PhD thesis projects offered
All partner institutes in the Solar System School (Institute for Astrophysics and Geophysics, Geoscience Center, and Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research) may offer and support PhD projects in the Solar System School. The PhD topics are as diverse as the research fields of the participating partner institutions. The topics include all areas of our own Solar system (the Sun and its planets and minor bodies), embedded in the wider geoscience and astrophysical context, and extend to other stars and their planetary systems. Correspondingly, the following disciplines in geoscience and astrophysics are represented in the Solar System School: Earth and planetary sciences, Cosmochemistry, Solar and stellar physics, helioseismology, asteroseismology, and to some extent extra-solar planets. Since the methods of research comprise earth-based laboratory analyses, instrumentation development, calibration and improvement , ground- and space-based observations, remote-sensing or in-situ measurements in space exploration missions, data analysis and interpretation, numerical simulations and theoretical modeling, some projects may additionally require good skills in laboratory work, in programming, in mathematics, or in engineering.
Applications must be submitted through the online application portal in response to an open call for applications. The following list gives an overview of the currently advertised open PhD projects. Whenever new open projects become available, this list is updated (see below on how to subscribe for updates). Please check the list shortly before submitting your application. Applications may only be submitted for one specific project.
Open PhD Projects
The ERC ELMO group will open a call for PhD project applications in spring 2026 with an application deadline of 1 June 2026. You can register to start preparing your application after 2 February 2026. Please only finalise and submit your application in response to the actual call.
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Investigating the history of the Solar System and the formation and differentiation of planets through laboratory analyses of extraterrestrial samples
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For PhD students whose project is already funded at one of the partner institutions and who are applying for admission to the IMPRS.
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Hydrodynamic simulations of near surface convection and waves in the Sun and stars
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In the "Solar and Stellar Interiors" department, Laurent Gizon, Jesper Schou, Aaron Birch, Robert Cameron and others offer PhD projects in solar physics and astrophysics. Helioseismology and asteroseismology are used as important tools to study the oscillating Sun and stars.
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Notifications about new open PhD projects via mailing list, RSS feed or social media are available to all interested parties such as students looking for an open PhD position, or academic teachers and researchers in solar system science and related fields wishing to forward calls to their students.
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The ERC ELMO group will open a call for PhD project applications in spring 2026 with an application deadline of 1 June 2026. You can register to start preparing your application after 2 February 2026. Please only finalise and submit your application in response to the actual call.
more
Investigating the history of the Solar System and the formation and differentiation of planets through laboratory analyses of extraterrestrial samples
more
Hydrodynamic simulations of near surface convection and waves in the Sun and stars
more
In the "Solar and Stellar Interiors" department, Laurent Gizon, Jesper Schou, Aaron Birch, Robert Cameron and others offer PhD projects in solar physics and astrophysics. Helioseismology and asteroseismology are used as important tools to study the oscillating Sun and stars.
more
