Postdoctoral Researcher School of Physics, Levitated Quantum Sensing Group

EURAXESS Ireland; Cork; On-site; EUR 47,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

University College Cork is offering a 28-month, full-time postdoc position within the ERC MaglevHunt project to develop precision mechanical sensors for dark matter searches in a cryogenic lab and to push towards the standard quantum limit.

You will supervise students, provide scientific support for all R&D activities, and work within the School of Physics. Garda vetting may be required in the recruitment process.

Qualifications

• Garda vetting may be part of the selection process.

Responsibilities

• Develop a cutting-edge precision physics experiment.
• Use it to hunt for dark matter in the laboratory.
• Advance gram-scale accelerometers towards the standard quantum limit and mitigate technical noise sources.
• Provide scientific support for all R&D activities within the group.
• Supervise and mentor bachelor’s, master’s and PhD students in day-to-day research.

Job description

Organisation/Company University College Cork Department HR Research Research Field Other Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Positions Postdoc Positions Application Deadline 8 Jan 2027 - 12:00 (Europe/Dublin) Country Ireland Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 39 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

28 Months Fixed-Term, Wholetime Post

The position is part of an ERC project (MaglevHunt) to develop pioneering mechanical sensors and to use them to hunt for dark matter in the laboratory. The sensors involve magnetically levitated superconductors whose motion is precisely monitored using SQUID sensors. The superconductor motion is highly isolated from background noise sources through operation in a millikelvin environment, in ultrahigh vacuum, within magnetic shielding and by employing a combination of vibration isolation techniques. The project aims to hunt for a range of wave‑like and particle‑like dark matter candidates in unexplored parameter regimes.

The project also aims to lay the experimental foundation for a laboratory dark matter search via the gravitational interaction, opening a new window into the exploration of dark matter. Your tasks:

• Develop a cutting-edge precision physics experiment.
• Use it to hunt for dark matter in the laboratory.
• Advance the precision of gram‑scale accelerometers towards the standard quantum limit and combat technical noise sources.
• Provide scientific support for all R&D activities within the group.
• Supervise and mentor bachelor's, master's and PhD students in their day‑to‑day research.

Please note that Garda vetting and/or an international police clearance check may form part of the selection process.

Project: Hunting for Dark Matter using Magnetically‑Levitated Superconductors (MaglevHunt)

For an information package including full details of the post, selection criteria and application process see https://ore.ucc.ie/

The University, at its discretion, may undertake to make an additional appointment(s) from this competition following the conclusion of the process.

Informal inquiries can be made in confidence to Dr. Gerard Higgins, School of Physics, Email: [e-mail]

University College Cork is committed to being a fully inclusive global university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) are core values under our UCC Strategic Plan 2023-2028. UCC holds a Silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advancing equality in higher education. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all our employees and the communities they represent.We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from everybody, regardless of age, care‑giving status, disability, ethnicity, gender and/or gender identity or expression status, nationality, marital status/civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion/creed, and/or sexual orientation. We are committed to supporting all staff through flexible working schemes, family‑friendly policies, training and development, and staff networks. We value the enrichment that comes from a diverse community and seek to promote equality, prevent discrimination and protect the human rights of each individual in line with equality legislation. We encourage applicants to consult our Dignity and Respect Policy andlearn more about our EDI related initiatives

Salary:€47,273 - €53,925 p.a (IUA PD1 Researcher Salary Scale)

Salary placement on appointment will be in accordance with public sector pay policy.

We encourage you to reach out to us directly should you require assistance or reasonable accommodation during the recruitment process.

Please note interviews will be conducted either online via Microsoft Teams or in person in the first instance. Candidates may also be required to attend interviews in person if an interview takes place online. Candidates will be notified as appropriate

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER

Please note that an appointment to posts advertised will be dependent on University approval, together with the terms of the employment control framework for the higher education sector.