Vacancy reference: PHYS22-1
Grade 8: - £42,149 - £50,296 per annum
The Department of Physics at Durham University seeks to appoint a talented scientist to the role of Assistant Professor in Advanced Instrumentation. You will join the Centre for Advanced Instrumentation (CfAI) and will have research experience that complements and strengthens the existing areas of research within CfAI with a focus on the development of advanced instrumentation. We are particularly eager to hear from applicants with a focus on one or more of the following areas, optical spectroscopic instrumentation, particle detection, diagnostics for magnetic confinement fusion plasmas, and applications of quantum technology in instrumentation. Applicants with an interest in developing instrumentation with a multi-disciplinary approach either across different areas of physics or across traditional subject boundaries are also encouraged. You will be expected to develop your own research program, to publish world-class research with a focus on quality in high impact journals, and have the potential to engage with industrial partners. You will also be expected to collaborate in the development and delivery of high-quality research-led teaching in an inclusive and supportive learning environment, which enables undergraduate and postgraduate students to achieve their potential.
We expect the person to be in position by September 2022. You will initially be provided laboratory space within the department, or if more applicable, out on the Research Institute site at NETPark (Sedgefield) around 15km from Durham where the larger instruments are built.
You will join a team of 9 permanent members of staff, 20 research fellows, 15 PhD students, and a technical support team of 20 engineers and instrument builders. The instrumentation being developed, or recently delivered, includes instruments for the European Extremely Large Telescope, fibre optic systems for the Dark Energy Survey Instrument, new quantum detectors, calibration systems for the Cherenkov Telescope Array, fusion diagnostics to Culham, industrially linked projects with Airbus for the calibration of satellites, through to atmospheric turbulence monitoring and advanced optical instrumentation for the life sciences including optical microscopy and clinical imaging systems. It is anticipated that your research will fit with one of these areas of current expertise, but we are open to enquiries from all fields of instrumentation.
You should have a PhD in Physics or a related subject and an established record of research at an internationally competitive level. You should also demonstrate potential for teaching and postgraduate student supervision, and a clear commitment to developing an inclusive and welcoming working environment.
The Department of Physics is committed to building and maintaining a diverse and inclusive environment. It is pledged to the Athena SWAN charter, where we hold a silver award, and has the status of IoP Juno Champion. We embrace equality and particularly welcome applications from women, black and minority ethnic candidates, and members of other groups that are under-represented in physics. Durham University provides a range of benefits including pension, flexible and/or part time working hours, shared parental leave policy and childcare provision.
Closing date: Midnight on 4 January 2022 (UK).
