Job announcements for 15 PhD projects Europe-wide

15 PhD scholarships are open within the EU Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network GRAIL (Gamma Radiation from the Atmosphere for Investigation and Learning)

The objective of GRAIL is to study high-energy phenomena, such as terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs), thunderstorm ground enhancements (TGEs), gamma-ray glows (GRGs) and flickering gamma-ray flashes (FGFs), emitted from thunderstorms as well as their effect on nature and technology.

GRAIL will conduct research into the fundamental physics of these high-energy phenomena by analyzing data from aircraft missions, conducting laboratory experiments as well as by developing and exploiting advanced simulation codes. Additionally, technological objectives include the preparation of new mission concepts as well as the development of new measurement technology.

The PhD scholarships are:

1. Experimental investigation of gamma-ray glows and Thunderstorm Ground Enhancements; at University in Bergen, Bergen, Norway, Link to job ad

The objective is to conduct innovative ground-based observations of gamma-ray glows. Gamma-ray glows, also named Thunderstorm Ground Enhancements (TGE), when observed on ground, are persistent (seconds to minute-long) gamma-ray emissions associated to thunderclouds large-scale electric fields. The candidate will design and conduct TGE observations at the Aragats Space Environmental Center (ASEC), Armenia, deploying additional and complementary instrumentation. Results will be interpreted in the context of state-of-the-art airborne (ALOFT and ENLIGHTEN aircraft campaigns) and ground observations. The candidate will also study the feasibility of the deployment of gamma-ray instrumentation at other ground-based facilities, such as LOFAR in the Netherlands. Some experiments and modelling will be done in collaboration with other PhD students in the GRAIL project.

2. The Contribution of Relativistic Runaway Electron Avalanches (RREA) to the Production of TGEs and TGFs; at Aragats Space Environmental Center, Yerevan, Armenia, Click here for full job posting

This project aims to quantify the contribution of Relativistic Runaway Electron Avalanches (RREA) to high-energy emissions observed during Thunderstorm Ground Enhancements (TGEs), gamma glows, and Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes (TGFs). It will model the evolution of electron–photon avalanches in realistic atmospheric electric fields using CORSIKA and GEANT4 simulations, constrained by measurements from the SEVAN and ASEC detector networks. The research will identify the conditions under which avalanche multiplication shifts from local MOS-type enhancements to full RREA development and estimate their respective particle yields and spectra. Diagnostic parameters such as field strength, altitude, and seed spectrum will be established to connect observed gamma-ray and electron fluxes to the underlying RREA processes.

3. The Role of Atmospheric Electric Fields in Modulating Cosmic Ray-Induced Extensive Air Showers; at Aragats Space Environmental Center, Yerevan, Armenia, Click here for full job posting

This project investigates how changes in the atmospheric electric field (AEF) affect the energy spectra, lateral spread, and arrival times of cosmic-ray-induced Extensive Air Showers (EAS). The AEF strength and vertical profile, obtained from ASEC and SEVAN networks, will be incorporated into air-shower simulations to reproduce the flux variations observed during thunderstorms. The study will examine how electric field polarity and strength impact the energy, trajectories, and detector responses of charged particles, distinguishing between atmospheric and magnetospheric influences. Ultimately, it aims to develop a unified framework connecting atmospheric electric field dynamics with transient cosmic-ray phenomena such as TGEs and field-modified EAS profiles.

4. Experimental investigation of midlatitude and tropical thunderstorm electrical charge structures and lightning leader properties favouring high-energy events; at University of Catalunia, Barcelona, Spain. Link to job ad

The objective of this project is to investigate how thunderstorm electrification influences the production of atmospheric high-energy emissions. To achieve this goal, data from UPC’s Lightning Mapping Arrays (LMA) in Spain and Colombia will be analyzed to derive realistic electrical charge structures of thunderclouds. These storm charge structures will serve as input for a numerical model to be developed within the project, aimed at simulating the conditions for thermal electron runaway production ahead of asymmetric lightning leaders. The candidate will also participate in field campaigns (e.g., ENLIGHTEN, ASIM) and be involved in the deployment and operation of gamma-ray instruments at UPC facilities in Europe and the tropics.

5. Investigating Radio Frequency Emissions in High-Energy Atmospheric Phenomena: Experimental Study in a High Voltage Laboratory; at DENA, Barcelona, Spain. Link to job ad

The aim of this project is to investigate radio-frequency (RF) emissions associated with high-energy (HE) processes in electric discharges, with particular emphasis on understanding high-energy atmospheric phenomena such as TGFs, FGFs, and GRGs. To achieve this goal, an experimental study will be conducted on meter-scale high-voltage sparks using a dedicated instrumental setup capable of simultaneously measuring HE and RF emissions over a broad electromagnetic spectrum. Atmospheric conditions will be reproduced by adjusting air density to simulate altitude-dependent effects. The primary objective is to identify RF signatures associated with high-energy emissions, analyze their temporal and spectral correlations, and assess their detectability. A special focus will be placed on advancing RF techniques through the design and development of a dedicated RF antenna to investigate RF emissions from high-energy atmospheric phenomena in future aerospace missions.

6. Understanding the correlation of TGFs, GRGs and lighting; at Technical University of Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany, Click here for full job posting

This objective is to investigate the correlation between terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs), gamma-ray glows (GRGs) and lightning. GRGs are produced through the motion and acceleration of energetic electrons in the electric fields of thunderstorms; TGFs are produced as impulsive bursts of energetic X- and gamma-rays in the lightning system of energetic leaders and GRGs are observed to terminate at the onset of lightning. The project will address the role of energetic muons and pions on the production of GRGs as well as the temporal correlation amongst TGFs, GRGs and lightning. The project will adapt and extend existing numerical codes to simulate these phenomena. Some experiments and modelling will be done in collaboration with other PhD students in the GRAIL project.

7. Effect of GRGs on greenhouse gas production; at Technical University of Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany, Click here for full job posting

The objective is to study the effect of gamma-ray glows on the production of greenhouse gases. As energetic particles propagate through air, they interact with the air molecules and produce radicals, ions and excited species which can alter the chemical composition of the atmosphere. The main goal will be to quantify the annually produced amount of greenhouse gases through gamma-ray glows and to council relevant stakeholders on decisions regarding global warming. The project will adapt and extend existing numerical codes to simulate these phenomena. Some experiments and modelling will be done in collaboration with other PhD students in the GRAIL project.

8. Effect of high-energy radiation on avionics; at Technical University of Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany, Click here for full job posting

This PhD project focuses on the effect of high-energy radiation on airplane altitudes. Numerical models will be used to trace energetic particles from their sources in thunderclouds to aircraft and the relevant interaction with avionics. The main objective is to understand the failure risk of avionics triggered by the interaction of the energetic particles with the electronics. The project will adapt and extend existing numerical codes to simulate these phenomena. Experiments and modelling will be done in collaboration with other PhD students in the GRAIL project.

9. Self-consistent simulations of high-energy events in thunderstorms and their associated radiation risk; at Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Orleans, France. Link to job ad

This PhD project aims to advance the understanding of high-energy phenomena in thunderstorms gamma-ray glows (GRGs), flickering gamma flashes (FGFs), and terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs) and their impact on the driving electric fields at the source. The objectives are to: (1) simulate these events self-consistently, including their feedback on the driving electric field; (2) model their radio emissions; (3) quantify the radiation doses received by aircrews and passengers in proximity to such events; and (4) assess the associated risk for global air traffic. The methodology combines the improvement and development of Particle-In-Cell (PIC) and fluid codes to simulate particle transport under electric and magnetic fields complemented by theoretical work to refine models. The results will be used to calculate radiation doses and evaluate global risk using TGF-detecting satellite catalogues and recent airborne campaign data.

10. Coarse-grained corona models for the study of energetic emissions; at Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia (IAA - CSIC), Granada, Spain. Link to job ad

This PhD project focuses on building new physical models for large-scale filamentary electrical discharges. Both in thundercloud environments and in laboratory experiments on frequently observes the formation of electrical discharges composed of a large number of thin, imperfectly conducting, propagating channels that interact with each other and with the environment. The statistical mechanics and electrodynamics of these systems are poorly understood and this project aims to fill this gap by building new models that derive their properties from well-founded microscopic knowledge. In this task, the project will rely heavily on advanced computer modelling and numerical simulation.

11. Physics-informed machine-learning for accelerating simulations of electron transport in thunderstorms; at Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia (IAA - CSIC), Granada, Spain. Link to job ad

The PhD project will explore the use of Machine Learning (ML) techniques to speed up the numerical simulation of generation and transport of energetic particles in a thunderstorm environment. Active thunderclouds contain significant populations of electrons, photons and positrons with energies exceeding several mega-electronvolts (MeV). Investigating these particles and their interactions with the electric environment is possible through computer-based models. However, the considerable number of particles and their long-range interactions make direct numerical simulation a challenge. Within this project we will explore whether modern ML techniques, such as the development of surrogate models for parts of the process, improve the efficiency of the simulations without sacrificing reliability and interpretability.

12. Research and Development of Advanced Detector Technologies for Future High- Energy Missions; at Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark, Link to job ad

The PhD project targets core limitations of current high-energy radiation detectors used for transient gamma-ray observations, including terrestrial gamma-ray flashes and related atmospheric events. These phenomena occur on microsecond to millisecond timescales and produce burst of high count rates, leading to pile-up, spectral distortion, and saturation in conventional detector systems. Future missions therefore demand detector architectures with high sensitivity, fast timing, and on-detector signal intelligence under strict data-rate and power constraints. The project will focus on the development and experimental validation of intelligent cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) detector modules with full waveform signal readout and machine-learning-based signal processing. The central research objective is to exploit interaction physics encoded in multi-electrode CZT waveforms using artificial neural networks and to quantify performance gains relative to standard pulse-height and physics-based pulse-shape analysis. Emphasis will be placed on waveform-level information governed by induced-charge dynamics and charge-sharing effects, which dominate detector response under high-flux transient conditions. The PhD candidate will develop theoretical detector models and train machine-learning models for waveform-level processing, addressing challenges such as sub-microsecond pile-up separation, charge-sharing correction, and robustness against electronic noise and detector material nonuniformities. Models will be trained and validated using experimentally acquired waveform datasets and benchmarked against developed and established offline algorithms using quantitative metrics including energy resolution, three-dimensional interaction position, timing, and interaction and radiation type The PhD project will be carried out in close collaboration with the EU-funded i-RASE project and will include an industrial secondment at IDEAS

13. Innovative mission concepts for TGFs observation from space after ASIM and ALOFT; at University in Bergen, Bergen, Norway, Link to job ad

The objective is to study and develop new detectors and mission concepts for novel atmospheric electricity experiments from space. Building on the results of the Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor (ASIM) mission onboard the International Space Station and the ALOFT 2023 aircraft campaign, the candidate will study the requirements of an atmospheric electricity space mission that goes beyond the state of the art. The payload to be studied will include gamma-ray, optical and radio instrumentation. The mission profile will include nanosatellites constellations. The candidate will contribute to outline a mission profile supported by a robust industrial feasibility study. The output of the project will support proposals to national / international space agencies. Some activities will be done in collaboration with other PhD students in the GRAIL project.

14. Study and development of a new broadband digital interferometer (DINTF) for aircraft platforms; at University of Catalunia, Barcelona, Spain. Link to job ad

The objective of this project is to investigate broadband (VHF and higher) radio emissions from lightning and other electrical breakdown processes in thunderstorms, with the ultimate goal of designing an unprecedented broadband digital interferometer (DINTF) for airborne applications. The purpose of an airborne DINTF is to locate lightning breakdown events in thunderstorms in two dimensions (azimuth and elevation), particularly those occurring simultaneously with high-energy emissions. In the first phase of the project, a broadband receiver will be designed and deployed in field experiments and high-voltage laboratory campaigns to correlate radio emissions with different lightning processes, including those associated with high-energy emissions. In the second phase, the results obtained will form the basis for the design and development of a prototype airborne DINTF. The project will be carried out in close collaboration with Duke University and will support the ENLIGHTEN field campaign by deploying an interferometer onboard a stratospheric aircraft.

15. Sounding the electrical context of high-energy events in thunderstorms; at Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Orleans, France. Link to job ad

This PhD project seeks to quantify the electrical context and occurrence frequency of high-energy events in thunderstorms, while organizing new observational campaigns to advance our understanding. The objectives are to: (1) characterize the electrical environment where these events occur; (2) estimate their frequency; and (3) coordinate new ground-based and airborne measurement campaigns. The methodology includes electronics, simulation, instrument design, enhancement of gamma-ray spectrometers, and data processing from balloon campaigns funded by the French space agency (Stratéole-2, OREO). A novel instrument will be developed to measure electrostatic fields and local conductivity.

GRAIL is a highly integrated network. In the PhD projects, the candidates will be exposed to aircraft measurements, laboratory experiments, numerical modelling and technological development, and all projects will to some degree involve the results obtained by others in the network.

All PhD projects will involve travels to two summer and three winter schools of the GRAIL network, and to other partners of the network.

Application

Please submit your online application for the positions described above by using the web-links and specified at each position.

Apply only for one position. If you could be interested in several positions, state these in the cover letter of the application.

The application deadline is May, 24th, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. CEST.

Please note that candidates are subject to the Horizon Europe mobility rule. A candidate must not have resided in the host country for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to the date of recruitment (and not have carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in that country).

Candidates may apply prior to obtaining their master's degree, but cannot begin before having received it.

Qualifications

Candidates should have a master's degree in a relevant field, or a similar degree at a level equivalent to the master's degree.

Approval and Enrolment

The scholarships for the PhD degree are subject to academic approval, and the candidates will be enrolled in one of the general degree programmes of the host institution.

Salary and appointment terms

The salary and appointment terms are consistent with the current EU rules for PhD degree students. The period of employment is 3 years.

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, race, disability, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply.