The group

The Ph.D. candidate would join the recently established Max Planck Tandem Research Group at the São Carlos Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo (IFSC-USP), led by Dr. Rodrigo Guedes Lang.

Max Planck Tandem Groups are designed to strengthen Max Planck Society’s research ties with Latin America. These groups are established through close collaboration between individual Max Planck Institutes and Latin American research and funding institutions.
Dr. Rodrigo Guedes Lang’s group is funded by FAPESP and based in São Carlos, with close collaboration with the Astroparticle Physics Group (APOEMA) at IFSC and the group of Prof. Dr. Jim Hinton at the Max Planck für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, Germany. The group is involved in the H.E.S.S., CTAO and SWGO Collaborations.

Funding

The position is fully funded by a FAPESP fellowship for a duration of 36 months with the possibility of a 12-month extension. Details about FAPESP fellowships and stipend values can be found at https://fapesp.br/valores/bolsasnopais and https://fapesp.br/bolsas/dr.

Job summary

Up to two positions are offered. For both, the candidate is expected to contribute to both low-level analysis and method development and to high-level final science topics. The first position is focused on Imaging Air Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs), both H.E.S.S. and CTAO, while the second position is focused on SWGO.

Requirements

Bachelor’s and master’s degree in Physics, Astronomy, Astrophysics, or related fields;
Strong communication skills and good command of English;
Previous experience in analysis and/or reconstruction methods of gamma-ray experiments is desired;

Application details

To apply, please send a curriculum vitae and the e-mail addresses of two referees to rodrigo.lang@fau.de. Full consideration will be given to applications sent by July 31st, 2026. Applications submitted after the deadline will be considered until the position is filled. The start date is flexible, but ideally within the second semester of 2026.