Applications are invited for a Master’s Student to work in collaboration with the Institute of Space Sciences and Astronomy on the project “A Real-Time FRB backend for the Medicina Northern Cross Telescope”. The student will join the supervisory team, which will be composed of Prof. Alessio Magro (main supervisor) and Dr Keith Bugeja (co-supervisor). The role of the M.Sc. by Research student will be to primarily be involved in the staged deployment and verification of the Fast Radio Burst (FRB) pipeline at the Northern Cross.
The “A Real-Time FRB backend for the Medicina Northern Cross Telescope'' project, which is led by Prof. Alessio Magro, aims to design, develop and verify an upgrade to the Northern Cross Radio telescope in Medicina, Italy, with the primary scientific aim of transforming the instrument into a Fast Radio Burst detection system. This project synergises with the hardware upgrade of the Northern Cross, funded by the Italian PNRR. The upgraded system will be capable of combining the signal from all of the telescope's receivers (640), performing Dispersion Measure (DM) searching in all the beams, and detecting FRB candidates in real-time. The upgrade of the NC FRB backend will be an extremely important tool in the quest to understand the characteristics of FRBs, and through the improved localisation capability of the instrument (since the resolution will be higher), the environment in which the FRBs originate from can also be better studied.
1. Applicants must be in possession of an undergraduate degree (Second Class Upper Division or higher) in a STEM subject, particularly Physics, Statistics and Operations Research, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence or Software Development. Preference will be given to candidates providing evidence of proficiency with the Python programming language, have a good mathematical background, and have a basic understanding of signal processing and radio astronomy. Students who are currently in their final year of the undergraduate programme will also be considered, subject to successful completion of their programme of studies in line with the requirements outlined here.
2. The scholarship has a duration of one year, with a further extension of 6 months. The selected candidate will be required to start their studies on a full-time basis in October 2024 and will be receiving a stipend of €500 per month for one year. The tuition fee for the first year of studies for local candidates (up to €400) will be covered from the “A Real-Time FRB backend for the Medicina Northern Cross Telescope” project. Further information on applicable fees are available online.
3. In case of either extension or suspension of studies, the candidate shall still receive a stipend of €500 per month, provided that i) the maximum allocated funds to the scholarship from the project are not exceeded and ii) the timeframe of the studies is still within the duration of the “A Real-Time FRB backend for the Medicina Northern Cross Telescope” project.
4. The Scholarship will be subject to the eligibility of the candidates to meet the entry requirements set out by the University of Malta and the conditions for enrolling in the Masters by research programme.
5. International applicants are required to present an internationally recognised English Language proficiency Certificate at the required level. Further details are available online. International applicants are also advised to familiarise themselves with information available on the website of the International Office, particularly to the sections concerning visas and e-residence permit conditions and requirements. International candidates will need to provide assurance that they have the funds available to cover their stay in Malta. The stipend awarded for this scholarship is to be considered as a form of allowance and will not cover all the costs attached to studying and living in Malta.
The degree has an annual enrolment fee of €400 for EU/EEA applicants and total tuition fees of €13,400 for Non-EU/EEA applicants. The University of Malta is an equal opportunity employer and seeks to attract top quality students from countries outside the European Union/EEA. Following acceptance to read for the MSc (on a full-time basis), Non-EU/EEA applicants may apply for a tuition fee waiver scholarship. Following scrutiny of the application, deserving students may enjoy a tuition fee waiver of 40% to 100%. The fee waiver will apply for the normal duration of the programme being followed. If extensions of the period of study are required, these may not necessarily be eligible for a fee waiver. Only applicants who have been accepted unconditionally to read for the Master by research on a full-time basis are eligible to apply. Getting a fee waiver is not an automatic right for the selected candidate. Further information on fee waiver scholarships is available online.
6. Candidates should submit their letter of application, a copy of their curriculum vitae, copies of their certificates and contact details (including email address) of 2 referees. Applications may be sent by email. Applications should be received by not later than 19 April 2024. International candidates are required to present certified translations of their qualifications into English.
Late applications will not be considered.
Note: The scholarship awardee will be required to complete a Master’s by Research application, which is considered separately.
7. The selection procedure will involve:
a. scrutiny of qualifications and experience claimed, supported by testimonials and/or certificates;
b. shortlisting; and
c. an interview and/or extended interview.
8. Further information may be obtained by contacting Prof. Alessio Magro by sending an email.