Posted by Tom Van Doorsselaere | April 30, 2026 | Employment Opportunities

The Centre for mathematical Plasma Astrophysics at the Mathematics Department of KU Leuven (Belgium) is seeking to expand its permanent staff through a research professorship (“openBOFZAP”, https://research.kuleuven.be/en/career/research-staff/bofzap). The group currently consists of 5 professors and around 50 PhD students and postdocs. The topics in the group are numerical and theoretical modelling of plasma physics, ranging from the solar corona and solar wind to the Earth’s magnetosphere and plasmas around compact objects.

With this call, we invite your expression of interest in applying for an open call for a professorship at KU Leuven. Of the submitted expressions of interest, 2 will be selected that can further proceed toward submission to KU Leuven’s open call. Of the submissions, at most 1 will be appointed as professor. So, even if successful with this expression of interest, there is no guarantee for a positive outcome of the further selection process.

The position also comprises teaching, with a reduced teaching load in the first 5 years. It is expected that professors at KU Leuven speak Dutch at B2 level, and if you don’t know Dutch, you will get 5 years to learn it.

The expected timeline for selected candidates is as follows:

9/1/26: pre-application to openBOFZAP (https://www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jobsite/jobs/60640907)
11/3/26: full application to openBOFZAP
Winter: interview at KU Leuven
March 2027: offers made
September 2027: start of position

If you qualify for Odysseus financing (https://www.fwo.be/nl/ondersteuningsprogramma-s/alle-oproepen/gevestigde-onderzoekers-onderzoeksteams/odysseusprogramma), it will be requested that you apply to it. Then, two additional deadlines will be added:

8/17/26: internal application at KU Leuven for Odysseus grant
9/30/26: application for Odysseus at FWO
Winter: interview for Odysseus

To facilitate the preselection of the expressions of interest, please fill in the form before 06/14/2026 at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeXIFxSt6tQsMoc_oYgfAtdG-hNUke8SppPt1Dxz1bKDvWfVw/viewform?usp=dialog

Contact: Tom Van Doorsselaere ([email protected])