Postdoctoral Research Fellow

UCL AI Centre; London; On-site; GBP 43,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

The UCL AI Centre is seeking a motivated Postdoctoral Research Fellow to advance theoretical methods in quantum optics focused on attosecond phenomena. This role combines collaboration with international research teams, cutting-edge theoretical work, and offers a two-to-three year funded contract. The ideal candidate will have a PhD and strong expertise in quantum dynamics research.

Benefits

27 days annual leave

Flexible working options

Pension scheme

Employee assistance programme

Qualifications

• Strong background in quantum optics and attosecond science.
• Familiarity with numerical methods and scientific computing.
• Experience in modeling entanglement dynamics is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Develop quantum electrodynamic models relevant to attosecond phenomena.
• Collaborate with leading experimental groups globally.
• Publish high-impact theoretical research.

Skills

Quantum Optics

Strong-field Physics

Scientific Computing

Education

PhD in theoretical physics or related area

Job description

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Ref Number B04-06220 Professional Expertise Research and Research Support Department UCL BEAMS (B04) Location London Working Pattern Full time Salary £43,374 £51,860 Contract Type Fixed-term Working Type On site Available for Secondment No Closing Date 10-Jul-2025

About Us

UCL is one of the world's top universities based in the heart of London. It is a modern, outward-looking institution. UCL's staff and former students have included 32 Nobel prizewinners. It is a truly international community: more than one-third of our student body – more than 50,000 strong – come from 150 countries and nearly one-third of staff are from outside the UK.

The Atomic Molecular Optical and Positron Physics (AMOPP) research group in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at UCL comprises of over 100 personnel – academic staff, postdoctoral researchers, PhD students, and support staff. A significant part of the research in the group involves laboratory-based experiments with lasers, high-vacuum systems, high-voltage electronics, and cryogenics. These experiments cover research areas including antimatter physics, cold atoms and molecules, quantum sensing, and quantum computing. Many of the pieces of state-of-the-art apparatus used in this work are purpose built, and designed and constructed in house with direct involvement by our technical support staff.

About The Role

We are seeking a highly motivated Research Fellow to join the theory team working on the EPSRC-NSF funded project “Attosecond Photoelectron Imaging with Quantum Light”, led by Professor Carla Faria. The project explores the use of intense non-classical light, such as bright squeezed vacuum (BSV), to perform attosecond-scale imaging of quantum phenomena via photoelectron momentum distributions. The role focuses on developing a fully quantum electrodynamic version of the Coulomb Quantum Orbit Strong-Field Approximation (QED-CQSFA) and modelling how quantum light influences photoelectron holography and electron-ion entanglement.

The Postholder Will

• Extend path-integral approaches in strong-field physics to account for electron-field and electron-ion entanglement.
• Incorporate ionic degrees of freedom and shaped light pulses (amplitude- and phase-squeezed) into theoretical frameworks.
• Collaborate closely with leading experimental groups in the US and Europe, including Stanford, Arizona, and ICFO.
• Publish high-impact theoretical work and contribute to joint analysis and interpretation of experimental results.
  
  

The position is full-time and funded for 1 year in the first instance and can be extended for up to 36 months subject to performance.

Candidates will need to upload a CV (including a list of publications), cover letter and a statement of research interests and plans (3 pages maximum). Applicants should arrange for two letters of reference to be emailed to Professor Faria by the application deadline.

The full Job Description and Person Specification can be found in the “Available

Documents" section below.

For informal inquiries please contact Professor Carla Faria ([e-mail])

About You

You will hold (or be near completion of) a PhD in theoretical physics, quantum optics, atomic and molecular physics, or a closely related area. You will have a strong background in one or more of the following: strong-field or ultrafast physics, attosecond science, quantum optics (especially continuous-variable formalism), semiclassical methods or path-integral approaches. Familiarity with numerical methods and scientific computing is essential. Experience in modelling entanglement dynamics or photoelectron spectra is desirable but not required.

You will be a committed and collaborative researcher, capable of working independently and as part of an international team. Strong communication skills and a publication record commensurate with career stage are expected.

Appointment at Grade 7 is dependent upon having been awarded a PhD; if this is not the case, initial appointment will be a Research Assistant Grade 6B (salary £38,607 - £41,255 per annum, inclusive of London Allowance) with payment at Grade 7 being backdated to the date of final submission of the PhD thesis.

What we offer

At UCL, we offer a competitive benefits package including 27 days annual leave plus six days (bank holidays are in addition), hybrid and flexible working, pension scheme, season ticket loan, cycle to work scheme, enhanced maternity/ paternity/ adoption pay, workplace nursery, employee assistance programme and much more!

For more information on our benefits, please visit our staff benefits webpage - https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/rewards-and-benefits

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

We know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world’s talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong.

We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL’s workforce or in the Physics & Astronomy department. These include people from Black and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; LGBTQI+ people; and women.

You can read more about our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/equality-diversity-inclusion/

Available documents

Attached documents are available under links. Clicking a document link will initialize its download.

• download: Research Fellow - JD+PS.pdf

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Internship

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Research, Analyst, and Information Technology

• Industries

  Higher Education

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