Role: Postdoctoral Research Associate in Optical Attosecond Science
Grade and Salary: Grade 7 (£37,174 - £46,735)
Contract Type: Full Time, Fixed Term (3 years with possibility for extension)
Location: Edinburgh Campus
Detailed Description
About Our Team
LUPO uses nonlinear optics to create new light sources with extreme spectral and temporal properties: ultrabroadband supercontinua, intense sub-cycle field transients, and few-femtosecond ultraviolet pulses, among many others. We combine numerical modelling with experiments to study the fundamental nonlinear optical dynamics in our favourite system: gas-filled hollow-core fibres, both with and without microstructure. We use the new light sources we develop in applications ranging from industrial and healthcare technology to fundamental scientific research, both in our own laboratories and in collaboration with a large international network of partners in academia and industry.
LUPO 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 most recent UK Research and Excellence Framework (REF2021) saw Heriot-Watt Physics ranked first in Scotland and 4th in the UK for world-leading research.
Education, Qualifications and Experience
Essential
1. A PhD in physics or engineering with a specialisation in ultrafast nonlinear optics and/or ultrafast spectroscopy, or extensive postdoctoral experience in these areas. Candidates must have submitted their doctoral thesis before starting in post.
2. Experience of publishing high-quality research in the above-mentioned fields, proportionate to career stage and opportunity.
3. A strong theoretical understanding of ultrafast science, including ultrafast pulse compression and frequency conversion as well as scientific applications of ultrafast light sources.
4. Extensive experimental skills and experience in ultrafast optical systems.
5. The ability to articulate research work, both their own and others’, in research publications and oral presentations.
6. The ability to work as part of a team in the experiments in our own laboratories as well as with a diverse group of international collaborators.
Desirable
7. Track record of supervision of other researchers, e.g. PhD students and undergraduate project students, proportionate to career stage and opportunity.
8. Evidence of ability to present work effectively at conferences, seminars etc.
9. Practical experience with the use of gas-filled hollow-core fibres for nonlinear optics, pulse compression, frequency conversion etc.
10. Experience with ultrafast measurements, e.g. pulse metrology, transient absorption spectroscopy, photoelectron spectroscopy, two-dimensional spectroscopy.
11. Practical experience with vacuum systems, including ultra-high vacuum systems.
12. Experience of programming for data acquisition and analysis (preferably in Python or Julia).
13. Experience of computer-aided design (CAD) of components and devices.
14. Experience of using and/or writing numerical simulation code.