University Assistant Predoctoral, Physics

51 Faculty of Physics
Startdate: 01.03.2024 | Working hours: 30 | Collective bargaining agreement: §48 VwGr. B1 Grundstufe (praedoc)
Limited until: 29.02.2028
Reference no.: 1254

Are you intrigued by working at the forefront of science? Are you passionate about physics and the emergent properties of many-body systems in particular? Do you want to contribute to pushing the boundaries of scientific knowledge? Are you a team player who loves to discuss science and to develop new analytical and numerical methods? Then apply to become a member of the Quantum Control and Quantum Many-body Physics group.

Your personal sphere of influence:

As a university assistant (praedoc) on this 4-year position, you will be part of the ambitious Quantum Control and Quantum Many-body Physics group led by Andreas Nunnenkamp, and you will work on projects contributing to the newly established Cluster of Excellence QuantA.

We are a theory group interested in how to create, control and exploit quantum coherence in the many-body setting. The big questions we address include interplay of topology, interactions and disorder, and control by driving, feedback and dissipation. We aim at advancing quantum technology and the understanding of non-equilibrium phases of matter.

Our Team is part of the Quantum Optics, Quantum Nanophysics and Quantum Information group of the Faculty of Physics.

We are member of the Vienna Center for Quantum Science and Technology (VCQ), one of the largest quantum hubs in Europe, and of the Austrian Cluster of Excellence (quantA), advancing basic research in quantum sciences, aiming to expand the frontiers of knowledge and thus being the engine for future innovations.

You will also benefit from being fellow of the Vienna Doctoral School in Physics (VDSP), being part of a thriving community with more than 100 quantum scientists on premise, about 300 quantum researchers in Vienna.

We are an international team of young scientists who love working together on challenging problems. We employ a broad range of techniques drawn from quantum many-body physics, quantum optics, quantum information, hybrid systems, tensor-network methods and more. Working with us means learning something new every day – all of us, from bachelor student to professor.

Your future tasks:

You will actively participate in research, teaching & administration. This means:

• You are involved in a specific and well-funded research project, here focused on long-range interactions in the next generation of quantum simulators.  
• You will present your research plan to the faculty and complete a dissertation agreement within 12-18 months. This will be reviewed and adapted on an annual basis.
• You will work on your dissertation and towards its completion in time. We expect a large degree of independence paired with a high level of social awareness as the goal will only be achieved in a team.
• You will contribute to teaching (lab courses, exercise classes) within the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement.
• You will fill some administrative tasks, contributing to the success and self-organization of the group for research, teaching and administration.
• You will continuously stay informed about the state of the art in your field.
• You contribute to outreach by publications, conference presentations and public activities.

This is part of your personality:

• You have completed your Master's degree or Diploma in physics or mathematics before March 2024
• You have experience in academic writing
• You should ideally come with a very strong background in quantum many-body theory and theoretical quantum optics.
• You should be able to carry out, interpret, and report your analytical calculations and numerical simulations on your own.
• You have an excellent command of written and spoken English

What we offer:

Inspiring working atmosphere: You are a part of an international academic team in a healthy and fair working environment.

Good public transport connections: Your workplace in the center of beautiful Vienna is easily accessible by public transport.

Potential for development: Success in life depends on what you make of it, but if you are ambitious and successful, there are plenty of opportunities to connect you to all relevant top research groups in the world.

Internal further training & Coaching: The Vienna Doctoral School as well as the department of human resources offer plenty of opportunities to grow your skills in over 600 courses to choose from – free of charge.

Fair salary: The basic salary of EUR 2.457,00  (30h, 14x p.a.) increases if we can credit professional experience.The employment duration is 4 years. Initially limited to 1.5 years, the employment relationship is automatically extended to 4 years if the employer does not terminate it within the first 12 months by submitting a non-extension declaration.

Equal opportunities for everyone: We look forward to diverse personalities in the team!

It is that easy to apply:

• Your scientific curriculum vitae  
• A summary of your previous academic and research achievements. Tell us what you’re proud of.
• A short statement on your research interests for the future. Tell us what you dream about, scientifically.
• Your Bachelor’s and Master‘s degree: an excellent academic degree is a good entrance statement for this position.

Note, that while a Master’s degree is the usual legal prerequisite for a PhD position at the University of Vienna, we can consider Bachelors (preferentially with Honor’s) in exceptional cases, too.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Andreas Nunnenkamp  

[email protected]

We look forward to new personalities in our team!
The University of Vienna has an anti-discriminatory employment policy and attaches great importance to equal opportunities, the advancement of women  and diversity . We lay special emphasis on increasing the number of women in senior and in academic positions among the academic and general university staff and therefore expressly encourage qualified women to apply. Given equal qualifications, preference will be given to female candidates.

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​Application deadline: 01/18/2024 

Prae Doc