PhD Student Position in Space Physics

PhD student position in Space Physics related to Dust-Plasma Interaction in Space at the Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Uppsala, Sweden Applications are invited for a PhD student position to study dust-plasma interaction in space and, in particular, around Saturn based on the latest scientific data.The new PhD student will work directly with experimental data from the international NASA/ESA mission Cassini now operating around Saturn.He/she will also interact with dust-plasma specialists at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm, as well as with specialists on proto-planetary accretion disk physics at Uppsala University and possibly apply the knowledge gained from Saturn to the formation of planets in such disks and vice verse.The new PhD student is expected to collaborate actively with several international experimental and theoretical groups involved in the Cassini project.The Space Plasma Physics Research Programme at the Swedish Institute of Space Physics has contributed the Langmuir probe system to the Radio and Plasma Wave Science (RPWS) instrument package on Cassini.We work with data from all instruments within RPWS as well as with data from other instruments on Cassini.The position is available at the Swedish Institute of Space Physics, located at the Ångström Laboratory in Uppsala, Sweden, starting at the latest the second half of 2010 for a total duration of four years.The PhD student will be enrolled in the PhD program at Uppsala University and will formally belong to the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Uppsala University.The Swedish National Space Board (SNSB) funds the position.Jan-Erik Wahlund at the Swedish Institute of Space Physics (IRF), Uppsala, will be the supervisor of the PhD student.Further information on research at the three host departments can be found at http://www.irfu.se, http://www.spp.ee.kth.se/, and http://www.astro.uu.se/.The successful candidate should preferably have a background in electromagnetism, plasma physics, space physics, and/or astrophysics of circum-stellar medium.The candidate should have completed his/her physics education at MSc level within the last 2 years. Closing date is February 15, 2010.Applications should include a CV, a statement of the applicant's relevant experience and copies of undergraduate degree certificates.If available, the applicant's MSc thesis work should be included.