Post Doctoral Research Assistant

Salary

Salary Range: £39,906.00 - £46,049.00

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, creating a community where colleagues feel respected and valued. We aim to reflect the diversity of our students and communities, and to strengthen our university through collaboration and diverse perspectives, across all roles at the University. At the University of Hull, we are committed to building a community where everyone feels respected, valued and able to succeed.

We recognise that diverse perspectives strengthen our university and the impact of our work. We particularly welcome applications from people who are underrepresented within our workforce, including people from global majority backgrounds, disabled people, LGBTQI+ people, and women, particularly in senior roles.

An exciting opportunity has emerged at the E.A. Milne Centre for Astrophysics, within the University of Hull, for a dedicated Postdoctoral Research Assistant. This position requires a candidate with expertise in computational astrophysics or theoretical chemistry, demonstrating strong proficiency in electronic structure calculations, high-performance computing (HPC), and code development for molecular spectroscopy.

This full-time, 3-year position supports the STFC-funded project UKRI
4116: “Biosignatures of molecular halogens”, led by Dr. David M. Benoit in collaboration with Bard College (USA) and the University of New South Wales (Australia).

• Develop computational methodologies to build a theoretical spectroscopic database of halogenated molecules, enhancing our ability to detect potential signs of life beyond Earth in existing and future astronomical observations.
• Contribute significantly to the development of automated computational pipelines for halogenated biosignatures on supercomputing infrastructure.
• Present complex information clearly and concisely and produce high-quality written scientific materials.

• Strong background in computational astrophysics, electronic structure theory, and molecular spectroscopy.
• Proven experience in electronic structure calculations and high-performance computing (HPC).
• Code development skills for molecular spectroscopy applications.
• Exceptional scientific communication skills, including the ability to present complex information clearly and concisely, and to produce high-quality written scientific materials.
• Robust critical thinking and analytical problem‑solving skills, essential for navigating high-throughput astrophysical spectroscopic data generation on supercomputing infrastructure.

Applications close at 00:01am of the closing date listed.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications.