Postdoctoral Researcher in Interiors and Evolution of Sub-Neptunes

About the role

ETH Zurich's Department of Physics is looking for a postdoctoral researcher to study the interiors and long-term evolution of sub-Neptunes, within the Exoplanet Interiors and Atmospheres group led by Prof. Caroline Dorn. The position is embedded in the NCCR Genesis, a Swiss interdisciplinary centre covering planetary physics, geochemistry, chemistry and biology. It is a two-year fixed-term position in Zurich, extendable by a third year under NCCR Genesis procedures.

The project does not prescribe a narrow topic; applicants are asked to sketch their own research ideas in the application. Recent work has challenged the layered picture of sub-Neptune interiors, suggesting miscibility between metal, silicates and hydrogen and strong coupling between deep interiors and observable envelopes.

Key responsibilities

• Improve atmosphere-interior evolution models tailored to sub-Neptunes
• Investigate how interior mixing imprints on the observable atmosphere
• Link modelling results to spectroscopically observed atmospheres
• Build frameworks to analyse populations of observed sub-Neptunes and test formation hypotheses

Required profile

• PhD in astrophysics, planetary science, geophysics, physics or a closely related field, completed by the start date
• Experience in one or more of: planetary interior or structure modelling, thermal evolution, high-pressure equations of state, atmospheric modelling, magma-ocean chemistry, or statistical inference
• Independence, curiosity and an interest in working across disciplinary boundaries

Required skills

• Strong scientific programming in Python, with version control (git) in a collaborative codebase
• Fluent, critical use of AI-assisted tools in research and code development
• Fortran is useful but not required

What we offer

• An independent research position in a group working across interior structure, atmospheric characterisation and magma-ocean chemistry, with links to the PLATO mission and JWST programmes
• A competitive salary and benefits according to ETH regulations
• Support for conference travel, computing and career development

Applications are submitted online as a single PDF containing a CV with publication list, a one-page statement of research interests including your own project ideas, and the names and contact details of two or three referees. The review starts on 15 October and continues until the position is filled; the start date is flexible, ideally May 2027.