1 Research Fellowship in the Field of Stellar Astrophysics (Ref: IA2026-10-BI-M) is available at the Centro de Investigação em Astronomia/Astrofísica da Universidade do Porto (CAUP), within the Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço (IA). The position is part of the project “Unraveling the evolutionary history of the Milky Way with Galactic Archaeology (ArqueoGal)”, funded by Portuguese funds through FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (reference 2024.15303.PEX).

Overview

The Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço (IA) is the leading Research Unit in Astronomy/Astrophysics in Portugal, integrating researchers from the universities of Porto, Lisbon and Coimbra. This fellowship offers an opportunity for a MSc student to contribute to Galactic archaeology research while receiving training in machine learning, data analysis, and stellar population classification.

Funding and Benefits

• Monthly allowance: €1,090.98 (tax free), paid monthly by bank transfer, in accordance with FCT table values.
• Additional funds: Travel support for conferences, observing trips, and work visits is available.
• Insurance: Personal accident insurance is provided.
• Social security: Fellows may join the voluntary social insurance scheme if not covered by another social protection scheme, as stipulated in the Research Grant Holder Statute.

Eligibility

• Applicants must have completed a BSc degree in Astronomy/Astrophysics or a related discipline.
• Applicants must comply with the requirements to be enrolled in a MSc Program at a university in Portugal at the time the fellowship begins.
• Only candidates with adequate background in Astronomy, Physics, Mathematics, or other relevant domains will be considered.

Research Activities

The MSc student will develop and apply novel unsupervised learning methods to classify stellar populations in multidimensional parameter spaces. The work supports the automated identification of Galactic populations using chrono-chemo-kinematic information and provides training in machine learning, data analysis, and Galactic archaeology.

Application Process

Applications must be submitted through the web form indicated on the opportunity page and include the following:

• Cover letter with a brief description of the candidate’s experience and motivation.
• Detailed Curriculum Vitae describing academic path and research experience (up to 4 pages, at least 10pt font size).
• List of completed curricular units with respective grades.
• BSc degree diploma or certificate (may be replaced by a signed declaration of honour during the application period; must be provided when signing the contract).
• Name and contact details (position, email, address) of up to two reference contacts who are available to provide information about the candidate. Reference letters may be requested at the Selection Committee’s discretion.

If the degree was awarded by a higher education institution outside Portugal, it must comply with Decree-Law n.º 66/2018 and Ministerial Order n.º 43/2020. Applicants should consult the DGES website and the University of Porto website for recognition procedures.

Deadline and Timeline

• Application period: 12 June 2026 to 6 July 2026.
• Fellowship duration: 6 months, preferentially starting in or until September 2026.
• Results: Candidates will be notified by email with final classifications and meeting minutes or evaluation grids enclosed. Candidates have 10 working days after the announcement of results to submit comments. Appeals may be submitted to the Executive Board of CAUP within 15 working days after notification.

Contact Information

Scientific supervision: Dr. Tiago Campante (tiago.campante @ astro.up.pt)
Work location: CAUP, Rua das Estrelas, 4150-762, Porto, Portugal (Porto node of the Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço)
General enquiries: jobs @ iastro.pt
Appeals: direcao @ astro.up.pt (Executive Board of CAUP)