Purpose of Role
The application requires a CV and a cover letter explaining your motivation/interest in this project to be submitted through the university portal. Candidates are requested to specifically highlight in their applications how they fulfil the essential criteria for the post, listed below.
We especially encourage applications from women and other underrepresented groups in Physics.
Key Duties & Responsibilities
The post holder is required to:
1. Design and perform rigorous and systematic experiments to explore new ultrafast nonlinear optics phenomena in gas-filled hollow-core optical fibres.
2. Work with ultrafast optical setups, including: management of advanced laser systems, the design and construction of pulse compression systems, and building and operating optical characterization devices.
3. Run existing simulation codes and process their results. Helping to develop new models and algorithms to simulate pulse propagation, the material response, and other aspects of our experiments. Coding in Julia and python.
4. Take a prominent role in discussions and knowledge transfer with our industrial collaborators, including writing detailed progress reports.
5. Writing, editing and publishing scientific articles in leading journals, and presenting results at international conferences.
6. Assisting with the filing of intellectual property and technology transfer.
7. Supervising the activities of junior group members and mentoring PhD students.
8. Assisting in the day-to-day maintenance of the experimental facilities, liaising with companies and external collaborators.
9. Carry out the research project to a high standard by: meeting planned milestones and deliverables; reporting progress regularly to supervisors, both verbally and in written reports; keeping clear written records of work done and storing data in accessible formats according to a system agreed with the project supervisor.
10. The post holder will join the Laboratory of Ultrafast Physics and Optics and will be expected to work collaboratively and cooperatively in a team environment; this involves shared use of laboratory equipment (therefore effective communication between group members is essential).
Essential & Desirable Criteria
Essential
11. A PhD in physics with a specialisation in ultrafast nonlinear optics in gas-filled hollow-core fibres. Candidates must have submitted their doctoral thesis before starting in post.
12. Specific experimental experience in characterising extreme laser pulses (sub-cycle pulses, DUV and VUV pulses).
13. The ability to articulate research work, both in technical reports/papers and by oral presentation.
14. A strong theoretical understanding of soliton dynamics and the TIPTOE technique.
15. The ability to work as part of a team on the experiments at Heriot-Watt and more widely with collaborators at other institutions.
Desirable
16. Evidence of ability, subject to opportunity, to guide other researchers, e.g. PhD students and undergraduate project students.
17. Evidence of ability to present work effectively in person, e.g. at conferences and seminars.
18. Experience with gas-filled hollow-fibre setups, including the design and use of gas systems, beam stabilisation systems and vacuum systems.
19. Experience of programming for data acquisition and analysis (preferably in Python).
20. Experience of computer aided design (CAD) of components and devices.
21. Experience in writing numerical scientific codes.
About the Team
The laboratory of ultrafast physics and optics (LUPO) uses nonlinear optics to create new light sources with tailored, and extreme, spectral and temporal properties. Examples include the generation of high-energy single-cycle pulses in the ultraviolet, new techniques for broadband white-light supercontinuum generation, and the design and construction of high-energy few-cycle ultrafast fibre lasers.
Our work is a mix of experimentation and numerical modelling. We make use of nature’s full landscape of materials, laser beam geometries and nonlinear effects, but our favourite system is hollow waveguides (such as photonic crystal fibres and capillaries) filled with gases, liquids, and plasmas.
We use these light sources for both fundamental science (such as the physics of nonlinear optics, ultrafast light-gas interactions, new ways of driving strong-field physics, advanced spectroscopy), and for applications in healthcare, advanced manufacturing and the semiconductor industry.
Our group is part of the Institute of Photonics and Quantum Science (IPaQS), which is one of the UK's largest research clusters in Photonics. IPaQS has a strong culture of collaborative research, which is built on the regular exchange of ideas between our experimental and theory groups. We are a tight-knit community of academics that support each other’s career development. We have a strong commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, and hold regular events that celebrate our diversity and raise awareness about issues affecting the IPaQS community. We have world-class research facilities, including a 275m2 cleanroom and 2175m2 of high specification optics and laser laboratories, providing the infrastructure needed to conduct internationally leading research in photonics and quantum sciences. The UK Research and Excellence Framework (REF2021) saw Heriot-Watt Physics ranked first in Scotland and 4th in the UK for world-leading research.