A postdoctoral position, funded by the “Jets to Switchbacks” (JET2SB) project of the French “Agence Nationale pour la Recherche” (ANR) is open for applications to work with the THEMIS team of the French-Spanish Laboratory for Astrophysics in Canarias (FSLAC, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain). The preferred start date are November/December 1st, 2025, but later dates are negotiable.
Project Background: During its unprecedented approaches of the Sun, the Parker Solar Probe (PSP, NASA) mission has made the puzzling discovery of very frequent and abrupt deflections of the magnetic field, the so-called switchbacks (SBs), in the solar wind. Because of their ubiquity in the inner heliosphere, and relative quasi-absence close to the Earth orbit and beyond, SBs are considered as a key ingredient to understand the complex generation mechanisms of the solar wind. Solar jets, which are phenomena very commonly seen in the solar atmosphere, occur over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales and have recently appeared to be a strong candidate as seed phenomena for SBs formation. The overall objective of the JET2SB project is to address the following questions: Do, and to which extend, solar jet-like events induce Switchbacks (SBs)? What are the physical mechanisms involved in the jet propagation and SB formation?
Activities: The postdoctoral researcher will join the THEMIS solar telescope team. THEMIS (CNRS-INSU), a 1-meter class optical solar telescope and France’s primary solar telescope, is dedicated to the study of solar magnetism and dynamic processes in the solar atmosphere (such as sunspots and solar flares). THEMIS has recently undergone major upgrades and now produces observations of unprecedented quality. The researcher will therefore also be involved in both the technical and scientific development of THEMIS. The main expected activities include:
- Conducting innovative scientific research on solar jet physics and their role in switchback formation.
- Leading observing campaigns, especially with THEMIS; developing and improving methods for multi-instrument, ground- and space-based, and multi-wavelength data reduction and analysis of solar jets and their source regions.
- Collaborating with the JET2SB project team, in particular by providing observational constraints for numerical simulations of solar jet generation and propagation.
- Contributing to THEMIS instrumentation developments, in particular improvements of the adaptive optics system, and participating in the upcoming commissioning of the Italian spectroscopic imager IBIS2.0.
- Learning to operate the THEMIS telescope and actively participating in THEMIS observing campaigns, both as telescope operator and resident astronomer, assisting visiting observers during their campaigns.
- Disseminating research activities and results through team and project meetings, seminars, scientific articles, and conference presentations.
Requirements:
- PhD in astronomy, astrophysics, plasma physics and/or a related field. A publication record in peer-reviewed journals is essential.
- Advanced knowledge in solar physics, plasma physics, physical optics, spectroscopy, and/or spectropolarimetry. Full expertise in all these fields is not required, but willingness to learn across the project’s topics is essential.
- Advanced knowledge of at least one data analysis language.
- English proficiency at C1 level or higher.
- Strong scientific communication skills (oral and written).
- Proven ability to work collaboratively and as part of a team.
- Interest in instrumentation and/or optical solar observations.
- Driving license, valid in Spain, required
Position conditions, constraints & how to apply:
Formal application shall be made through the “CNRS Portail Emploi”. Applications will be reviewed by a hiring committee, which after preliminary screening will invite pre-selected candidacy for a video interview starting September 16th. All applications submitted before midnight (CEST, Paris time) October 3rd 2025 will be reviewed. Final decisions on the successful applications will be given on October 4th 2025 at the earliest. The preferred start date are November/December 1st, 2025, but later dates are negotiable. Financial conditions, work conditions and work environment constraints shall be consulted on the application page.
For inquiries or questions about the positions, please contact the THEMIS team.
(Transmis par Étienne Pariat)