Full Professor of Space-Based Astrophysics

Universität Wien

The University of Vienna is internationally renowned for its excellence in teaching and research, and counts more than 7,500 academics from all disciplines. This breadth of expertise offers unique opportunities to address the complex challenges of modern society, to develop comprehensive new approaches, and educate the problem-solvers of tomorrow from a multidisciplinary perspective.

At the Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography and Astronomy, the University of Vienna seeks to appoint a

The position:

Space-based observatories have opened up large, new areas of astrophysical research. By far the largest part of the electromagnetic spectrum is accessible only from space and has tremendously enriched astronomy with the discovery of new astronomical objects and previously inaccessible phenomenology. The University of Vienna has a long and successful tradition in contributing to space mission instrumentation and conducting space-based astrophysics. We seek a full professor with profound experience in astronomical space missions to lead internationally visible payload contributions and to carry out a related attractive scientific research program. We expect the professor to attract new space missions to the University of Vienna and represent Austria in the respective international mission consortia. Such space missions would in particular include new projects by the European Space Agency (ESA) for which multiple third-party funding channels are available. The professorship will profit from the well-established recognition by the national funding agency for the space program, close collaborations with other groups at the University of Vienna and the Institute for Space Research in Graz, and connections to Austrian industry.

Your academic profile:

• Doctoral degree/PhD
• Outstanding research achievements, excellent publication and funding record, international reputation
• Proven leadership qualities
• Gender and diversity competence
• Experience in designing and managing large research projects
• Enthusiasm for excellent teaching and supervision at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral level
• Willingness to take on organisational and administrative responsibilities within the Faculty and/or the University

The University of Vienna expects the successful candidate to acquire, within three years, proficiency in German sufficient for teaching in bachelor’s programmes and for participation in university committees.

We offer:

• a dynamic research environment
• a wide range of research and teaching support services
• attractive working conditions in a city with a high quality of life
• an attractive salary according to the Collective Bargaining Agreement for University Staff (§98 UG, level A1, to be negotiated individually) and an organisational retirement plan
• a “start-up package”, in particular for the initiation of research projects
• comprehensive relocation support

Application documents:

Please submit a single PDF file (LastName_FirstName.pdf) containing the following information in English via email to the Dean of the Faculty, Rainer Abart (dekanat.philkult@univie.ac.at):

• 1. Letter of motivation
• 2. Academic curriculum vitae
  • education and training
  • positions held to date
  • relevant parental, family or other care times
  • awards and honors
  • commissions of trust
  • previous and current cooperation partners
  • list of most important acquired third-party funding as principal investigator, and, if applicable, of inventions/patents
  • list of most important scientific talks (max. 10)
  • teaching and mentoring
  • supervision experience (Master and PhD)
• 3. List of publications and a link to your ORCID record
• 4. Research statement
  • most important research achievements (max. 2 pages) and planned future research activities (max. 4 pages)
  • synopsis of five key publications with relevance to the position advertised
• 5. Teaching and supervision statement
  • eaching and supervision concept, including a description of the previous and planned priorities in academic teaching and supervision (max. 2 pages)

Appendices to application document:

• a. Five key publications as electronic full text version
• b. Teaching evaluations (if available, compiled into a single PDF file)
• c. Copies of certificates of academic degrees (mandatory, compiled into a single PDF file)

The University of Vienna has an anti-discriminatory employment policy and attaches great importance to equal opportunities, the advancement of women and diversity. We lay special emphasis on increasing the number of women in senior and in academic positions among the academic and general university staff and therefore expressly encourage qualified women to apply. Given equal qualifications, preference will be given to female candidates.

Reference no.: SpaAst2025
Application deadline: 17 September 2025