PhD position in climate impacts caused by the space industry (4 years)

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The University of Vienna is a community of almost 11,000 individuals, including approximately 7,700 academic staff members, who passionately pursue answers to the profound questions that shape our future. They represent individuals driven by curiosity and a relentless pursuit of excellence. With us, they find the space to try things out and unfold their potential. Are you inspired by their passion and determination? We are currently seeking a

PhD position in climate impacts caused by the space industry (4 years)

53 Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography and Astronomy

Job vacancy starting: 09/01/2026 | Working hours: 30,00 | Classification CBA: §48 VwGr. B1 Grundstufe (praedoc)

Limited contract until:

Job ID: 5919

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The research team “Climate Dynamics and Modeling” is part of the Department of Meteorology and Geophysics. Our ambition is to think deeply about seemingly simple questions. While we study various topics ranging from future climate change to the climates of Earth-like extrasolar planets, all of our work is related to clouds, radiation, and atmospheric circulation. Climate models are at the core of our research, in particular models that simulate global weather and climate at kilometer-scale resolution. We highly value collaboration, teaching and outreach. To learn more about our team, we invite you to visit our website:

Ready to be part of our team? Let’s shape the future together!

Your personal sphere of action:

The commercialization of space has led to a dramatic increase in rocket launches and satellites in Earth orbit – with largely unknown consequences for the atmosphere. Possible impacts include effects on the stratospheric ozone layer, the radiation balance of the Earth, and on ice cloud formation.

The research platform “Pollution of the Atmosphere by a Rapidly Growing Space Industry (SPACETRACE)” brings together researchers from three faculties with expertise in aerosol physics, atmospheric sciences, and social sciences to investigate the effects of emissions from rocket launches and the re-entry of space debris on the atmosphere, climate and society.

Within SPACETRACE, four PhD positions (university assistants predoctoral) are available, of which one is within our team, and will focus on the climatic impacts of a growing space industry. Your work will address direct radiative impacts from materials like aluminum released during the burning of satellites when they fall back from their orbit through the atmosphere, which could have significant but highly uncertain climate cooling effects. You will also explore how these re-entry particles may alter cirrus cloud formation patterns, potentially amplifying or reversing any direct radiative effects. Your research will help address these critical knowledge gaps and assess the net climate impact of space activities before they scale dramatically.

Your future tasks:

Active participation in research and teaching, which means:

Lead independent research on your doctoral thesis topic

Contribute to the further development of ICON model as needed for your work

Disseminate your research through high-quality peer-reviewed publications and presentations at conferences

Teach independently within the scope of the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement

Help to build and shape the positive, collaborative culture of our team and the department

Become an active member of the Vienna International School of Earth and Space Sciences (VISESS / doctoral school)

This is part of your personality:

M.Sc. degree or equivalent in climate science, meteorology, physics, computational sciences or a related field

Creativity, curiosity, and a proactive approach to problem-solving

Ambition to plan and conduct independent research that pushes the boundaries of science

Strong English communication skills

Additional skills that would be an advantage:

Programming and data analysis experience

Experience with working on high-performance computers

What we offer:

Research freedom: Develop your own ideas within the project’s broad scope.

Inspiring and supportive working atmosphere: Join an interdisciplinary team of 4 PhD students (university assistants predoctoral) in SPACETRACE project, with ample opportunities to collaborate with international partners.

International team in a healthy and fair working environment (see the public document on our team culture and values) with excellent research infrastructure.

Career development and training: Enroll in the VISESS doctoral school , with benefits described here:

Benefit also from the offer of soft skills training, coaching, and professional development opportunities offered by the University of Vienna.

Fair salary including health care and social benefits: The gross monthly salary of 3,776.10 EUR (on a full time, i.e. 40h/week, basis; 14 times per year; amount as of 1 January 2026) allows for a comfortable life in Vienna.

Work-life balance: Flexible hours, remote work options (partly, upon agreement, within Austria), and a vibrant city with quick access to nature.

Equal opportunities for everyone: We welcome diverse personalities in our team!

Sustainability: The University of Vienna aims to become carbon neutral by 2030. We support low-carbon options for traveling.

The employment duration is 4 years. Initially limited to 1.5 years, the employment relationship is automatically extended to 4 years if the employer does not terminate it within the first 12 months by submitting a non-extension declaration. The position as university assistant predoctoral is available immediately. The position needs to be filled by 1 Oct 2026. Review of applications will begin on 10 Aug 2026.

It is that easy to apply:

Submit your application via our job portal. Include:

A 1-page motivation letter highlighting your interests in the position

Your CV (limited to 2 pages) with contact details of 1-2 persons who could provide a recommendation upon request

The position must be filled by latest 1 October 2026.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Blaž Gasparini

blaz.gasparini@univie.ac.at

We look forward to new personalities in our team!

The University of Vienna has an anti-discriminatory employment policy and attaches great importance to equal opportunities, the advancement of women and diversity. We place particular emphasis on enhancing women’s representation among the academic and general university staff, particularly in leadership roles, and therefore expressly encourage qualified women to apply. Given equal qualifications, preference will be given to female candidates.

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Application deadline: 08/10/2026