Postdoctoral Fellow in Computational Cosmology and Machine Learning

The Department of Physics is one of the biggest departments within the Faculty of Science and supports a broad range of basic research in experimental and theoretical physics. It has about 250 employees of which 95 are PhD students. Many have been internationally recruited. The Department is part of the AlbaNova University Center, which apart from the Department of Physics houses the Department of Astronomy, the Physics Departments at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), and the Nordic Institute for Theoretical Physics (Nordita). More information about us, please visit: Department of Physics.

The Department of Physics and Stockholm University is affiliated to Stockholm Dual Career Network (SDCN) that supports expat partners with professional events, career-related advice and by building a social network in their new hometown, https://www.sdcn.se/.

Project description

We are seeking a postdoctoral fellow to contribute to the Manticore Digital Twin of the Universe program, developing and applying advanced computational methods to study cosmic structure. The project is funded by a Simons Foundation grant and is part of the international collaboration Learning the Universe (www.learning-the-universe.org), which develops cutting-edge techniques to reconstruct the initial conditions of our Universe and test fundamental physics with current and next-generation cosmological surveys.

Possible research directions include, but are not limited to:

• Field-level inference and generative modeling of large-scale cosmic structure
• Simulation-based inference, numerical simulations, and neural emulators for accelerated forward modeling
• Advanced data-intensive machine learning and AI techniques for survey analysis
• Applications to major international surveys, including LSST (Rubin Observatory), Euclid, and ZTF.

The candidate will join the Simons Collaboration, with opportunities for multidisciplinary collaborations with researchers at participating institutions: Columbia University, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Harvard University, Flatiron Institute, Institut Astrophysique de Paris, Université de Montréal, Princeton University, Carnegie Mellon University, and MPA Garching.

The position is hosted at the Oskar Klein Centre for Cosmoparticle Physics (OKC) in Stockholm, a vibrant research environment with more than a hundred researchers working in theory and experiment across astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology, and particle physics. OKC hosts active programs on dark matter, dark energy, structure formation, transients, and multimessenger astrophysics. Postdoctors are also welcome to participate in Nordita’s Scientific Programs, which bring together leading experts to work on focused topics, and will be members of the Aquila Consortium (www.aquila-consortium.org), an international collaboration developing novel data science techniques to study fundamental physics with cosmic structures.

In addition, the postdoc will be part of the Excellence Dark Universe Centre and Technology Enabler (EDUCATE), uniting researchers at Stockholm University and KTH Royal Institute of Technology to develop next-generation analysis techniques and machine learning methods for exploring dark matter, dark energy, and cosmic structure formation.

We welcome candidates who be inspires by the intersection of computational technology, numerical simulations, and fundamental physics, whether their expertise is in machine learning, numerical modeling, or both, and who want to develop innovative methods while advancing our understanding of the Universe.

Main responsibilities

The position involves research on developing and applying cutting-edge machine learning, data science, and computational methods to study the large-scale structure of the Universe using cosmological survey data.

Postdoctoral researchers at OKC are encouraged and supported to lead visible research projects within major international collaborations and to contribute to the broader scientific community through innovative methodology development, survey data analysis, and interdisciplinary collaborations.

Candidates are welcome to participate in ongoing activities within the observational and experimental programs at OKC (e.g., DESC/LSST, ZTF, LS4, LHC/ATLAS, the ALPHA axion experiment), as well as cosmological and astroparticle simulations, the BORG field-level inference framework, and the Manticore Digital Twin of the Universe program.

The position may also involve international travel to partner institutions in Europe and the United States. Applicants with backgrounds in cosmology, statistical inference, machine learning, numerical simulations, or related fields are all encouraged to apply.

Qualification requirements

In order to qualify for a Postdoctoral position, applicants are required to hold a Swedish doctoral degree or an equivalent relevant degree from another country. The degree must have been completed no later than when the employment decision is made.

Assessment criteria

It is considered an advantage if the doctoral degree or an equivalent degree was completed no more than three years prior to the application deadline. Under special circumstances, an older degree may also be an advantage. Special circumstances refer to sick leave, parental leave, elected positions in trade unions, service in the total defense, or other similar circumstances, as well as clinical attachment or service/assignments relevant to the subject area.

In the appointment process, special attention will be given to research skills in astrophysics and cosmology, programming, and machine learning. The position also requires fluency in spoken and written English.

About the employment

The position involves full-time employment for a minimum of two years and a maximum of three years, with the possibility of extension under special circumstances. Start date as soon as possible or by mutual agreement.

We offer

With us, you will experience the dynamic interaction between higher education and research that makes Stockholm University an exciting and creative environment. You will work in an international environment and get favourable conditions. The university is located in the National City Park with good transport links to the city.

You will have the opportunity to work on cutting-edge research in cosmology, astrophysics, and machine learning. You will become part of the Oskar Klein Centre, hosting over a hundred researchers and participating in international collaborations with leading institutions worldwide.

We offer a stimulating and creative research environment, professional development through seminars, conferences, and workshops, and excellent opportunities for networking within the global scientific community. 

Stockholm University strives to be a workplace free from discrimination and with equal opportunities for all.

Contact

Further information about the position can be obtained from Associate Professor, Jens Jasche, phone: +46 8 5537 8037, jens.jasche@fysik.su.se.

Application

Apply for the position at Stockholm University's recruitment system. Attach a personal letter and CV as well as the attachments requested in the application form. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the job advertisement, and that it is submitted before the deadline.

The instructions for applicants are available at: How to apply for a position.