School of Physics and Astronomy
University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK
Full time starting salary is normally in the range £36,636 to £46,049 with potential progression once in post to £48,822
Grade: 7
Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to 3 years
14th July 2026
Applications are invited to join the Sun, Stars and Exoplanets research group in the School of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Birmingham, to work with Professor Bill Chaplin on using asteroseismology to probe magnetic activity in solar-type stars. This is a fixed-term, full-time position for up to three years, with an earliest possible start date of October 2026.
Asteroseismology can provide key inferences on magnetic activity in solar-type stars through the impact that changing magnetic fields have on their solar-like oscillations. In this project, sensitive asteroseismic diagnostics will be applied to photometric data from the NASA Kepler and TESS missions, and the soon-to-be-launched ESA PLATO mission, to provide novel constraints on the morphology of the near-surface activity, including the latitudinal distribution of active regions and the balance of dark spots and bright faculae on the surfaces of the stars. Helioseismology has provided a wealth of data on the Sun's magnetic activity. The work will also utilise Sun-as-a-star helioseismic data spanning multiple solar cycles (e.g., from our own global BiSON network of telescopes) to help develop, test and benchmark analysis techniques for application to the stellar data.
The successful candidate will join the vibrant Sun, Stars, and Exoplanets group, and have plenty of opportunity for collaboration with international colleagues. The group currently comprises five permanent faculty, more than ten postdoctoral and technical staff, and around ten PhD students. Its research spans the domains of helio- and asteroseismology, and exoplanets. In addition to running BiSON, members of the group have leadership roles and responsibilities in SPECULOOS, ASTEP, HARPS-N and HARPS3, and are responsible for developing parts of the asteroseismic pipeline for PLATO.
The School of Physics and Astronomy is a world-leading physics department, excelling in both research and teaching. Our physics research was ranked top in the UK for 4-star-category research, and 4th by GPA, by the Research Excellence Framework 2021. The School has a wideranging research portfolio that covers three principal themes: Astronomy and Experimental Gravity; Particle and Nuclear Physics; and Quantum Matter. It has over 130 academic and research staff together with around 130 graduate students with around 50 technical and clerical support staff.
The School is an Institute of Physics Juno Champion since 2014 and holder of the Athena SWAN Silver Award. Both initiatives recognise a commitment to promote diversity and equality, and to encourage better practice for all members of the community, supporting an equitable working culture in which all members can achieve their full potential. We welcome applications from all qualified applicants, but applications from traditionally under-represented groups in physics and astronomy, such as women and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates, are particularly encouraged.
Please include:
The responsibilities may include some but not all of the responsibilities outlined below.
Informal enquiries to William Chaplin, email: w.j.chaplin@bham.ac.uk
Use of AI in applications: We want to understand your genuine interest in the role and for the written elements of your application to accurately reflect your own communication style. Applications that rely too heavily on AI tools can appear generic and lack the detail we need to assess your skills and experience. Such applications will unlikely be progressed to interview.
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