Pascal Oesch

The Department of Astronomy at the University of Geneva invites applications for a postdoctoral position in observational extragalactic astronomy, working in the group of Prof. Pascal Oesch . The position is supported by a Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) project, Unveiling Cosmic Dawn: JWST Constraints on the Formation and Physics of the First Galaxies at z>10 . The project focuses on the earliest stages of galaxy formation and the use of JWST to study the first galaxies at cosmic dawn. The successful candidate will contribute to identifying very distant galaxies with new imaging, characterizing their physical properties with JWST/NIRSpec , and connecting early galaxies to their dark matter halos through clustering analyses. The work builds on large surveys and the DAWN JWST Archive (DJA) , offering a strong observational and data-interpretation environment. Applicants with experience in photometric selection of high-redshift galaxies , spectroscopic analysis , galaxy clustering , halo occupation distribution (HOD) modeling , or simulation-based inference (SBI) are especially encouraged to apply. The postdoc is expected to participate in a vibrant astrophysics research environment at Geneva and benefit from close ties to the Cosmic DAWN Center in Copenhagen . The appointment is for two years , with a possible extension to a third year. The expected start date is fall 2027 (negotiable). A PhD in astrophysics or a related field is required by the start date. The postdoc will also have the opportunity to supervise PhD and Master’s students. Funding and benefits: The position is funded through an SNSF project and includes standard Swiss social security, accident insurance, and pension contributions. Application deadline: 16 November 2026 (end of day, anywhere on Earth). Applications should be submitted through the Google Form provided by the host group. Shortlisted candidates will be asked for reference letters.

University of Geneva (Switzerland) is recruiting 9 fully funded PhD positions in the FUNDIS (Foundation Models for Scientific Discovery) project. The positions focus on foundation models , self-supervised learning , world models , explainable AI , bio-inspired AI , and AI for scientific discovery , with applications across astronomy , particle physics , climate science , digital humanities , and global governance . Students will work in an outstanding multidisciplinary research environment with close collaboration across AI and domain sciences, strong publication opportunities, and international scientific collaborations. The post highlights competitive Swiss PhD salaries and co-supervision by an interdisciplinary team of PIs including Slava Voloshynovskiy, François Fleuret, Roland Bouffanais, Daniel Schaerer, Pascal Oesch, Stéphane Paltani, Tobias Golling, Sebastian Engelke, Stefan Sperlich, Béatrice Joyeux-Prunel, and Stas Smirnov. This is a PhD-level opening only. No specific eligibility details such as degree background, GPA, or language requirements are stated in the post. Application deadline: 30 August 2026 .