• Carry out research on gravitational wave sources in dark matter or related astrophysical environments;
• Present your work in group meetings and conferences; write and co‑author publications;
• Contribute to education (exercise classes and BSc/MSc supervision) as customary at the Faculty of Science.

We are looking for highly motivated candidates who will have completed an MSc in Physics, Astronomy, or a closely related field by the start date; have a solid grounding in General Relativity and/or gravitational wave astrophysics; have experience in scientific programming (for example in Python or C++); communicate clearly in English; and enjoy working in a collaborative research environment. It is a plus, not a requirement, if you are already familiar with cosmological or N‑body simulations, basic concepts in gravitational wave data analysis, or dark matter phenomenology.

We offer a temporary contract for 38 hours per week for the duration of 4 years (the initial contract will be for a period of 18 months and after satisfactory evaluation it will be extended for a total duration of 4 years). The gross monthly salary, based on 38 hours per week ranges between € 3,059 to € 3,881 (Scale P).This does not include 8% holiday allowance and 8,3% year-end allowance. The UFO profile PhD candidate is applicable. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The preferred starting date is to be discussed. This employment should lead to a dissertation (PhD thesis). We will draft an educational plan that includes attendance of courses and (international) meetings. We also expect you to assist in teaching undergraduates and master students. You will have access to GRAPPA’s vibrant research environment, travel support, and training (graduate courses, schools, and conferences).