Established researcher in the Gravitational Physics Research Group

The Gravitational Physics Research led by Prof. Michele Vallisneri in the Dept. of Physics at ETH Zurich invites applications for an Established Researcher position (for two years, renewable) on the formulation and implementation of data analysis for the upcoming gravitational-wave space observatory LISA. 

In 2015, the LIGO–Virgo collaboration achieved the first detection of high-frequency gravitational radiation, confirming Einstein’s 1916 results, and establishing the existence of binaries of stellar-mass black holes. The next frontier – the observation of a background of very-low-frequency gravitational waves – was reached in 2023 by pulsar-timing-array programs (NANOGrav and its international counterparts). In the mid 2030s, the space mission LISA will begin to observe thousands of low-frequency gravitational-wave sources, including ultracompact stellar-remnant binaries in the Milky Way, and the mergers of massive-black-hole binaries across cosmic time. The newly formed Gravitational Physics Research Group at ETH Zurich leads the implementation of the Swiss LISA Data Center (in collaboration with Profs. Giardini and Robertsson’s research groups in the Dept. of Earth and Planetary Science).

As part of the Gravitational Physics group at ETH Zurich, you will contribute to the Swiss LISA Data Center. Your key responsibilities will include:

• Designing, developing, and maintaining data-analysis software for the LISA data center.
• Co-supervising students, postdocs, and programmers involved in developing data-analysis algorithms for LISA.
• Coordinating and managing software and infrastructure development projects within the LISA data center.
• Representing the LISA data center at international conferences and working meetings on the LISA ground segment.
• Participating and taking leadership positions in working groups convened by the LISA Distributed Data Processing Center (DDPC).

In your work, you will interact with researchers and engineers in the Swiss LISA Data Center and in LISA Data Centers across Europe, in the ETH AI Center, and in ETH Zurich | Space. You will contribute to the implementation of data-analysis pipelines and other analysis software for LISA, helping deliver the scientific results of the mission. You will join a team working on the future of gravitational-wave science through technical development, strategic planning, and attention to the long-term cultural impact of our field.

The successful candidate will:

• Hold a PhD degree in physics or similar discipline, with at least three years of postdoctoral experience by the starting date;
• Demonstrate a passion for theoretical physics, applied mathematics, and problem solving, along with a strong record of publications and scientific presentations;
• Be a dedicated team player with excellent English communication skills and experience supervising scientific and computational projects;
• Possess outstanding software development skills (e.g., demonstrated through open source or scientific collaboration projects) and commitment to delivering reliable, well-engineered computer code.

We offer a dynamic, challenging role within an inspiring environment at a world-renowned university. Career development is central to our culture, and we are committed to supporting your professional growth. Postdocs at ETH Zurich earn competitive salaries and are eligible for both social security and retirement benefits. Funding for attending international conferences is available and potential publication costs will be covered. 

ETH Zurich is regularly rated as the best university in continental Europe and Zurich itself is one of the most livable and attractive cities worldwide. Many people at ETH Zurich and within our research group have an international background. English is our common language.