Career
The APEx Department is hiring! We welcome applications from exoplanet atmosphere enthusiasts at all levels, from bachelor's students to permanent staff. For more information on how to join us, check out the links below.
Permanent positions
Open staff scientist positions are listed on the MPIA Job Board
We also encourage female scientists to apply to the tenure-track Lise Meitner Excellence Program
Postdoctoral fellows
Postdoc positions are listed on the MPIA Job Board. In addition to these positions, there are many independent fellowship opportunities to work in Germany. Please contact Laura Kreidberg Email Laura Kreidberg if you are interested in applying for one or more of the following programs. We would be happy to host you at MPIA!
- Marie Skłodowska-Curie European Postdoctoral Fellowship
- Emmy Noether Research Group Leader
- ERC Starting Grant
- Freigeist Fellowships
- Max Planck Research Group Leader (not offered every year)
Graduate students
PhD positions are available through the International Max Planck Research School.
Bachelor, Master and internship projects at the Atmospheric Physics of Exoplanets (APEx) department
APEx is a department at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, dedicated to the study of exoplanet atmospheres. There is a lot of interesting science to be done, so we welcome applications for doing an internship or a thesis with us! However, APEx is still growing, and the number of potential supervisors is limited. To help us consider project requests in a structured and fair manner, please follow our application process described below.
- Eligibility
Standard projects can only be offered to students who can come to MPIA in person, with their own funding (but also see point 5!).
Preference is given to local students from Heidelberg University.
The MPIA does not admit students to Bachelor or Masters degree courses: students must already be registered for a degree before contacting us to do their thesis. Please provide proof of enrolment if you want to apply for a thesis at APEx.
Local bachelor students can receive credit points through the “Projektpraktikum Code WPProj” module (Projektpraktikum Code WPProject https://www.physik.uni-heidelberg.de/c/image/f/studium/bachelor/pdf/BSc-Module-2019_1.pdf)
A limited amount of funding is available for summer internships for non-local students through MPIA's Summer Internship Program https://www.mpia.de/en/careers/internships/summer). Please note that the webpage you are currently on explains how to apply for internships in the APEx department. MPIA's Summer Internship Program is not related to APEx internships. Please submit applications for MPIA's Summer Internship Program through the link above and not through the "Internships" link below, which is only for APEx internship applications.
- Application process
In the forms listed below, please fill in all required information, including CV and grade transcripts. Please note that we will only consider applications that include a CV and transcripts. As we only accept students who can come to the MPIA in person, please indicate that this is possible with your own funds if you are a student not currently living in Heidelberg. If you do not mention this, we will not be able to consider your application.
- Theses: students interested in a thesis project are asked to apply through MPIA’s thesis application form https://s-lotus.gwdg.de/mpg/mhas/interns_2018.nsf/registration).
- Internships: please fill in the internship application form on this website https://recruitingapp-5308.de.umantis.com/Vacancies/364/Application/CheckLogin/2?lang=eng).
- Application revision process
Applications will be collected and disseminated to potential APEx supervisors six times a year on the first Monday of February, April, June, August, October, December. Applications received after these dates will be reviewed in the next cycle. After dissemination, potential supervisors have one week to indicate their interest in taking on a student. You will receive a reply about your application in the week after applications are reviewed.