We are pleased to announce an open PhD position at IFIMAC and the Faculty of Sciences at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid on “Attosecond molecular dynamics”, under the supervision of Stefano M. Cavaletto and Fernando Martín. The position is funded by an FPI fellowship of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation as part of the project “Laser-induced ultrafast molecular dynamics in the gas and solid phase”, grant PID2025-168755NB-C21.
The PhD thesis project aims at describing the coupled electron–nuclear dynamics of small and medium-size molecules upon interaction with short atto- and few-femtosecond pulses, at frequencies ranging from the UV-Vis to the X-ray range.
The focus of the thesis will be the exploration of novel pump–probe schemes to initiate and monitor these ultrafast molecular dynamics, and the simulation of associated time-resolved signals for the interpretation of current experiments.
The project will take place at the Faculty of Sciences of the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, under the supervision of Stefano M. Cavaletto and Fernando Martín.
The group has extensive experience in the development of ab-initio theoretical methods to describe nonadiabatic dynamics in gas-phase molecules induced by ultrashort pulses, and in modeling and simulating associated time-resolved signals, see also https://campusys.es/
Recent publications from the group related to the topic: T. Driver et al., Nat. Phys. 22, 1459–1466 (2026) L.-M. Koll et al., Nature 652, 82–88 (2026) J. Galiana et al., J. Chem. Theory Comput. 22, 1224–1243 (2026) P. Pranjal et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 223202 (2025) F. Vismarra et al., Nat. Chem. 16, 2017–2024 (2024)
Position requirements
– MSc degree in Physics, Theoretical Chemistry, or related field
– Excellent knowledge of quantum mechanics, basic knowledge of electrodynamics and of atomic, molecular and optical physics
– Interest in modeling and simulating light–matter interaction in molecules (previous experience in attosecond physics and ultrafast spectroscopy will be valued)
– Experience in scientific programming languages (e.g., C, C++, Python, etc.) will be valued
– Good oral and written proficiency in English Position details
– Up to four-year duration contract, starting not earlier than November 1st, 2026 and not later than July 31st, 2027
– Salary will follow the standards of a FPI predoctoral fellowship in Spain.
Application procedure Interested candidates should send an email to stefano.cavaletto@uam.es and fernando.martin@uam.es including a cover letter, a CV, contact information for two references, copy of BSc and MSc degree certificates, and academic records. Additional clarifications, supporting documents, and reference letters could be requested during the selection process. Selected candidates will be contacted for an interview.
For further information and clarifications, please contact stefano.cavaletto@uam.es andfernando.martin@uam.es.
