Research Associate/Research Fellow in development of Kinetic Inductance Detectors for the Simons Observatory

The successful applicant will work within the Astronomy Instrumentation Group (AIG) to work on an exciting and ambitious research programme to develop and deploy a full Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detector (MKID) based focal plane as part of the Simons Observatory. The arrays will be integrated into a full optical and cryogenic system being built at Cardiff and will be installed on the Simons Observatory’s 6-m large aperture telescope. This project will be the first deployment of Kinetic Inductance detectors in a Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) experiment and will be used to prove and accelerate the use of this technology for future CMB applications.

The successful applicant will work with a team of researchers developing detector technology at Cardiff as well as the wider Simon Observatory Collaboration and will contribute to the development of three MKID based multi-chroic and polarisation-sensitive detector modules totalling 5000 detectors. The successful applicant will also work closely with senior process engineers working in the new Institute for Compound Semiconductors (ICS) facility at Cardiff to develop the processing techniques and designs required to realise the MKID array architecture and meet the stringent requirements of a world-class observatory.

This post provides a unique opportunity for the successful candidate to demonstrate work on a large-scale and prestigious project as well as creating opportunities for the deployment of MKID technology in future CMB experiments.

Applicants can contact the PIs Dr Simon Doyle [email protected] or Prof Erminia [email protected] ahead of application and we reserve the right to close this application early.

There is a single post available appointed at either grade 6 or grade 7 dependent on the experience of the applicant.

The position is full time and available for 36 months available to start immediately.

Salary:
£34,304 - £40,927 per annum (Grade 6 - Research Associate) or
£43,434 - £50,296 per annum (Grade 7 - Research Fellow)

Information regarding the wider Simon Observatory Collaboration can be found at: https://simonsobservatory.org

Examples of related activity and projects within the Astronomy Instrumentation group, can be found at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/physics-astronomy/research/research-groups/chart

For information regarding the facilities of the Institute for Compound Semi-Conductors and the Translational Research Hub, see: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/institute-compound-semiconductors

Informal enquiries about the role can be made by emailing Dr Simon Doyle ([email protected]). For further information about working at Cardiff University please contact Physics HR Team ([email protected])

Date advert posted: Tuesday, 28 June 2022

Closing date: Tuesday, 26 July 2022

Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds who have the ambition to create a University which seeks to fulfil our social, cultural and economic obligation to Cardiff, Wales, and the world. In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements.

“Cardiff University is a signatory to the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), which means that in hiring and promotion decisions we will evaluate applicants on the quality of their research, not publication metrics or the identity of the journal in which the research is published. More information is available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/research/our-research-environment/integrity-and-ethics/responsible-research-assessment”