Join Us!
GRAPPA is the centre of excellence in gravitation, astroparticle physics, and cosmology at the University of Amsterdam, located at Amsterdam Science Park, with a lively seminar culture and strong ties to KM3NeT, CTAO, LISA, and Einstein Telescope initiatives. OMEN is a joint theory-experiment project between GRAPPA and Nikhef, the Dutch national institute for subatomic physics, also located at Amsterdam Science Park. You will work closely with a second OMEN postdoc or PhD student based at Nikhef, who will focus on the analysis of KM3NeT data, and you will become a member of the KM3NeT collaboration with full access to its data. You will also interact with GRAPPA faculty, postdocs, and students, as well as external partners in the broader neutrino, cosmic ray, and multi-messenger communities.
This is what you will do
- Develop numerical models of cosmic ray propagation and interactions in magnetic fields on a wide range of scales, providing direct theoretical input to the KM3NeT data analysis;
- Predict multi-messenger signatures (neutrinos and gamma rays) of cosmic ray interactions and assess their detectability with current and future neutrino telescopes;
- Contribute, together with the experimental team, to the astrophysical interpretation of ultra-high-energy neutrino events using state-of-the-art statistical methods;
- Present results at group meetings, KM3NeT collaboration meetings, seminars, and international conferences; lead and co-author publications;
- Engage with and support students and the broader project team; contribute to open-science practices (open-source software, documentation, reproducibility).
What we ask of you
You enjoy working at the interface of theory, computation, and data, and you are keen to work closely with experimentalists. Your experience & profile:
- PhD in Physics, Astronomy, or a closely related discipline (at start);
- Strong background in high-energy astrophysics or astroparticle physics, for example cosmic ray, neutrino, or gamma-ray astrophysics;
- Demonstrated expertise in scientific computing;
- Track record of research excellence commensurate with career stage (publications, talks).
It is a preference if you additionally have experience with cosmic ray transport and air-shower codes (e.g. CRPropa, GALPROP, CORSIKA), charged-particle propagation in magnetic fields, neutrino telescope data, or likelihood and Bayesian inference methods.
This is what we offer you
We offer a temporary employment contract for 38 hours per week for a period of 36 months (3 years, full-time), with a probationary period of 2 months. The preferred starting date is 1 September 2027, or another date to be agreed mutually.
The gross monthly salary, based on 38 hours per week and dependent on relevant experience, ranges between € 3,707 to € 5,760 (Scale 10). This does not include 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% year-end allowance. The UFO profile Postdoctoral researcher 4 is applicable. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The project provides budget for travel (including KM3NeT collaboration meetings and international conferences) and for KM3NeT collaboration membership, as well as access to computing resources at UvA and Nikhef, GRAPPA’s lively scientific environment, and the Amsterdam Science Park research ecosystem.
You will work in this team
The Faculty of Science has a student body of around 8,000, as well as 1,800 members of staff working in education, research or support services. Researchers and students at the Faculty of Science are fascinated by every aspect of how the world works, be it elementary particles, the birth of the universe or the functioning of the brain.
The Institute of Physics (IoP) of the University of Amsterdam is located in the centre of the Amsterdam Science Park. The IoP – as part of the Faculty of Science –is housed in a modern building with excellent labs and technical facilities. Surrounded by several national research institutes and with our partners at the Vrije Universiteit (VU) Amsterdam, the institute is part of a strong physics centre of international standing.
You will be based at GRAPPA, an internationally recognised hub in gravitation, astroparticle physics, and cosmology, and will work in close collaboration with the neutrino group at Nikhef. GRAPPA hosts experts in high-energy astrophysics, cosmic rays, neutrinos, gamma rays, gravitational waves, and dark matter, and its members are involved in KM3NeT, CTAO, LISA, and the Einstein Telescope.
Want to know more about our organisation? Read more about working at the University of Amsterdam.
Are you an ambitious postdoctoral researcher in theoretical astroparticle physics to join the NWO-funded project “Origin of the Most Energetic Neutrino (OMEN)”? GRAPPA Institute at the University of Amsterdam is looking for an ambitious postdoctoral researcher in theoretical astroparticle physics to join the NWO-funded project “Origin of the Most Energetic Neutrino (OMEN)”, led by Shin'ichiro Ando (GRAPPA) and Aart Heijboer (Nikhef and UvA). The recent detection of an ultra-high-energy neutrino by KM3NeT has opened a new window on the most powerful cosmic accelerators. OMEN combines theoretical modelling with KM3NeT data analysis to sharpen what neutrino telescopes can tell us about these sources. The successful candidate will lead the theoretical modelling within the project, with a focus on the propagation and interactions of cosmic rays in magnetic fields, and will contribute to the astrophysical interpretation of high-energy neutrino observations.
Join Us!
GRAPPA is the centre of excellence in gravitation, astroparticle physics, and cosmology at the University of Amsterdam, located at Amsterdam Science Park, with a lively seminar culture and strong ties to KM3NeT, CTAO, LISA, and Einstein Telescope initiatives. OMEN is a joint theory-experiment project between GRAPPA and Nikhef, the Dutch national institute for subatomic physics, also located at Amsterdam Science Park. You will work closely with a second OMEN postdoc or PhD student based at Nikhef, who will focus on the analysis of KM3NeT data, and you will become a member of the KM3NeT collaboration with full access to its data. You will also interact with GRAPPA faculty, postdocs, and students, as well as external partners in the broader neutrino, cosmic ray, and multi-messenger communities.
This is what you will do
- Develop numerical models of cosmic ray propagation and interactions in magnetic fields on a wide range of scales, providing direct theoretical input to the KM3NeT data analysis;
- Predict multi-messenger signatures (neutrinos and gamma rays) of cosmic ray interactions and assess their detectability with current and future neutrino telescopes;
- Contribute, together with the experimental team, to the astrophysical interpretation of ultra-high-energy neutrino events using state-of-the-art statistical methods;
- Present results at group meetings, KM3NeT collaboration meetings, seminars, and international conferences; lead and co-author publications;
- Engage with and support students and the broader project team; contribute to open-science practices (open-source software, documentation, reproducibility).
What we ask of you
You enjoy working at the interface of theory, computation, and data, and you are keen to work closely with experimentalists. Your experience & profile:
- PhD in Physics, Astronomy, or a closely related discipline (at start);
- Strong background in high-energy astrophysics or astroparticle physics, for example cosmic ray, neutrino, or gamma-ray astrophysics;
- Demonstrated expertise in scientific computing;
- Track record of research excellence commensurate with career stage (publications, talks).
It is a preference if you additionally have experience with cosmic ray transport and air-shower codes (e.g. CRPropa, GALPROP, CORSIKA), charged-particle propagation in magnetic fields, neutrino telescope data, or likelihood and Bayesian inference methods.
This is what we offer you
We offer a temporary employment contract for 38 hours per week for a period of 36 months (3 years, full-time), with a probationary period of 2 months. The preferred starting date is 1 September 2027, or another date to be agreed mutually.
The gross monthly salary, based on 38 hours per week and dependent on relevant experience, ranges between € 3,707 to € 5,760 (Scale 10). This does not include 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% year-end allowance. The UFO profile Postdoctoral researcher 4 is applicable. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The project provides budget for travel (including KM3NeT collaboration meetings and international conferences) and for KM3NeT collaboration membership, as well as access to computing resources at UvA and Nikhef, GRAPPA’s lively scientific environment, and the Amsterdam Science Park research ecosystem.
You will work in this team
The Faculty of Science has a student body of around 8,000, as well as 1,800 members of staff working in education, research or support services. Researchers and students at the Faculty of Science are fascinated by every aspect of how the world works, be it elementary particles, the birth of the universe or the functioning of the brain.
The Institute of Physics (IoP) of the University of Amsterdam is located in the centre of the Amsterdam Science Park. The IoP – as part of the Faculty of Science –is housed in a modern building with excellent labs and technical facilities. Surrounded by several national research institutes and with our partners at the Vrije Universiteit (VU) Amsterdam, the institute is part of a strong physics centre of international standing.
You will be based at GRAPPA, an internationally recognised hub in gravitation, astroparticle physics, and cosmology, and will work in close collaboration with the neutrino group at Nikhef. GRAPPA hosts experts in high-energy astrophysics, cosmic rays, neutrinos, gamma rays, gravitational waves, and dark matter, and its members are involved in KM3NeT, CTAO, LISA, and the Einstein Telescope.
Want to know more about our organisation? Read more about working at the University of Amsterdam.
If you feel the profile fits you, and you are interested in the job, we look forward to receiving your application via the link below.
Applications submitted by email or through other portals will not be considered.
What to submit:
- Cover letter including the start and finish months (not just years) when referring to your education and work experience;
- Curriculum Vitae including publication list;
- Research statement;
- Three reference letters (to be submitted directly by the reference writers through the UvA application system).
Deadline: Please apply online via the link below by 15 December 2026. Review of applications will begin then and continue until the position is filled.
A knowledge security check can be part of the selection procedure (for details: national knowledge security guidelines).
Only complete applications received within the response period via the link below will be considered.
