Postdoctoral Research Scholar - Walker Lab - Physics of Causation

Arizona State University; Tempe (AZ); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Arizona State University invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Scholar to work in the lab of PI Sara Walker as part of a Templeton Foundation–funded project exploring a fundamental physics of causation. The anticipated start date is December 1, 2026, with flexibility.

The Beyond Center and ASU collaborations span theoretical physics, origins of life, and quantum theory foundations. The ideal candidate will bridge empirical quantum structures with generative, interdisciplinary

Qualifications

• PhD in physics, completed by the time of appointment.
• Expertise in quantum foundations or related areas.
• Strong theoretical and mathematical skills with a track record of quality research.
• Interest in bridging foundational physics with interdisciplinary questions (physics of life).
• Ability to work independently and in distributed, multi-institution teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop theoretical and mathematical frameworks for the project.
• Conduct original research combining quantum foundations with physics of life.
• Analyze literature across diverse scientific fields and synthesize results.
• Formulate hypotheses, models, and conceptual frameworks.
• Communicate complex foundational ideas clearly and contribute to publications and grants.
• Collaborate with the PI groups across institutions.

Skills

Quantum foundations

Theoretical physics

Mathematical skills

Interdisciplinary research

Education

PhD in physics or closely related field

Job description

Job Details

The Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science (http://beyond.asu.edu) at Arizona State University invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Scholar to work in the lab of PI Sara Walker (http://emergence.asu.edu/) as part of a John Templeton Foundation–funded project pursued in collaboration with Lee Cronin (University of Glasgow) and Jacob Barandes (Harvard University). The project aims to develop a fundamental physics of causation, bringing together quantum foundations and emerging theories for the physics of life. The anticipated start date is December 1, 2026; however, the date is flexible.

Job Details

The Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science (http://beyond.asu.edu) at Arizona State University invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Scholar to work in the lab of PI Sara Walker (http://emergence.asu.edu/) as part of a John Templeton Foundation–funded project pursued in collaboration with Lee Cronin (University of Glasgow) and Jacob Barandes (Harvard University). The project aims to develop a fundamental physics of causation, bringing together quantum foundations and emerging theories for the physics of life. The anticipated start date is December 1, 2026; however, the date is flexible.

The Project

Our current physical theories are extraordinarily successful at predicting the outcomes of experiments, yet they remain remarkably silent about the causal structure of the world — how objects come to exist, how histories are made physical, and what distinguishes the trajectories realized in nature from the vastly larger space of those that are possible. Recent advances in the physics of life, including assembly theory and related frameworks for selection, history, and the emergence of complexity, suggest that causation and time may be more foundational to physics than our current formalisms assume. This project asks whether such insights can inspire genuinely new foundational physics, and in particular whether a deeper account of causation can illuminate the empirical and operational foundations of quantum theory. We are seeking a researcher who is excited to bridge the empirical structures that give rise to our current theories of quantum mechanics with more foundational approaches to the physics that might underlie them — someone equally at home in the technical machinery of quantum foundations and in the more speculative, generative work of asking what new physics living systems might be pointing us toward. The successful candidate will join an interdisciplinary research environment spanning theoretical physics, complexity science, origins of life, and the foundations of quantum theory, and will collaborate closely across the Walker, Cronin, and Barandes groups.

About The Beyond Center and the ASU-Glasgow Collaboration on the Origin of Life:

Individuals hired for these positions will be part of the Beyond Center (https://beyond.asu.edu/), the School of Earth and Space Exploration (https://sese.asu.edu/ ) and the Walker lab (https://emergence.asu.edu/ ) at Arizona State University, as well as part of the Cronin group (https://www.chem.gla.ac.uk/cronin/) and the School of Chemistry (http://gla.ac.uk/schools/chemistry/) at the University of Glasgow.

About The College Of Liberal Arts And Sciences

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is the academic heart of Arizona State University, committed to improving communities on a local, national and global scale. We support the professional development and growth of our faculty and staff in their cutting‑edge research to advance these aims. Within The College, our faculty engage with a large curious student body, guiding them as they grow into socially aware, critical thinkers and writers able to succeed in a wide range of careers and to address the challenges of the twenty‑first century. Advancing the success of our students remains our top priority. To learn more about The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, please visit https://thecollege.asu.edu.

About Arizona State University

ASU exemplifies a new prototype for the American public research university. As articulated in the ASU Charter, ASU is a comprehensive public research university, measured not by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes and how they succeed; advancing research and discovery of public value; and assuming fundamental responsibility for the economic, social, cultural and overall health of the communities it serves.

Essential Functions

• Develop theoretical and mathematical frameworks
• Conduct original research connecting quantum foundations with emerging theories in the physics of life, including assembly theory
• Analyze and synthesize literature across diverse scientific fields
• Formulate new hypotheses, models, and conceptual frameworks
• Develop rigorous mathematical arguments, technical notes, simulations, or analytical tools as appropriate to support project goals
• Collaborate closely project PIs
• Participate in interdisciplinary research meetings, workshops, seminars, and planning sessions
• Prepare and contribute to peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, technical reports, and grant-related materials
• Communicate complex foundational and interdisciplinary ideas clearly
• Maintain detailed research records, documentation, and organized project materials
• Mentor or collaborate with graduate and undergraduate students as appropriate
• Manage time, milestones, and research priorities effectively within a creative, multi-institution research environment

Required Qualifications

• A PhD in physics, applied mathematics, or a closely related field, completed by the time of appointment.
• Demonstrated expertise in quantum foundations, physics, or related areas
• Strong theoretical and mathematical skills and a track record of high-quality research output appropriate to career stage.
• A demonstrable interest in foundational and interdisciplinary questions, and enthusiasm for bridging existing physics with emerging ideas on the physics of life.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a distributed, multi-institution team.

Desired Qualifications

• Familiarity with assembly theory, origins of life, complexity science, or theoretical/mathematical biology.
• Experience with reconstructions of quantum theory, quantum information, category‑theoretic or process‑based approaches, or the foundations of probability and causation.
• A publication record reflecting independent research direction and interdisciplinary curiosity.
• Demonstrated commitment to working with faculty, staff, students and communities to advance the principles of the ASU Charter,