PhD Position Molecular Astrophysics, CSIC, Madrid, Spain

Opening of a 3-year position at the Department of Molecular Astrophysics at CSIC, in Madrid, funded by the CSIC Talent Attraction actions. The contract is intended to start in Fall 2024, with some flexibility.

Position Details:

The project, entitled "Unconventional Processes in the Synthesis of Interstellar PAHs: Theory and Modeling," seeks to understand the most favorable pathways for the formation of simple aromatic compounds, such as benzene, benzyne, or cyclopentadiene, under the stringent conditions of the interstellar medium. The successful candidate will use automatic reaction discovery routines (supported by quantum chemical calculations) in tandem with astrochemical kinetic models to investigate previously overlooked chemical pathways in the synthesis of interstellar PAHs.

Requirements:

• MSc in Chemistry, Physics or related field (mandatory at the time of application).
• Prior experience with quantum chemical calculations and theoretical reaction kinetics.
• Programming skills in Fortran and/or Python.
• Good oral and written communication skills in English.
• Knowledge of astrochemistry and physical and chemical processes in space is an advantage.

Contact: german.molpeceres@iff.csic.es (German Molpeceres)
                marcelino.agundez@csic.es (Marcelino Agundez)