Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics

Salary: £30,046 – £40,322

Limit of tenure: Three years

Closing date: 11 December 2020

Applications are invited for up to three Postdoctoral Research Associate positions in the Relativity and Gravitation Group and the Centre for Theoretical Cosmology within Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics. Up to three positions may be offered, depending on the availability of funding, for up to three years. The theoretical and computational projects of direct relevance for these posts include: advancing observational tests of inflationary predictions from large-scale structure and the CMB, especially higher-order correlators and their estimation; studying cosmological correlators generated in the primordial universe, the general rules and symmetries they must obey; developing methods for testing General Relativity using gravitational waves with a focus on using effective field theory to describe possible deviations from GR; modelling of compact binary systems involving scalar and vector fields with the goal of identifying gravitational wave signatures that distinguish these from vacuum black-hole binaries.
The successful candidates will work with academic staff (Barrow, Challinor, Dafermos, Davis, Fergusson, Gibbons, Pajer, Reall, Santos, Shellard, Sherwin and Sperhake) and research staff. There are close links with the HEP group in DAMTP and the Kavli Institute for Cosmology.
The positions are expected to be available from 1 April 2020, but the start date is flexible and can be delayed until October 2020. Applicants should have, or be about to obtain, a PhD in a relevant area of theoretical physics, and have an established track record of original research and experience of working in collaboration.
Duties will include developing and conducting individual and collaborative research objectives, proposals and projects. You will be expected to plan your own research, with guidance if required, and to assist in the preparation of funding proposal. You must be able to communicate material of a technical nature. You may be asked to assist in the supervision of student projects and development of skills, and deliver seminars relating to the research area.
Informal enquiries may be made to Paul Shellard (epss@damtp.cam.ac.uk) and James Parke (LE21227@maths.cam.ac.uk)
Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 3 years in the first instance, subject to funding.
To apply online for this vacancy and to view further information about the role, please visit :
http://www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/23792.
Please indicate the contact details of three academic referees on the online application form and upload a full CV and a description of your recent research (not to exceed three pages). Applicants should indicate their areas of interest Please let your referees be aware that they will be contacted by the Mathematics HR Office Administrator to request they upload a reference for you to our Web Recruitment System; and encourage them to do so promptly. Ensure that at least one of your referees is contactable at any time during the selection process.
Please quote reference LE21227 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.
The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society. We particularly welcome applications from women and/or candidates from a BME background for this vacancy as they are currently under-represented at this level in our Department.
The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.