Research Associate in Astrophysics

Applications are invited for a 3-year Research Associate position within the Astrophysics Group in the Department of Physics at Imperial College London. We are seeking candidates with expertise in any of the following topics: exoplanets, planet formation, protoplanetary/accretion discs and star formation.

The Astrophysics group has a strong programme in solar and stellar physics, exoplanet physics, protoplanetary disc physics, and galactic and extragalactic star formation, involving observations, numerical simulations and theory. The Group further fosters collaborations with the solar system and planetary group to apply insights and models for solar system bodies to exoplanetary systems, and with the plasma physics group to model phenomena such as stellar jets and star-planet magnetic interactions. It also has an internationally recognised centre for astrostatistics, with emphasis on Bayesian analysis of large-scale astronomical surveys, cosmology and particle physics.

This position is supported by Dr James Owen's ERC funded project "PEVAP" which aims to understand the origin and evolution of planetary systems.  You will be expected to help produce independent and original research within the Astrophysics group, submit publications to refereed journals and support the activities of the research group. You will have the freedom to develop your own research program alongside other members of the exoplanet group and have access to Imperial's significant HPC resources. The “PEVAP” project has already started, as such the start date is flexible including the option to start immediately. 

You will join a vibrant, broad and growing exoplanet research group at Imperial with opportunities to collaborate not only with members of the Astrophysics group but those within the Space and Atmospheric research group and the members of the university-wide astrobiology initiative.  In addition to work on models/observations of atmospheric escape and atmospheric-evolution or planet-formation and protoplanetary disc evolution you will be encouraged to develop your own research program. Previous experience in any of these aspects would be beneficial for the position, but is not mandatory.

Significant funding is available for travel, visitors and computing in line with ERC funded projects.

You must hold a PhD (or equivalent) in Astronomy, Planetary Science, or Physics.

You must also be able to demonstrate the following essential criteria:

• Relevant research experience in exoplanet science.
• Experience in carrying out research of high quality, independently and in a team, evidenced by a portfolio of high quality research publications.

In addition, knowledge and experience in the following areas would be desirable:

• Relevant research experience in numerical astrophysical hydrodynamics.
• Relevant research experience in transmission spectroscopy of exoplanet atmospheres.
• Relevant research experience in the geophysics/geodynamics/chemical evolution of planetary interiors.
• Relevant research experience in atmospheric structure and chemistry of primary and/or secondary exoplanet atmospheres.

This is a fixed term position available for up to three years. The starting date is flexible. 

In the application form instead of a supporting statement please upload a research proposal less than three pages. 

*Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed as Research Assistant within the salary range £36,694 - £39,888 per annum.

More information about the Department of Physics and the Astrophysics Group can be found on our webpages.

The Department of Physics is an IoP JUNO Practitioner and an Athena Silver SWAN Award winner reflecting our commitment to building a supportive, inclusive and highly motivated community.

Further details about the position are available from Dr James Owen [email protected]

Should you have any queries about the application process please contact Louise Hayward, Section Administrator, [email protected] .

The College is a proud signatory to the San-Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA),which means that in hiring and promotion decisions, we evaluate applicants on the quality of their work, not the journal impact factor where it is published. For more information, see https://www.imperial.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/about-imperial-research/research-evaluation/

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