Department of Physics Jobs

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available until 30 September 2026 in the first instance.

The Theory of Condensed Matter group at the Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge aims to fill one Postdoctoral Research Associate position, until 30th September 2026. This is intended as a group position in a research programme involving several academics, including Profs B.Béri, C.Castelnovo, N.Cooper, and A.Lamacraft. We are particularly, though not exclusively, interested in the following research areas: Thermodynamic and response properties in topological magnetic materials, from microscopic modelling to effective theories; Emergent quantum dynamics, in frustrated magnets, driven dissipative, and/or topological quantum many-body systems, and in quantum circuit models.

The Theory of Condensed Matter group offers a connected, lively and stimulating scientific and social environment, with regular activities ranging from internal and external group seminars, graduate lectures and introductory presentations on topics of current research, and social events. It encompasses 8 permanent academics, 35 graduate students and 20 postdoctoral researchers (many of whom hold independent fellowships).

The role holder will be expected to conduct postdoctoral-level research in collaboration with some of the investigators named above, as appropriate for the research topic. Collaboration with other members of the group, in particular other postdoc and junior members, as well as collaborations across and outside the department are highly encouraged. The role holder will also be expected to contribute to the general life and scientific environment of the group, e.g., contributing to the organisation of internal and external seminars, and offering graduate-level lectures based on their current topic of research.

Informal enquiries should be directed to the most relevant academic listed above.

The successful candidate will hold (or be close to obtaining) a PhD in Physics (or closely related discipline), with a proven track record in conducting and publishing scientific research in modern condensed matter theory. Preference will be given to candidates with experience in dynamics and our-of-equilibrium phenomena. The candidate will also have the ability to manage workload, engage in collaborations and communicate results in talks and presentations.

The post holder will be located at the Department of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 0US.

Salary Ranges: Research Associate: £37,174 -£45,413 (Grade 7). Appointment at Research Associate level is dependent on having a PhD. Those who have submitted but not yet received their PhD will initially be appointed as a Research Assistant (Grade 5, Point 38 - £34,132) moving to Research Associate (Grade 7) upon confirmation of your PhD award.

Please be advised that references will be required in advance of interviews. Please inform your referees that reference letters will be requested shortly after the closing date.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Please ensure that you upload your Curriculum Vitae (CV) and a Covering Letter, in the upload section of the online application. If you upload any additional documents which have not been requested, we will not be able to consider these as part of your application. Please submit your application by midnight on the closing date.

If you have any questions about this vacancy please contact Prof. Nigel Cooper (nrc25@cam.ac.uk). If you have any questions about the application process, please contact hr@phy.cam.ac.uk.

Please quote reference KA46320 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.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

A position exists for Research Associate to work in Dr Fusco's group at the Cavendish Laboratory (Physics Department).

The aim of the role is to investigate how the evolutionary trajectories of phage-bacteria ecosystems can be controlled by the physical constraints of the environment, e.g., spatial structure, and the biological constraints of the phage and the bacterium, e.g., resource allocation within the cell. We are particularly interested in understanding how phenotypic noise can be put under selective pressure. The role will involve developing novel theoretical methods to provide guidelines for evolutionary experiments.

The successful candidate will hold (or be close to obtaining) a PhD in physics, evolutionary biology, systems biology or similar with a proven track record in developing theoretical and computational methods to investigate biological systems. Preference will be given to candidates with experience in modeling the genetic basis of phenotypic variability.

The candidate will have the ability to work in a team and co-supervise PhD and Master students.

The post holder will be located at the Department of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, Maxwell Centre, JJ Thomson Avenue Cambridge CB3 0US

Ensure that you upload your Curriculum Vitae (CV) and a cover letter in the upload section of the online application. If you upload any additional documents which have not been requested, we will not be able to consider these as part of your application. Please submit your application by midnight on the closing date.

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 18 months in the first instance.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

If you have any questions about this vacancy, please contact Dr. Diana Fusco (df390@cam.ac.uk). If you have any questions about the application process, please contact hr@phy.cam.ac.uk

Please quote reference KA46295 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.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

We are seeking an outstanding researcher to join Professor Teuta Pilizota's group at the University of Cambridge, in their effort to understand how physico-chemical forces limit bacterial growth and death. Vibrio natriegens is one of the fastest-growing organisms ever known, as it can double in about 10 minutes. That said, if we look simply at its protein sequences, it is more than 97% similar to another Vibrio species, V. campbellii, which takes twice as long to double. Therefore, it is unlikely that V. natriegens simply adopted its proteome for faster growth. Intrigued by this puzzle of supercharged growth, we recently compared the speed of enzymes found in V.natriegens with those of V. campbellii, and of the bacteria Escherichia coli, and Bacillus subtilis, which are much slower growing. We would like to find out why there are such substantial differences. It seems that the biological environment created in the cytoplasm of V. natriegens has unique physico-chemical properties that effectively raise the temperature ¿ and thus speed up ¿ the rate at which reactions occur.

The successful candidate will work together with an international HFSP funded team (https://www.hfsp.org/sites/default/files/195x265Grant%20Award%20Booklet2024_7.pdf) to characterise these factors: pH, osmolytes, crowding, and membrane potential, in a range of conditions that could influence them. We expect that looking at the dying process of V.natriegens in comparison to, e.g., V. campbellii and E. coli, will also shed light on the characteristics of the cytoplasmic environment. Currently growth is primarily investigated in the context of molecular processes, such as signaling and regulation, we will now investigate the contribution and control of the cytoplasmic environment on cell growth and death.

Appointment at research associate level is dependent on having a PhD including those who have submitted but not yet received their PhD (in which case appointment will initially be made at research assistant and amended to research associate when the PhD is awarded).

Please be advised that references will be required in advance of interviews, therefore, please ensure that you provide your consent on the application form as relevant.

Ensure that you upload your Curriculum Vitae (CV) and a cover letter in the upload section of the online application. If you upload any additional documents which have not been requested, we will not be able to consider these as part of your application.

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 2 years in the first instance. There may be a possibility of extension, depending on funding.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Professor Teuta Pilizota at tp579@cam.ac.uk

Please quote reference KA46259 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.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

Join the Cavendish Laboratory as our Departmental Safety Manager - A Role That Matters!

Are you passionate about safety, strategy, and science? We're looking for a dedicated Departmental Safety Manager (DSM) to lead the charge in ensuring a safe, compliant, and thriving environment for world-class research and education at the Cavendish Laboratory (Department of Physics).

As DSM, you'll be at the heart of safety, health, and environmental - management developing and implementing policies that protect researchers, staff, students, and our facilities. You'll provide expert legal and technical advice, enabling cutting-edge physics research to flourish without risk to health, damage to equipment, or interruptions caused by safety incidents.

This role is pivotal in shaping and maintaining compliance, conducting audits and inspections, investigating major incidents, and reporting directly to the Head of Department on risk exposure and management. You'll play a key part in the University's wider safety strategy, contributing to policies that impact the broader scientific research community and serving on critical safety committees.

As a senior member of the Department, you will work closely with the Head of Cavendish Estates to ensure the Department's approach to safety matters is both collaborative and innovative. You will lead, and work operationally with, a dedicated team to ensure all aspects of safety are delivered diligently within the Department.

This full-time post is available now. Additional information regarding the role may be found within the Further Particulars via the link below.

Your application, along with a covering letter, should clearly set out how you meet the criteria listed in the person profile (the skills and experience required for the role) along with relevant examples. Candidates will be shortlisted based upon these criteria.

The closing date for applications is 2 July 2025.

Interviews are expected to be held on 8 July 2025.

Some of our many benefits include:

• 41 days annual leave, inclusive of Bank Holidays

• Family & Work-life balance policies including hybrid working and generous carer leave (maternity, paternity, shared parental leave, adoption leave), amongst others

• Generous pension scheme

• Exclusive employee discounts via our CamBens scheme

• Personal Development: The Department actively encourages and supports personal development and our staff have access to a wide range of courses and training via our Personal and Professional Development (PPD) service.

Once an offer of employment has been accepted, the successful candidate will be required to undergo a health assessment and a security check.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

For an informal conversation about the role, please contact Adam Brown, Head of Scientific Laboratory Services - adb60@cam.ac.uk

Please quote reference KA46123 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.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

We are seeking a research assistant/associate to work on the development of InGaAs/InP Single Photon Avalanche Diodes (SPADs) funded by the UKRI Quantum Hub on Quantum Enabled Position, Navigation and Timing Hub (QEPNT), working under the supervision of Professor Louise Hirst and Dr Dave Ellis.

The successful candidate will design novel SPAD architectures in III-V epitaxial materials using electrical and photonic simulation methods to target key performance parameters needed for position, navigation and timing (PNT) applications including detectors for imaging LiDAR.

The role holder will develop new process methodologies and fabricate SPADs in the state-of-the-art Cavendish Nanofabrication facility at the Ray Dolby Centre, the new home for Physics in Cambridge. You will develop and maintain optical, spectroscopic and electrical characterisation set-ups for SPADs, characterise devices and analyse performance.

You will work with QEPNT project partners to integrate devices into PNT demonstrator systems, and will prepare manuscripts for publication and present the results in national and international conferences.

You will also be expected to support with supervision and training of students working towards programme deliverables and engage with the wider QEPNT Hub participating in partner meetings and events.

Your role will support and maintain the University's national and international reputation for excellence in research.

Appointment at research associate level is dependent on having a PhD including those who have submitted but not yet received their PhD (in which case appointment will initially be made at research assistant and amended to research associate when the PhD is awarded).

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 2 years in the first instance.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to: Professor Louise Hirst at lh619@cam.ac.uk or Dr Dave Ellis at djpe2@cam.ac.uk

Please quote reference KA46030 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.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

We are seeking a skilled workshop technician for a vacancy in our Mechanical Workshop. The successful candidate will deliver highly specialised technical support to research groups in the design, development, manufacture, maintenance and installation of scientific instruments and research laboratory equipment. You will use relevant workshop equipment in the production of research equipment.

You will also provide specialist technical support for teaching and research activity in order to ensure the smooth running of a workshop facility.

You will have practical experience of laboratory technician work and be able to demonstrate factual and theoretical knowledge within a relevant area.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Ceri Williamson at caw204@cam.ac.uk

Please quote reference KA46028 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.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 3 years in the first instance.

Applications are sought for a Research Assistant in Correlated Electron Systems position in the Department of Physics, University of Cambridge.

The project in the group of Prof. Suchitra Sebastian (www.quantum-materials.phy.cam.ac.uk) will involve the growth, characterisation and study of correlated electron materials of interest including unconventional superconductors and unconventional insulators under low temperatures and high magnetic fields.

Measurements under the most extreme conditions will involve travel to international facilities. Analysis and interpretation of data obtained from measurements, often within collaborations, will be performed for publication in scientific research journals.

Applicants will have an Undergraduate degree in Physical Sciences. Candidates should have demonstrable understanding of correlated electron physics in various materials.

Candidates will need to meet all prerequisites for admission to the PhD programme in the Department of Physics. (Please refer to: PhD in Physics ' Cavendish Laboratory Department of Physics).

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Please ensure that you upload your Curriculum Vitae (CV) and a covering letter in the upload section of the online application. If you upload any additional documents which have not been requested, we will not be able to consider these as part of your application. Please submit your application by midnight on the closing date.

If you have any questions about this vacancy please contact Prof. Suchitra Sebastian (ses59@cam.ac.uk). If you have any questions about the application process, please contact hr@phy.cam.ac.uk.

Please quote reference KA45917 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.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

We are seeking applicants for a PhD Fellowship in the framework of the MSCA Doctoral Network MASAUTO: MAterials for Smarter AUTOnomous sensors. MASAUTO is a research and training program for 12 Doctoral Candidates (DCs), focusing on developing a new generation of materials that will overcome the current bottlenecks in the capability and capacity of autonomous sensors. The ongoing exponential growth of the internet of things (IoT) ecosystem - which could reach a trillion devices in the near future - poses a serious challenge in terms of powering and interconnecting the underlying devices. The full potential of the IoT will only be achievable if devices i) have a reliable and sustainable autonomous power supply, and ii) are capable of processing information with reduced power requirements. A promising approach to address the first challenge is the use of an energy harvester-supercapacitor combination, while for the second challenge a promising strategy is the use of non-volatile random-access memories. It is, therefore, crucial to develop materials for energy harvesting and storage, as well as low power electronics. The overarching aim of the network is to position Europe as a leader in autonomous sensors for smart healthcare, industry and agriculture. More details can be viewed here: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/327706

Graduates of MASAUTO will be well-prepared for a career in as well as outside academia with an innovative and beyond state-of-the-art view on different aspects of materials and device development for smart sensors applications. MASAUTO offers DCs unique exciting opportunities, including:

• A project as a Marie Sklodowska Curie trainee in one of the participating institutions with the objective of becoming an experienced researcher and obtaining a doctoral degree (PhD);

• State-of-the art, exciting research in an international consortium with highly integrated projects;

• Solid multidisciplinary scientific training, from basic science to industrial applications, along with a complementary training in transferable skills, such as communication, entrepreneurship, intellectual property rights and ethics;

• A research training period in another consortium member's lab, performed in a different country;

• Gross Salary according to EU guidelines for Marie Sklodowska Curie trainees, including mobility payments and family allowances where applicable. The salary consists of the gross Monthly Living Allowance of 3.400,00 EUR per month pondered by the EU correction coefficient (specific for the countries where the hosting Institutions are located). In addition, a Mobility Allowance of 600,00 EUR per month will be paid, and also possibly another 660,00 EUR per month of Family Allowance depending on marital status. The DC salary is subject to local tax, employee and employer social contributions, and other deductions following national regulations.

The Fellowship is offered in conjunction with a PhD position, subject to the Fellow satisfying the University's admissions requirements for PhD study, and candidates should submit a formal application to the University of Cambridge for a PhD in Physics. The deadline for this is 16th May 2025.

The successful candidate will have an MSc degree in Physics, Chemistry or related field. You will also have outstanding academic records, and excellent communication skills in oral and written English.

Please ensure your application includes your CV, a list of grades/diplomas, a copy of the certificate for your highest qualification, and the contact details for at least two referees. You should also include a cover letter detailing your reasons for applying.

Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 36 months in the first instance.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Professor Akshay Rao at ar525@cam.ac.uk. Please start the subject line with MASAUTO _QR

Please quote reference KA45807 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.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

Are you looking for an exciting opportunity in which to develop your Human Resources career in a world-leading academic department and University?

The Department:

The Cavendish Laboratory is the place of pioneering physics, that's been at the forefront of scientific discovery for 150 years, and will continue to be, because we never sit still. The Cavendish Laboratory has made several important discoveries, including: the discovery of the electron (1897), the neutron (1932), the structure of DNA (1953); thirty Cavendish researchers have won Nobel Prizes. We're trailblazers who continue to extend the frontiers of physics.

We have recently moved into our new state-of-the-art, multi-million pound Ray Dolby Centre which is the centrepiece of the new Cavendish Laboratory. This is an exciting and challenging time for the Department, and we would like to find a highly motivated individual with a positive attitude towards change and development to join us.

The Role:

We are seeking an enthusiastic and motivated HR Administrator to join a newly restructured, and vibrant HR team. The successful applicant will join a busy team of HR Administrators and Senior HR Coordinators who provide full support (both in person and via email) for all HR functions in the Department.

You will work closely with the Senior HR Coordinators and HR Manager to provide a professional and efficient HR service including all aspects of HR administration. Reporting directly to one of our Senior HR Coordinators, the role will provide clear and accurate advice on procedure, co-ordinating the recruitment and visitor processes and the onboarding of new starters (including dealing with all immigration and pre-employment paperwork). The position is busy and varied and has plenty of scope for training and development.

During the six month probation period, the roleholder will be required to work in the office full-time (Monday to Friday). After successful completion of their probation, we will agree up to 2 days per week working from home. This arrangement will depend on the operational needs of the team.

About You:

The ideal candidate will have HR administration experience but we will consider candidates who have excellent administrative and organisational skills; the ability to produce work to a high level of accuracy is essential.

The successful candidate will possess excellent interpersonal and administrative skills, and you will have the ability to work well within a busy team, fostering good working relationships with a wide variety of people from all over the world. You should be proficient in all standard Microsoft Office packages, highly organised, self-motivated, and able to prioritise your workload within a demanding environment. Tact and discretion are essential when handling confidential personal information. Previous HR experience whilst desirable is not essential.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

Previous applicants need not apply and no agencies please.

Once an offer of employment has been accepted, the successful candidate will be required to undergo a health assessment.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Informal enquiries are welcome and should be sent to hr@phy.cam.ac.uk

Please quote reference KA43685 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.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

The Cavendish Laboratory (Department of Physics) has an exciting opportunity for a new Receptionist to join our passionate and dedicated community. Working as part of the Departments' Soft Facilities team, the role-holder will provide a welcoming, friendly and efficient reception service to all users of the Department.

We have recently moved into our new state-of-the-art, Ray Dolby Centre which will be the centrepiece of the new Cavendish Laboratory. This is an exciting and challenging time for the Department, and we would like to find a highly motivated individual with a positive attitude towards change and development to join us. The Department is home to over 2000 staff, students and visitors across a large range of disciplines and categories, where exemplary delivery of world-leading, innovative research programmes and teaching takes place and where the provision of an outstanding soft facilities service will be vital to delivering the vision for the new Estate.

Working alongside a number of facilities operatives, the successful candidate will be a positive, friendly and organised individual with a commitment to service delivery. You will be able to deal with all enquires in a professional manner, ensuring accuracy of information both in written and spoken communication form. You will be required to operate a number of systems and develop processes to book resource allocations, update or maintain data, and ensure building security and timely emergency or first aid response.

We are looking for someone who:

Has previous experience from a front facing customer focused role, preferably in an educational setting;

Is able to communicate effectively and interact positively with staff, students and visitors, with a confident approach and positive attitude;

Can manage their time to get tasks done and use their initiative to prioritise when necessary.

Some of our many benefits include:

Competitive rates of pay with automatic service related pay progression and annual cost of living increases;

Generous annual leave provision;

Family & Work-life balance policies including hybrid working and generous carer's leave (maternity, paternity, shared parental leave, adoption leave), amongst others;

An auto-enrolment pension scheme, with a generous employer contribution;

Exclusive employee discounts via our CamBens scheme.

The Department actively encourages and supports personal development and our staff have access to a wide range of courses and training via our Personal and Professional Development (PPD) service.

This full-time post is available now. Additional information regarding the role may be found within the Further Particulars via the link below.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Ren Isaksen at ri316@cam.ac.uk

Please quote reference KA45411 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.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

The High Energy Physics group at the University of Cambridge seeks to appoint an outstanding researcher to join its effort on the LHCb experiment. One full-time-equivalent position is envisaged to work on physics analysis of charmless B decays as part of the ERC-funded KstarKstar project, led by Dr Matt Kenzie.

The successful candidate will hold (or be close to obtaining) a PhD in Particles Physics (or a closely related area) with a proven track record in scientific investigation from the conception stage through to publication, with clearly defined individual contributions as demonstrated by publications in major journals. They will have a strong background in data analysis techniques and algorithms in experimental particle physics and experience in computing and advanced programming in C++ or Python. They will also show evidence of ability to identify new research opportunities or develop new techniques. Preference will be given to candidates with experience in leadership (or evidence of future leadership potential), experience in taking initiative and/or developing own ideas independently, and experience of working in an international collaborative environment.

Candidates will also have demonstrated the ability to write reports, present results and contribute to academic papers, as well as to work efficiently as part of a team. The role holder will be located at the Department of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, UK, with the possibility of both long-term-attachment and shorter travel to CERN where appropriate.

Appointment at research associate level is dependent on having a PhD including those who have submitted but not yet defended their thesis (in which case appointment will initially be made at research assistant and amended to research associate when the PhD is awarded).

Ensure that you upload your Curriculum Vitae (CV) and a covering letter in the upload section of the online application. If you upload any additional documents which have not been requested, we will not be able to consider these as part of your application. Please submit your application by midnight on the closing date.

Please submit the names of two referees who would be willing to write letters of reference to support your application. Referees will be contacted at the long listing stage, so please ensure you select the option to indicate that "Referees can be contacted at any point in the process".

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 2 years in the first instance.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Dr Matt Kenzie at mk652@cam.ac.uk.

Please quote reference KA45327 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.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.