.

Contact Details/Informal Enquiries: For more information or to discuss the post, please contact Jan Forbrich (j.forbrich@herts.ac.uk)

Closing Date: 16 April 2026

Interview Date: 27 and 28 April 2026

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