Postdoctoral Research Associate in -Dimensional Quantum Photonics

Role

Title:

Postdoctoral Research Associate in High-Dimensional Quantum Photonics

Grade and Salary:Grade 7 - £38,448 - £48,337 per annum

FTE and working pattern:Full-time (35hrs per week) Fixed Term for 12 months

Reward and Benefits:33 days annual leave, plus 9 buildings closed days for all full-time staff.

This is 1-year postdoctoral position in the Beyond Binary Quantum Information research group led by Prof Mehul Malik at the Institute of Photonics and Quantum Sciences (IPAQS) at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland. In this role, you will be involved in cutting-edge research projects focusing on the study of high-dimensional quantum states of light encoded in time. Your research will aim at gaining exquisite control over the temporal structure of quantum light, with the ultimate goal of advancing next-generation quantum technologies for communication and computing.

You will play an integral role in ongoing BBQLab projects as well as in the planning and delivery of upcoming research projects.

This is a role with a significant amount of responsibility. It will involve overseeing all aspects of our group’s research—from supervising the activities of junior group members, to contributing to the planning and writing of external grant proposals. There is plenty of flexibility for pursuing your own research agenda as long as it is aligned with lab activities. You will have a strong support network for the development your own career through independent grant/fellowship applications.

A willingness and ability to travel globally would be an advantage.

For examples of our recent research, please see our group’s publications page: https://bbqlab.org/publications/

We are looking for a creative and driven researcher who is extremely passionate about research. You should hold (or have submitted) a PhD in Quantum Information Science, Quantum Engineering or a related field, and have experience planning and leading experiments within an experimental photonics lab. A solid background in theoretical quantum information science and experimental experience with quantum photonics is essential.

In addition to the above, the candidate will be expected to:

• Conduct individual and collaborative research projects while making use of relevant research techniques and methods. Use initiative and creativity to identify exciting directions for research, develop new research methods, and extend the research portfolio.
• Supervise the activities of junior group members and PhD students, while assisting in the development of student knowledge and research skills. Ensure continuity of experimental techniques and methodology developed in the group.
• Disseminate results of research through high-quality publications in peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations. Significant financial support is available for attending national and international conferences.
• Contribute to the planning of research projects and in the preparation of proposals and applications to external bodies, e.g. for funding purposes. Support will also be provided to the researcher for developing independent applications for grants/fellowships from national/international funding bodies.
• Make and develop internal and external contacts with a view towards knowledge-sharing and building relationships for collaborative research.
• Assist in the day-to-day maintenance of the experimental facilities and liaise with companies. A working knowledge of lasers, spatial light modulators, optical fibres and/or cryogenic photodetectors is desirable.
• The successful candidate is also expected to be involved in our outreach activities, with roles that can be tuned to the specific preferences of the candidate but will…