Research Fellow - Low frequency Gravitational Waves

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Physics
Location:  Guildford
Salary:  £36,024 to £38,205 per annum
Post Type:  Full Time
Closing Date:  23.59 hours GMT on Monday 19 February 2024
Reference:  002524

The University of Surrey is a global community of ideas and people, dedicated to life-changing education and research. 

We are ambitious and have a bold vision of what we want to achieve - shaping ourselves into one of the best universities in the world, which we are achieving through the talents and endeavour of every employee.  

Our culture empowers people to achieve this aim and to collectively, and individually, make a real difference.  

The role

Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to work with Dr Alessia Gualandris in the Astrophysics group within the School of Mathematics and Physics at the University of Surrey. The position is fully funded by the STFC Astronomy Small Award “The dawn of low frequency Gravitational Wave astronomy”. 

The primary aim of the grant is to translate Pulsar Timing Array measurements of the amplitude of the gravitational wave background into inferences about the black hole-galaxy connection. The project will combine state-of-the-art simulations of galaxy mergers, sampled from cosmological merger trees, with machine learning tools to calculate the gravitational wave background based on black hole and galaxy properties. The successful applicant will assess the efficiency of massive black hole mergers and construct a theoretical model for the amplitude and shape of the observed signal.

The researcher will have access to Surrey’s High Performance Computing cluster Eureka2 as well as career mentoring and training opportunities. Travel and equipment funds are available as part of the grant. They will join the Astrophysics group, a vibrant, diverse and dynamic environment with 10 faculty and over 20 graduate students and early-career researchers. Areas of interest in the group include supermassive black holes and gravitational wave sources, galactic dynamics and archeology, cosmology and stellar evolution. 

About you

Applicants with a strong background in data science and machine learning techniques and/or N-body simulations, coupled with a deep knowledge of galactic dynamics, would be at a particular advantage.  

How to apply

Applicants should include a CV with a publications list, a 2-3 page research statement (summarising current research interests, past achievements and future plans), a cover letter and the names/contact details of three referees.

The University of Surrey is committed to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion and we particularly welcome applicants from underrepresented groups. The Department of Physics is proud to hold both an Institute of Physics Juno Champion award and a silver Athena Swan award.

 Informal enquiries are very welcome and should be addressed to Dr Alessia Gualandris [email protected].

The starting date is flexible but no later than 1st October 2024. The position is offered for a fixed term of 3 years. We have multiple positions available in the astrophysics group at Surrey. If you would like to be considered for more than one, please indicate this in the cover letter.  There is no need to apply separately for each position.

For more information and to apply online, please download the further details and click on the 'apply online' button above.
In return we offer a generous pension, relocation assistance where appropriate , flexible working options including job share and blended home/campus working locations (dependent on work duties), access to world-class leisure facilities on campus, a range of travel schemes and supportive family friendly benefits including an excellent on-site nursery.

Click here to find out more about the benefits we offer to support you.

The University of Surrey is committed to providing an inclusive environment that offers equal opportunities for all.  We place great value on diversity and are seeking to increase the diversity within our community.  Therefore we particularly encourage applications from under-represented groups, such as people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups and people with disabilities.