Genesis-CH: Senior Research Assistant (Position No. 3)

Open Position at the Astronomical Institute of the University of Bern

The Astronomical Institute of the University of Bern (AIUB) is receiving funding from the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) for the national initiative

Genesis-CH

to support the preparation of the Bernese GNSS Software for the rigorous data processing of ESA’s co-location in space mission Genesis, which is currently scheduled for launch in 2028. In the frame of Genesis-CH funding will be available for an

Senior Research Assistant (Position No. 3)

The main objective of ESA’s Genesis mission is to contribute to the achievement of the accura-cy and stability goals of the Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS) concerning the realiza-tion of the International Terrestrial Reference System (ITRS), aiming for 1 mm and 0.1 mm/year, respectively. To this aim, the Genesis mission will provide in-orbit co-location of the four space geodetic techniques, Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR), Doppler Orbitography and Radiopositioning Integrated by Satellite (DORIS), Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI), on a highly calibrated and stable platform. This requires significant upgrades and developments in scientific software packages to consistently process and combine the Genesis data of all four space geodetic techniques together with the data of the respective terrestrial ground networks.

The position of the Senior Research Assistant is scheduled for two years and will coordinate the significant amount of software developments on VLBI, DORIS, SLR, and GNSS in the Bernese GNSS Software maintained at AIUB that will be carried out in the frame of the Genesis-CH initi-ative. The developments will also involve external partner institutions such as the Bundesamt für Kartographie und Geodäsie (BKG), Germany, the Research Institute of Geodesy, Cartog-raphy and Topography (VUGTK), Czech Republic, and the Technical University of Munich (TUM), Germany. The planned developments will be performed in close exchange with ESA’s Genesis Science Exploitation Team and the IAG/IERS Joint Working Group on Genesis.

Education:

The candidate is expected to have successfully completed a Master or Ph.D. thesis in computer science, astronomy, geodesy, physics, or a related topic. Experience in computer science (cod-ing in modern Fortran, C++, Python, or Perl) is mandatory, a background in space geodetic data analyses, ideally using the Bernese GNSS Software package, is beneficial. The candidate should speak and write English fluently.

The candidate should start working in Bern preferably by July 1, 2026.

The position is scheduled for two years with an option for an extension to three years. The salary follows the guidelines of the University of Bern and depends on the qualification of the suc-cessful candidate.

Application:

Applications (including CV, university diploma copies, record of study, possible references) should be received as soon as possible but no later than May 10, 2026 at the following (first) address:

Prof. Dr. Adrian Jäggi, Astronomical Institute, University of Bern,

Prof. Dr. Rolf Dach, Astronomical Institute, University of Bern,

Informal inquiries may be obtained at both of the above addresses.

An equal opportunity environment is important to us, and we welcome applicants from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in physics and astronomy. We will be particularly pleased to receive applications from women or from persons with a disability for the advertised position.