PhD positions in theoretical/observational Extragalactic Astrophysics and Cosmology are available for:


• Observational projects that probe the physics of galaxy formation and evolution. Several specific projects are available which use data from state-of-the-art surveys, including:
  • COSMOS, the multi-wavelength Cosmic Evolution Survey;
  • The Hubble Ultra Deep Field 09 (UDF09), a 198 HST orbits approved program for imaging with the WFC3 camera, that we installed on the Hubble Space Telescope in May 2009.
  • ULTRA-VISTA, a 1800 hour of observing time to image in the Near-Infrared in ultra-deep mode 0.75 sq degrees of the sky, allowing the selection and study of very high redshift galaxies, as a precursor to James Webb Space Telescope and the ESO 42m European Large Telescope;
  • zCOSMOS, the 600h program on the ESO 8m VLT to cover spectroscopically the COSMOS field;
  • The Zurich ENvironmenta Survey (ZENS), a survey of >>100 nearby galaxy groups to study the physics of galaxy evolution in the most typical galactic environment in the nearby universe.
• Theoretical (numerical) projects addressing fundamental questions in galaxy formation and astrophysical cosmology, particularly linked to EUCLID, the COSMIC VISIONS mission currently under study at the European Space Agency (ESA) that combines weak gravitational lensing and baryonic acoustic oscillations measurements to measure the equation of state of dark energy;
• Instrumentation/calibration projects, in particular in the context of MUSE for the VLT (and its follow-up - ERASMUS - for the ESO 42m ELT).

Applicants should please:

• Send an application containing a brief Curriculum Vitae and a summary of research and academic experience, including official (originals or pdf-scanned copies of original) transcripts of academic record, and

• Arrange for two letters of recommendation to be sent directly by the Referees.

  Applications and letters should be submitted electronically to:

  eth-astro-phd@phys.ethz.ch.

  Interested students who wish to receive further information on the PhD program in Extragalactic Astrophysics and Cosmology at the Institute of Astronomy of the ETH Zurich are welcome to visit or contact Prof. Carollo or Prof. Lilly.