Javalambre postdoctoral training programme for future managers in astrophysics and beyond

Objective

The Javalambre TRAINing programme (J-TRAIN) is a COFUND initiative that will attract four outstanding postdoctoral researchers on 48-month contracts following an open, merit-based selection process to the Centro de Estudios de Física del Cosmos de Aragón (CEFCA) in Teruel (Spain), one of the most sparsely populated areas of Europe. CEFCA offers an end-to-end astrophysics ecosystem, from data acquisition to societal outreach, anchored in its flagship large-area photometric surveys J-PAS, J-PLUS and J-VAR and its contribution to the space mission ARRAKIHS. Fellows will have access to three facilities: Observatorio Astrofísico de Javalambre (OAJ), with 2.5-m and 0.8-m panoramic telescopes optimised for large photometric surveys; UPAD, a dedicated data centre that reduces and publishes OAJ images following FAIR principles; and Galáctica, a outreach hub with museum, 80-cm telescope and 40-cm solar telescope that brings research to schools and the public. J-TRAIN has two goals: to deliver excellent science and to equip fellows with the research, multidisciplinary and intersectoral skills expected of future leaders. Each researcher will follow a personalised training plan under dual supervision, combining CEFCA mentorship with international guidance. Structured training covers project management, student supervision, research ethics, gender equality, mental health and outreach. Mobility is central: fellows rotate across OAJ (observing and engineering), UPAD (pipelines, open science) and Galáctica (public engagement), undertake two two-months international secondments, and gain industrial insight through visits to Satlantis (aerospace instrumentation), Eurecat (applied data solutions) and AstroÁndalus (astrotourism). By integrating frontier research with transferable-skill development and cross-sectoral exposure, J-TRAIN will forge tomorrow’s leaders in astrophysics and allied sectors, supplying high-level expertise to the science and technology job market.