2+2 Year Postdoctoral Position: Calibrating Theories of Tidal Dissipation in Evolving High-Mass Close Binaries from Asteroseismology KU Leuven in Belgium

This is a 2+2 year postdoctoral opportunity at KU Leuven in Belgium, embedded in the Centre of Excellence SOUL: Stellar evOlution in fUll gLory. The position is hosted by the Institute of Astronomy (IvS) with close collaboration opportunities with the Centre of mathematical Plasma Astrophysics (CmPA). The project sits at the intersection of stellar astrophysics, binary-star evolution, and asteroseismology, and aims to calibrate theories of tidal dissipation in evolving high-mass close binaries.

The successful candidate will work with assembled literature samples of observed massive close binaries that contain one or more pulsating components. The research goal is to use measured asteroseismic properties, such as internal rotation and magnetic fields, to develop new modelling tools and interpret observed tidal effects. The tools should be able to compute the excitation and damping of nonlinear tides across the evolution of multiple systems, and to model tidal effects in observed binaries. This is an observation-driven modelling project focused on improving binary evolution models of interacting, dynamically rotating stars.

SOUL is a long-term project supported by structural funds from the Flemish government and led by a team including Conny Aerts, Hugues Sana, Leen Decin, and Tom Van Doorsselaere. The institutes involved are active, internationally connected research centres with access to parallel computing facilities at KU Leuven and strong links to observatories and high-performance computing centres worldwide.

Eligibility is for applicants with a PhD in astrophysics or physics. Strong English proficiency is required. Prior knowledge of non-radial stellar oscillations or tidal theory is considered an advantage. The team also values experience in student supervision, as the selected postdoctoral researcher is expected to recruit and supervise students.

Funding includes a 2-year contract with a possible 2-year extension depending on performance, with salary set according to the standard Belgian postdoctoral scale and experience after the PhD. The offer also includes social and medical insurance, pension rights, flexible working hours, up to 2 days of teleworking per week, commuting refunds by public transport or bicycle, and access to childcare.

Applications must include a cover letter, research summary, research statement, CV with publications, and details of three references. The application deadline is 15 August 2026. Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed in early September 2026, and the preferred start date is 16 November 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.