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Postdoctoral Fellowships at the Astronomical Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences for 2026


The Astronomical Institute (ASU) is the leading astronomical research institute in the Czech Republic, located at the Ondrejov Observatory and in Prague. Its main research activities are in the formation, evolution, dynamics and physical properties of galaxies, stars and star systems, research on the physics of compact objects including black holes and gravitational waves, research on the Sun, solar activity and its effects on processes on Earth and in interplanetary space, research on the Earth's immediate environment, the dynamics of natural and artificial bodies in the Solar System, and research on interplanetary matter and its interaction with the Earth's atmosphere.

For 2026, ASU will consider research project proposals for postdoctoral fellowships in the fields of research conducted at the Institute.

Applicants are required to get in touch with our staff members to discuss their support of the application and to discuss a research project and implementation plan (theory, observation, and data analysis are all welcome). A list of supervisors for hosting postdoctoral fellows in 2026 is provided below.

Only applications that have been discussed with supervisors will be considered. Supervisors are expected to make their private shortlists and only recommend the final submission to the most promising applicants.

Deadlines:

  1. Get in touch with the selected supervisor before March 27, 2026. Later enquiries may not be accepted.
  2. Application Deadline is April 13, 2026, 12 PM (noon; in CEST/UTC+2 timezone). Submissions by email to sekretariat@asu.cas.cz with the subject POSTDOC 2026.

 

Required application parts (all in PDF):
-    cover sheet listing: full name, birth date, nationality, current position, the exact date of PhD defence, name of the host/supervisor at ASU, short motivation (½ page max)
-    curriculum vitae
-    list of publications including citations
-    summary of the most significant research results achieved to date and proposed research project (2 pages max in total)
-    outline of the implementation plan for 2 years (4500 characters max)
-    recommendation letters (to be delivered separately)

Applicants must arrange for a minimum of two recommendation letters to be sent directly to the same electronic address as above. The letters may be issued up to 9 months before the application deadline.

Applications can be submitted slightly before finishing a PhD, in which case a statement from the current supervisor stating the planned date of the defence should be included. Applicants MUST then prove they have been awarded the PhD degree before April 20.

The appointment is initially for one year; an extension for another year is expected upon satisfactory scientific performance. A necessary condition is to satisfy legal requirements for employment in the Czech Republic (EU member state). Salary will be based on the domestic level (cca 1800 EUR/month before taxes (~25%); health insurance is included in the taxes). There is a possibility of staff accommodation in Ondrejov; in Prague, private accommodation has to be arranged. The starting date of employment is expected to be July 1, 2026, but it is negotiable.

Further information:

List of researchers and topics:

Inquiries:
Mrs. Lenka Čiháková sekretariat@asu.cas.cz