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University of Groningen

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PhD Position in AI and Space Domain Astronomy for Resident Space Object Tracking University of Groningen in Netherlands

Degree Level

PhD

Field of study

Computer Science

Funding

This is a full-time, fixed-term employment contract at 1.0 FTE, initially for one year with the possibility of extension for another three years. The gross monthly salary is €3,204 to €4,051 in accordance with the collective labour agreement for Dutch universities. The position includes 232 vacation hours per year based on a 38-hour workweek, an 8.3% end-of-year bonus, 8% holiday allowance, and professional-development opportunities.

Deadline

Dec 20, 2026

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Country

Netherlands

University

University of Groningen

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Keywords

Computer Science
Aerospace Engineering
Mathematics
Artificial Intelligence
Astronomy
Open Science
Database Management
Orbital Dynamics
Object Tracking
Physics

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About this position

The University of Groningen is recruiting a PhD researcher for the national Resident Space Object Tracking For Fusion, Inference, and Characterisation (RSO TraFFIC) project. The six-year, €2.6 million collaboration brings together universities, research organisations and space companies to improve the monitoring, tracking and characterisation of objects in Earth orbit.

Based in the Groningen team, the PhD project will focus on AI and space domain astronomy. The researcher will adapt astronomical AI foundation models to recognise asteroids, comets and satellite trails in telescope images, while also extracting useful signals from rapid brightness measurements. The work addresses the growing challenge of crowded Earth orbit, where reliable observation is essential for collision prevention and the safe, sustainable and responsible use of space.

The resulting capabilities will be integrated into the General Open Orbital Dynamics platform, an open-science platform developed jointly by Delft University of Technology and the University of Groningen. The platform will serve as the project’s central data and analysis hub and will be hosted at the University of Groningen’s OmegaCEN Astronomical Science Data Center, using research-data facilities provided by the university’s Center for Information Technology.

The PhD researcher will join the Faculty of Science and Engineering and the Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, part of the Netherlands Research School for Astronomy. The institute hosts a substantial community of faculty members and doctoral researchers and maintains close links with SRON, ASTRON, the NOVA sub-millimetre laboratory and other Dutch and international astronomy partners. The research environment is interdisciplinary, combining astronomy, artificial intelligence, astroinformatics, data management, orbital dynamics and space technology, with English as the common working language.

Funding details

This is a full-time, fixed-term employment contract at 1.0 FTE, initially for one year with the possibility of extension for another three years. The gross monthly salary is €3,204 to €4,051 in accordance with the collective labour agreement for Dutch universities. The position includes 232 vacation hours per year based on a 38-hour workweek, an 8.3% end-of-year bonus, 8% holiday allowance, and professional-development opportunities.

What's required

Applicants must hold an MSc or equivalent degree in Physics, Astronomy, Aerospace Engineering, Mathematics, Computational Science, or a related field by the position's starting date. Previous research experience and relevant skills are important selection criteria. Experience with AI and sky imaging and/or stellar occultation data is a strong asset. Experience with astronomical image processing and optical or near-infrared software, as well as astro-data-science tools such as Python, C++, and Jupyter Notebooks, is advantageous. Candidates should be proactive, independent, communicative team players; experience with distributed software project teams is a plus. Flexibility in working across different organisational cultures, willingness to travel several times per year to national and international partners, and strong English-language and writing skills are expected.

How to apply

Apply through the University of Groningen vacancy portal by 20 December 2026 at 23:59 Dutch local time. Upload one PDF containing a maximum three-page cover letter, an up-to-date CV, and a certified undergraduate grade list with translation if not in English or Dutch. Provide contact information for two referees.

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