Research Assistant-Experimental Physics

Salary: £33,951 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 30 August 2026

We are excited to launch this new opportunity for a Research Assistant in Experimental Physics to join us in the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Physics at Newcastle University. Are you enthusiastic about spearheading pioneering research discoveries? Our research aims to tackle fundamental questions and propel innovations for the development of low-carbon technologies.

You will join a collegiate and welcoming team with expertise in device fabrication and nanomaterials. We are looking for a Research Assistant to work on confined fluidic transport for a fixed-term period of 9 months. This will involve modelling fluidic transport, material characterisation, optical microscopy, and spectroscopy. We are looking for a candidate who will enjoy working in the collaborative and dynamic environment at Newcastle University.

Candidates should have the ability to work both collaboratively and independently.

We are particularly keen to hear from candidates with knowledge and experience in measurements, analytical modelling, data analysis and programming skills, and experience in setting up in-house experiments and measurement techniques. Candidates should have a background and formal training in Physics, Applied Physics, or a related field, with excellent communication skills, both oral and written, and the ability to organise own research activities and manage time effectively.

This is a fixed-term position for 9 months, with an estimated start date of 1 September 2026. We would welcome requests for flexible working and, depending on the needs of the role, blended working opportunities to work remotely as well as on campus may be considered.

We follow the Researcher Development Concordat:
Researcher Development | Our Research | Newcastle University. We enable all colleagues to fulfil their research potential regardless of career stage. This commitment secures our thriving research culture and vibrant research environment. Our offer to each individual and their researcher development includes mentoring, annual research planning discussions, pooled research funding to support career development and research activities, peer review support for the development of research and innovation funding applications.

Please reach out to Dr Vasu Kalangi, at  to have a chat about this opportunity. We are committed to making the process accessible to everyone and can provide additional support or adjustments to meet your needs.

Find out more about the Faculty SAgE here:

• Responsibilities will include nanomaterial characterisation, building customised measurement set-ups, literature review, and drafting research articles
• Perform material and device characterisation (e.g. optical microscopy and vibrational spectroscopy) and data analysis
• Collaborate on original research tasks with colleagues and industrial partners
• Carry out administrative tasks associated with the lab, including organisation of project meetings and documentation
• Plan and manage own workload, with guidance from colleagues as required, and contribute to running the laboratory
• Collect, analyse and interpret research data and draw conclusions on the outcomes
• Co-ordinate own work with that of others, use problem solving to affect the achievement of research objectives and contribute to the planning of the project(s)
• Present information on research progress and outcomes to a Principal Investigator or groups overseeing the research project
• Write up results from own research activity and provide input into the research project’s dissemination, in whatever form (report, papers, chapters, books)
• Use research resources (including, where required, laboratories, workshops and specialist equipment) as appropriate

• Knowledge and experience of experimental measurements, data analysis and programming skills…