Research Fellow – School of Physics and Astronomy – 107569 – Grade 7 Full-time NEW

Job Title

School of Physics and Astronomy

Location

University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Salary

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £36,636 to £46,049 with potential progression once in post to £48,822

Contract

Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to September 2029

Closing Date

15th July 2026

Travel

UK and International travel may be required for this role

Background

To create and contribute to the creation of knowledge by undertaking a specified range of science projects activities associated with gravitational lensing including gravitationally lensed gamma-ray bursts, within the context of the Vera Rubin Observatory's Legacy Survey of Space and Time, the LS4 survey, and the GOTO survey.

Role Summary

Work within specified research grants and projects and contribute to writing bids

Operate within area of specialism

Analyse and interpret research findings and results

Contribute to generating funding

Contribute to the public understanding of the discipline

Main Duties

The responsibilities may include some, but not all, of the responsibilities outlined below.

• Promote equality and value diversity, acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture
• Develop research objectives and proposals for own or joint research, with assistance of a mentor if required
• Contribute to writing bids for research funding
• Analyse and interpret data
• Apply knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding
• Disseminate research findings for publication, research seminars etc
• Supervise students on research related work and provide guidance to PhD students where appropriate to the discipline
• Contribute to developing new models, techniques and methods
• Undertake management/administration arising from research
• Contribute to Departmental/School research-related activities and research-related administration
• Contribute to public engagement activities of manifest benefit to the College and the University, often under supervision of a project leader
• Collect research data; this may be through a variety of research methods, such as scientific experimentation, literature reviews, and research interviews
• Present research outputs, including drafting academic publications or parts thereof, for example at seminars and as posters
• Provide guidance, as required, to support staff and any students who may be assisting with the research

Person Specification

• First degree in Physics or Astrophysics and a PhD (or be nearing completion) in Astrophysics
• Fluency in the techniques, methods and data relevant to discovery of gravitationally lensed explosive transients, and ability to contribute to developing new methods in this area
• Experience of writing observing proposals and planning astronomical observations
• Expertise in the analysis of data from one or more time domain survey (e.g. Vera Rubin Observatory's LSST, GOTO, or LS4) and/or high-energy space mission (e.g. Fermi, Einstein Probe, or SVOM)
• Expertise in gravitational lens modelling and analysis
• High level analytical capability
• Ability to communicate complex information clearly
• Ability to assess resource requirements and use resources effectively
• Understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes
• Contribute to the planning and organising of the research programme and/or specific research project
• Co-ordinate own work with others to avoid conflict or duplication of effort
• Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, and how to actively ensure in day-to-day activity in own area that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly

Informal enquiries to Graham Smith, email: g.p.smith@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.

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website.