Postdoctoral Researcher (f/m/d) | Detecting exoplanets through magnetic star-planet interaction in Göttingen

The Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) in Göttingen is one of the world's leading research institutions in the field of solar physics and planetary research, with around 300 employees. The interdisciplinary research focus is the investigation of the development, diversity and dynamics of planets, moons, small bodies, the Sun, and solar-like stars. The MPS develops and operates scientific instruments for current and future space missions (e.g., ESA, NASA), and carries out cosmochemical laboratory investigations of meteorites as well as numerical modeling on state-of-the-art supercomputers.

The Department Solar & Stellar Interiors at MPS invites applications for the position of aPostdoctoral Researcher (f/m/d) to detect exoplanets through magnetic star-planetinteraction.

In recent years, exoplanetary science has undergone a major shift -- moving from exoplanet detection towards understanding star-planet systems as a whole, including the host star, interplanetary medium and galactic context. Specifically, tidal and magnetic interactions between planets and their host stars have been recognized to be able to modulate the evolution of both, including the atmospheric evolution of the planet and its habitability. The newly established ERC StG project PLANETARE seeks a postdoctoral researcher with a background in stellar magnetism and/or exoplanetary science to develop novel ways of detecting and characterizing the mutual influence of stars and planets, with a focus on the influence of planets in short orbits on the magnetism of their host stars. At the core of the project is a new way to find exoplanets: detecting them through their magnetic interaction with the host star. This position develops the detection method itself, i.e., the statistics, the search, and the physical model behind it.

The position

• Develop new statistical techniques to identify signatures of planet-induced flaring
• Identify young stars and search them for planet-induced flaring using archival and upcoming Kepler, TESS, and PLATO observations
• Measure how the strength and frequency of planet-induced flaringchange as systems age
• Develop a forward model of the magnetic feedback loop betweenplanet and star

You work closely with a second postdocwithin a small, newly formed team of two postdocs and aPhD student, led by the PI (Ekaterina Ilin). Group members are supportedto lead their own papers and proposals, and to present at internationalmeetings in both the stellar and exoplanet communities.

Your qualification

• A PhD in physics or astrophysics (PhD must be awarded by thestart date)
• Experience with statistical inference and/or modelling of stellarmagnetic fields
• The ability to work in a team
• A good command of the English language

Additional information

• Start date between January and October 2027
• Duration: 4 years
• Remuneration is according to EG 13 TVöD-Bund
• Application deadline is October 30, 2026 (interviews in lateNovember / early December 2026)

The Max Planck Society endeavours to achieve gender equality and diversity.Furthermore, the Max Planck Society seeks to increase the number of women in thoseareas where they are underrepresented and therefore explicitly encourages women toapply. The Max Planck Society is committed to increasing the number of individuals withdisabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualifiedindividuals.