Postdoctoral Research Associate

Job id: 069405. Salary: £41,386 – £45,931 per annum, depending on experience, including London Weighting Allowance.

Posted: 19 June 2023. Closing date: 09 July 2023.

Business unit: Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sci. Department: Physics.

Contact details:George Booth / Joe Bhaseen. george.booth@kcl.ac.uk / joe.bhaseen@kcl.ac.uk

Location: Strand Campus. Category: Research.

Job description

Applicants are invited to apply for a postdoctoral Research Associate role in the field of condensed matter physics for the development of quantum algorithms in many-body fermionic systems. The post is to be held in the physics department of King’s College London, UK, in the research groups of Dr. George Booth and Dr. Joe Bhaseen. The post forms part of a larger cross-disciplinary UKRI-funded project on software-enabled quantum computation, between the departments of Physics and Informatics at King’s College London and the department of computer science at Oxford.

The project will involve the development of scalable and robust quantum algorithms for the simulation of many-body physics, as part of a wider grant on the development of reliable and robust quantum software. The candidate will therefore be embedded in an active research environment for numerical and analytical approaches to quantum many-body systems, in addition to a wider inter-disciplinary collaboration. Excellent opportunities for interactions also exist in an established London-based materials modelling environment.

The candidate should have a track record in the theory of quantum many-body systems, with experience of scientific programming. Some knowledge of quantum computation is also desirable.

Applicants are expected to have a PhD, or are awaiting its award, in a relevant area (Theoretical/Computational Physics or Chemistry). For more details on the project feel free to contact Dr George Booth at  george.booth@kcl.ac.uk and/or Dr Joe Bhaseen at  joe.bhaseen@kcl.ac.uk .

Within King’s, the candidate will be part of the department of Physics, which belongs to the Faculty of Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences (NMES). Supporting our staff is important to us and we offer a range of provision including flexible working, caring support, and training opportunities. Our staff come from over 45 countries and around 56% of our students are from outside the UK.

The university is making significant investment in the Faculty and both student and staff numbers are growing. The Department is currently undergoing significant growth with substantial investment in new appointments, research infrastructure and laboratory space refurbishment. Further details are available at  www.kcl.ac.uk/nmes and  http://www.kcl.ac.uk/physics .

This post will be offered on an 18-month fixed-term contract until 31st March 2025.

Key responsibilities

• Internationally leading research in the development of quantum algorithms for many-body physics
• Maintenance and development of computer implementations
• Active collaboration and leadership in wider cross-disciplinary project
• Mentorship of more junior group members
• Contribution to effective research culture and inclusion
• Contribution to effective dissemination of research through written and oral presentation

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

Skills, knowledge, and experience

Applicants are expected to have a PhD, or are awaiting its award, in a relevant area (Theoretical/Computational Physics or Chemistry), and experience in the area of quantum many-body theory, development or implementation. The successful applicant will be expected to work within a collaborative cross-disciplinary project, and actively contribute to the success of this collaboration, leading a strand in the development of quantum algorithms for many-body physics.

For an informal discussion to find out more about the role, please contact Dr George Booth at george.booth@kcl.ac.uk and/or Dr Joe Bhaseen at joe.bhaseen@kcl.ac.uk

Essential criteria

1.       PhD awarded in physics, theoretical chemistry or related subjects or PhD near completion.

2.       A demonstrable record of scientific code development using modern structured and modular development practices and tools. 

3.       A background of quantum chemistry and/or condensed matter physics 

4.       Experience of developing, implementing or using quantum mechanical modelling methodology 

5.       The ability to communicate clearly both orally and in writing.       

Desirable criteria

1.      Understanding of quantum algorithms 

2.      The ability to work part of a team