Applications are invited for a 3 year Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS, dias.ie) in the Astronomy & Astrophysics Section working with the Solar Physics and Space Weather Research Group (dias.ie/solar physics). The Astronomy & Astrophysics Section is a vibrant and inclusive community of more than 40 researchers working in areas including solar physics, space weather, planetary science, star formation, and high-energy astrophysics.

The successful applicant will be primarily involved in a new EU Horizon 2020 Project, ARCAFF that is led by DIAS. ARCAFF will combine over 26 years’ worth of solar observation (millions of images) with state-of-the-art deep learning techniques to enhance active region classifications and flare forecasts. These outputs will also be integrated into SolarMonitor.org. The successful candidate will collaborate with researchers locally and internationally on the preparation of data for and the development and training of deep learning models for flare forecasting.

Minimum qualifications

• Doctorate in solar physics, heliospheric physics, machine learning, or related discipline.
• Experience with Linux/Unix operating systems.

Preferred qualifications

• Experience with data analysis using the scientific Python stack (e.g., NumPy, Matplotlib, SciPy, Astropy, SunPy).
• Experience with the preparation and analysis of solar data, particularly EUV images (SDO/AIA, SOHO/EIT) and magnetograms (SDO/HMI, SOHO/MDI).
• Experience with the development and application of deep learning models to solar observations (e.g. PyTorch or TensorFlow).
• Experience with continuous integration and development tools (e.g., GitLab, GitHub) and containers (e.g. Docker/Kubernetes).

Responsibilities

• Creation of training datasets for active region classification and flare forecasting.
• Development and training of deep learning models for active region classification and flare forecasting.
• Integration of developed models into SolarMonitor.org.
• Presenting research at international conferences and writing publications.
• Liaising and collaborating with other ARCAFF researchers (internal and external).

This position is available for 3 years (36 months) starting as soon as possible. The Fellow will receive a salary starting at Level 2A Point 1 of the SFI team member budget scale (€41,208). The appointee will be subject to the general Irish public sector regulations as regards annual leave, sick leave, pension entitlements etc. For any questions related to the role please contact us at astrophysics@dias.ie.

Applications should consist of:

• Curriculum Vitae (2 pages maximum)
• Statement of research interests and career goals (2 pages maximum)
• Publication list

Candidates should upload these as one single pdf document to the DIAS online e-recruitment system by 17:00 local Irish time on 8 March 2023 by clicking: https://dias.ie/applypostdocfellowsolarphysics

At DIAS we are committed to building an inclusive scientific community, distinguished by scientific excellence, gender balance, and diversity. The DIAS Gender Equality and Inclusion Action Plan may be found at dias.ie/about-us.