Department: Department of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics – Faculty of Science

• Position: Postdoctoral Researcher in Astrophysics of Galactic Nuclei
• Workplace: Department of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Czech Republic
• Job Type: Full-time (1 FTE, 40 hours per week)
• Contract Type: Temporary, 2-year contract (with possible extension), non-academic
• Expected Start Date: 4 January 2027, or negotiable with respect to immigration timelines for non-EU candidates
• Number of Positions: 1
• Application Deadline: 30 September 2026

About the Workplace

The Bursar of the Faculty of Science, Masaryk University announces an open competition for the position of Postdoctoral Researcher in Astrophysics of Galactic Nuclei.

Masaryk University is a modern, dynamic and one of the most attractive universities in the Czech Republic, with ten faculties, more than 7,000 staff members and 33,000 students. The university offers a wide range of research areas and has a strong international position. It is the largest academic employer in the South Moravian Region.

The Faculty of Science, a holder of the HR Excellence in Research Award from the European Commission, is a research-oriented faculty offering Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral degree programmes closely linked to both fundamental and applied research, as well as secondary school teacher education in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Earth Sciences. The faculty generates approximately 40% of Masaryk University's research output.

The Department of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics offers a postdoctoral research position in the field of galactic nuclei. The position is supported by the awarded Czech Science Foundation Junior Star grant (Principal Investigator: Michal Zajaček).

The galactic nuclei research team at Masaryk University conducts cutting-edge research ranging from the physics of the Galactic Centre and nuclear transients to AGN feeding and feedback across different scales. The successful candidate will have opportunities for professional and personal development within a diverse team with strong international collaborations.

Job Description

The successful candidate will:

• Perform research in the astrophysics of galactic nuclei (modelling, observational research, or both).
• Collaborate on research projects with the Masaryk University research team.
• Design and lead independent research projects.

Required Qualifications

Applicants must have:

• A PhD degree in Astrophysics or a related field (obtained no more than 8 years before the application).
• Experience in the astrophysics of galactic nuclei (theoretical, computational or observational).
• Good oral and written communication skills in English.

Preferred Qualifications

Applicants should have:

• Strong communication skills.
• Ability to conduct independent research.
• Experience with student supervision.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with other team members.

Informal inquiries about the position may be directed to:

Assoc. Prof. Michal Zajaček, PhD
Email: zajacek@mail.muni.cz

What We Offer

• A dynamic, diverse and international research environment.
• An interesting position within a rapidly expanding university.
• Flexible working hours and occasional home office to support work-life balance.
• Employee benefits, including:Opportunity to work and live in the modern and dynamic city of Brno.
  • 6 weeks of paid vacation per year.
  • Pension insurance contribution, long-term investment product, nursery or children's group allowance.
  • Financial meal allowance.
  • Meals in Masaryk University canteens.
  • MultiSport card.
  • Psychological counselling.
  • Free vaccinations.
  • Discounted language courses.
  • Exclusive Vodafone mobile tariff.
  • Childcare groups at Campus and Komenského náměstí.
• Relocation assistance through the Welcome Office.

Application Process

Applications must be submitted online by 30 September 2026 via the electronic application system.

The application should include:

• Curriculum Vitae (CV).
• Cover letter describing research interests and experience.
• Summary of research outputs and publications.
• Names and contact details of at least two references.

After successful submission, applicants will receive an automatic confirmation email from jobs.muni.cz.

Selection Process

Applications will be evaluated in accordance with the principles of the European Charter and Code for Researchers.

Selection criteria include:

• Meeting the required qualifications.
• Submission of all required application documents.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a personal or online interview.

The Faculty Recruitment Policy (OTM-R) is available on the Faculty's website.

The Faculty of Science, Masaryk University is an equal opportunity employer. We support diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Important Notice

From Friday, 17 July, 6:00 p.m. to Saturday, 18 July, 12:00 p.m., a scheduled outage of university systems will take place.

It will not be possible to submit applications during the outage. If you are interested in applying for this position, please plan to submit your application outside of the outage period.

Application Deadline

Applications close: 30 September 2026

In your application, please refer to Professorpositions.com