Postdoctoral Research Assistant on Planet Formation in Stellar Clusters

About the Role

A Postdoctoral Research Assistant is being recruited to work with Dr Thomas Haworth. A key science goal is to develop emission line diagnostics that will enable the determination of the physical conditions in the winds of externally irradiated disks. Further goals include identifying externally photoevaporating disks in new and distant clusters, and to identify the best distant candidates for resolved observations with the ELT. 

This position is part of the Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship of Dr Thomas Haworth. There will be a PhD student on this grant too that the PDRA will work closely with. There are also around 3 ERC (UKRI) postdocs in the broader team which will provide an excellent environment to generate new ideas and collaboration. The department includes four other academics working on exoplanet science and planet formation.

The post is based at the Mile End Campus in London. It is full time (35 hours per week), fixed term appointment for 3 years, with a start date negotiable, but ideally commencing in September 2024.

About You

Candidates should have a PhD in a relevant discipline or will have obtained it by commencement of the position. Successful candidates will ideally have a background in research into planet formation/protoplanetary discs, however, due to the broad nature of the research, backgrounds in star formation will also be competitive.

Dr Haworth and QMUL are committed to improving the diversity of the astrophysics community and particularly encourage applications from underrepresented groups.

About the School

The School of Physical and Chemical Sciences consists of the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Department of Chemistry. It is one of five schools in the Faculty of Science and Engineering. The School is an exciting and dynamic environment, home to over 530 undergraduate students, 70 postgraduate taught students, and 130 teaching and research staff. Our research is highly collaborative, working with colleagues across all three faculties and supported by partnerships with industry, NHS and other stakeholders.

About Queen Mary

At Queen Mary University of London, we believe that a diversity of ideas helps us achieve the previously unthinkable.

Throughout our history, we’ve fostered social justice and improved lives through academic excellence. And we continue to live and breathe this spirit today, not because it’s simply ‘the right thing to do’ but for what it helps us achieve and the intellectual brilliance it delivers.

We continue to embrace diversity of thought and opinion in everything we do, in the belief that when views collide, disciplines interact, and perspectives intersect, truly original thought takes form.

Benefits

We offer competitive salaries, access to a generous pension scheme, 30 days’ leave per annum (pro-rata for part-time/fixed-term), a season ticket loan scheme and access to a comprehensive range of personal and professional development opportunities. In addition, we offer a range of work life balance and family friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements, and campus facilities including an on-site nursery at the Mile End campus.

Queen Mary’s commitment to our diverse and inclusive community is embedded in our appointments processes. Reasonable adjustments will be made at each stage of the recruitment process for any candidate with a disability. We are open to considering applications from candidates wishing to work flexibly.