Grade UE07: £40,247 - £47,874 per annum

College of Science and Engineering/School of Physics and Astronomy/ Particle Physics Theory

Full-time: 35 hours per week 

Fixed-term: for 3 years; 1st September 2025 - 31st August 2028 

We are looking for a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Higgs Centre for Theoretical Physics to work on numerical calculations and formal developments in the context of lattice field theory applied to theoretical particle physics. 

The Opportunity: 

This position will contribute to the research undertaken by Dr. Gurtej Kanwar towards the development of generative AI models for lattice QCD calculations. Research activities will involve both theoretical advancements of machine learning methods and practical implementations of these methods. The position is for a fixed term of three years. The calculations are to be performed, in part, using resources from the national supercomputing facility DiRAC. 

Your skills and attributes for success:  

• PhD (awarded or near completion) in Physics, including Theoretical or Mathematical Physics. 

• Strong knowledge of the lattice formulation of quantum field theories. 

• Experience in programming for either scientific or machine learning applications in a UNIX environment.

• Experience in delivering research results in an academic context; e.g. a record of peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. 

• Capability to work independently, exercising a high degree of initiative and demonstrating a proactive and flexible approach to work. 

The School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Edinburgh is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce, and eliminating discrimination. We strive to create a more diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace for all and we are looking to actively diversify our staff. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates and in particular encourage applications from people of colour, women, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ people and other minority and under-represented groups. We aim to ensure that our culture and systems support flexible and family-friendly working, as evidenced by our Juno Champion and Athena SWAN Silver awards.

Application instructions 

Applications should be submitted before 3rd January 2025 (11:59PM GMT). If you are applying outside the UK the closing time on our adverts automatically adjusts to your browsers local time zone. 
 

Please upload a CV and a brief research statement (less than 3 pages) and provide the names and contact details of at least three referees. The referees will be approached for letters after the long-listing process. 

Please feel free to contact our HR team at [email protected] regarding any technical issues, and address any enquiries regarding the position to Gurtej Kanwar  ([email protected]).  

The particle theory group at the University of Edinburgh has a very strong ongoing research effort in particle phenomenology, amplitudes, lattice field theory and cosmology, supported by 18 faculty members, and around 10 PDRAs and 30 graduate students. This includes nine faculty members working in lattice field theory (Peter Boyle, Luigi Del Debbio, Vera Gülpers, Max Hansen, Roger Horsley, Gurtej Kanwar, Anthony Kennedy, Brian Pendleton, and Antonin Portelli) as well as faculty members with strong overlapping interest including Prof Roman Zwicky. The successful applicant will also be a member of The Higgs Centre for Theoretical Physics, which brings together the various strands of research in theoretical physics across the whole of the School of Physics and Astronomy and the School of Mathematics. The group is committed to giving you the support needed to nurture your talent.