The CSPs are very general combinatorial problems that can be expressed in many different ways: for example, via logic (e.g. logical satisfiability problems), combinatorics (e.g. graph homomorphisms), or algebra (e.g. systems of equations over a field). Such problems can have different computational complexity (e.g. polynomial-time solvable or NP-hard), and the question how exactly the inherent mathematical structure of problems affects the complexity is the essence of the project. There are many mathematical approaches that can be used in this research – recent examples include universal algebra, logic and model theory, combinatorics and graph theory, algebraic topology and topological combinatorics, combinatorial optimisation, category theory, matrix analysis, and Boolean function analysis. The successful applicant will use their own mathematical background, possibly in combination with some of the existing approaches, to assist the project team in developing a new mathematical theory of Promise CSPs, a recently proposed generalisation of the standard CSPs.

• To understand and convey material of a specialist or highly technical nature to the team or group of people through presentations and discussions that leads to the presentation of research papers in conferences and publications.
• To prepare and deliver presentations on research outputs/activities to audiences which may include: research sponsors, academic and non-academic audiences.
• To publish high quality outputs, including papers for submission to peer reviewed journals and papers for presentation at conferences and workshops under the direction of the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder.
• To assist with the development of research objectives and proposals.
• To conduct individual and collaborative research projects under the direction of the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder.
• To work with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and other colleagues in the research group, as appropriate, to identify areas for research, develop new research methods and extend the research portfolio.
• To deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines by discussing with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and offering creative or innovative solutions.
• To liaise with research colleagues and make internal and external contacts to develop knowledge and understanding to form relationships for future research collaboration.
• To plan and manage own research activity, research resources in collaboration with others and contribute to the planning of research projects.
• To contribute to fostering a collegial and respectful working environment which is inclusive and welcoming and where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect.
• To engage in wider citizenship to support the department and wider discipline.
• To engage in continuing professional development by participation in the undergraduate or postgraduate teaching programmes or by membership of departmental committees, etc. and by attending relevant training and development courses.

This post is fixed term for 36 months, as funding is available for this period only.

The post-holder is employed to work on research/a research project which will be led by another colleague. Whilst this means that the post-holder will not be carrying out independent research in his/her own right, the expectation is that they will contribute to the advancement of the project, through the development of their own research ideas/adaptation and development of research protocols.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria:

Qualifications

1. A good first degree in Mathematics or Computer Science.

2. A PhD (or be close to submission) in Mathematics, Computer Science, or a related subject.

Experience

3. Experience in conducting high quality academic research in an area of mathematics or theoretical computer science.

4. Demonstrable ability to write material of a quality commensurate with publication in highly-ranked journals.

5. Demonstrable ability to present research papers at international conferences and communicate complex information to specialists and within the wider academic community.

Skills

6. Demonstrable ability to work cooperatively as part of a team, including participating in research meetings.

7. Ability to work independently on own initiative and to strict deadlines.

8. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

Desirable Criteria:

Experience

9. Strong publication record in peer-reviewed journals, commensurate with stage of career.

10. A track record of presenting research at conferences, symposia, or meetings, commensurate with stage of career.

11. Demonstrable ability to develop research proposals and designs in collaboration with other academics.

12. Good understanding of mathematical aspects of constraint satisfaction research.

13. Experience of research in some of the following areas of mathematics: algebra, logic, graph theory, topology, combinatorial optimisation, category theory.

14. Familiarity with computational complexity theory.

Skills

15. Demonstrable ability to plan and manage independent research.

How to Apply

To progress to the assessment stage, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification below. It will be at the discretion of the recruiting panel as to whether they will also consider any desirable criteria, but we would urge candidates to provide evidence for all criteria.

While some criteria will be considered at the shortlisting stage, other criteria may be considered later in the assessment process, such as questions at interview.

Submitting your application

We prefer to receive applications online. We will update you about your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to make sure you have not missed any of our updates.

What to Submit

All applicants are asked to submit:

• a CV and cover letter which details your experience, skills, and achievements in meeting (or the potential to meet) the criteria set out below.
• a list of publications.

Contact Information

Department contact for academic-related enquiries

For informal enquiries, contact Professor Andrei Krokhin, email andrei.krokhin@durham.ac.uk.

Contact information for technical difficulties when submitting your application

If you encounter technical difficulties when using the online application form, we prefer you send enquiries by email. Please send your name along with a brief description of the problem you’re experiencing to e.recruitment@durham.ac.uk

Alternatively, you may call 0191 334 6801 from the UK, or +44 191 334 6801 from outside the UK. This number operates during the hours of 09.00 and 17.00 Monday to Friday, UK time. We will normally respond within one working day (Monday to Friday, excluding UK public holidays).

University contact for general queries about the recruitment process

If you have any queries about the recruitment process please contact the recruitment team on e.recruitment@durham.ac.uk.

Next Steps

Short-listed candidates will be invited to the University, either virtually or in-person and will have the opportunity to meet key members of the Department. The assessment for the post will normally be by interview, and we anticipate that the assessments and interviews will take place over two days around March-April 2025.

In the event that you are unable to attend in person on the date offered, it may not be possible to offer you an interview on an alternative date.

Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement https://www.durham.ac.uk/about-us/governance/information-governance/privacy-notices/privacy-notices/job-applicants/ which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.

When appointing to this role the University must ensure that it meets any applicable immigration requirements, including salary thresholds which are applicable to some visas.

A 36-month fixed-term full time Postdoctoral Research Associate (PDRA) position is available at the Department of Psychology at Durham University. The successful candidate will join the research project Flexibility of predictive processing in scene viewing and representation. This project is led by Dr Sara Spotorno and funded by the Leverhulme Trust.

This project investigates how we use knowledge acquired from life experience (schemas) to predict what we should see and where we should see it in real-world scene (images of everyday environments). More specifically, it examines to what extent and how predictions about scenes can be updated when schemas are not useful for or are even interfering with the current task. To this purpose, it uses high precision eye-tracking to analyse the time course of attentional selection during scene viewing. The successful applicant will have primary responsibility for developing the experimental materials (carefully controlled scene images), programming the eye-tracking experiments, recruiting participants, collecting and analysing the eye-tracking data. They will also have the responsibility to write the studies up for publication and present the results at national and international scientific conferences. The project is, therefore, ideally suited for someone who is organised, is a clear communicator with excellent writing skills and has a solid experimental psychology training basis, although a background in cognitive neuroscience or computer science with experimental research experience may be appropriate as well. There is a technical aspect to the project in the production and evaluation of the experimental materials, so the person should have an aptitude for technical work. Moreover, there may be scope for the candidate to contribute to the project’s development. Therefore, a combination of rigour and creativity in experimental design would be highly valued.

This is a great opportunity to work on a cutting-edge project which has a clear theoretical focus and interdisciplinary implications, as it will provide fundamental insights into how we explore, interpret and integrate new information from our visual surroundings into our experience. The PDRA will have access to outstanding resources including equipment, dedicated technical support, and travel funding for conferences and collaboration.

The successful candidate will have a strong academic track record, including experience in designing, carrying out, analysing and interpreting high quality quantitative research on human perception and/or cognition. Experience with any of the following topics and approaches will be a strong advantage:

• Real-world visual scene processing, including an understanding of algorithms that can be applied to scenes (e.g., visual salience algorithms).

• Eye tracking (especially using Eye Link eye trackers).

• Advanced statistical analysis skills, especially Linear Mixed Effect Models or Bayesian Models.

• Advance knowledge of experiment programming software, especially Matlab, Experimental Builder, PsychoPy, Python.

• Advanced knowledge of software for eye-tracking data extraction and analysis, esp. Matlab and R.

However, we do not necessarily expect candidates to have experience in all of these, and we can provide training as needed on those which are unfamiliar.

Key responsibilities:

• To understand and convey material of a specialist or highly technical nature to the team or group of people through presentations and discussions that leads to the presentation of research papers in conferences and publications.
• To prepare and deliver presentations on research outputs/activities to audiences which may include: academic and non-academic audiences.
• To publish high quality outputs, including papers for submission to peer reviewed journals and papers for presentation at conferences and workshops under the direction of the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder.
• To assist with the development of research objectives and proposals.
• To conduct individual and collaborative research projects under the direction of the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder.
• To review the relevant literature and maintain an up-to-date understanding of it.
• To prepare the experimental materials (carefully controlled scene images).
• To programme eye-tracking experiments for data collection in the laboratory.
• To extract and analyse eye-tracking and behavioural data.
• To persona;;y collect data from adult populations in the laboratory.
• To work with the Principal Investigator, as appropriate, to identify areas for research, develop new research methods and extend the research portfolio.
• To deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines by discussing with the Principal Investigator and offering creative or innovative solutions.
• To liaise with research colleagues and make internal and external contacts to develop knowledge and understanding to form relationships for future research collaboration.
• To plan and manage own research activity, research resources in collaboration with others and contribute to the planning of research projects.
• To deliver training in research techniques/approaches to peers, visitors and students as appropriate.
• To be involved in supervision of students and Research Assistants.
• To contribute to fostering a collegial and respectful working environment which is inclusive and welcoming and where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect.
• To engage in wider citizenship to support the department and wider discipline.
• To engage in continuing professional development by participation in the undergraduate or postgraduate teaching programmes or by membership of departmental committees, etc. and by attending relevant training and development courses.

This post is fixed term for 36 months. The funding is available from the 1st July 2025, with the possibility of an earlier start if preferred, for this fixed term only.

The post-holder is employed to work on a research project led by the Principal Investigator. Whilst this means that the post-holder will not be carrying out independent research in his/her own right, the expectation is that they will contribute to the advancement of the project, through the development of their own research ideas/adaptation and development of research protocols.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria:

Qualifications

• A PhD (or final PhD thesis submitted, after viva and any corrections, by the post starting date) in Psychology Cognitive Neuroscience, Computer Science or a related subject, with a focus on human visual cognition, human visual perception, visual scene processing, or a related topic.

Experience

• Experience in conducting high quality experimental research on human cognition, human visual perception, eye movements, visual scene processing or a related topic.
• Demonstrable ability to write material of a quality commensurate with publication in highly-ranked journals.
• Demonstrable ability to present research papers at conferences and communicate complex information to specialists and within the wider academic community.

Skills

• Demonstrable ability to work cooperatively as part of a team, including participating in research meetings.
• Ability to work independently on own initiative and to strict deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

Desirable Criteria

Experience

• An outstanding academic track record as evidence e.g., by high grades, prizes, strong record of publication in peer-reviewed journals, and presentation at international conferences, commensurate with stage of career.
• Track record of high quality research with one or more visual scene processing, eye movements, Bayesian cognition, visual attention, short-term memory or working memory, visual search, change detection, advanced statistical analysis skills (e.g., Linear Mixed Models).

Skills

• Demonstrable ability to plan and manage independent research.

How to Apply

To progress to the assessment stage, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification below. It will be at the discretion of the recruiting panel as to whether they will also consider any desirable criteria, but we would urge candidates to provide evidence for all criteria.

While some criteria will be considered at the shortlisting stage, other criteria may be considered later in the assessment process, such as questions at interview.

Submitting your application

We prefer to receive applications online. We will update you about your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to make sure you have not missed any of our updates.

What to Submit

All applicants are asked to submit:

• a CV and a cover letter which details your experience, skills, and achievements in meeting (or the potential to meet) the criteria set out below.
• Please include copies of any relevant journal publications you would like to highlight that cannot be found online (E.g. submitted/under revision/accepted).

Contact Information

Department contact for academic-related enquiries

For informal enquiries please contact Dr Sara Spotorno, sara.spotorno@durham.ac.uk. All enquiries will be treated in strictest confidence.

Contact information for technical difficulties when submitting your application

If you encounter technical difficulties when using the online application form, we prefer you send enquiries by email. Please send your name along with a brief description of the problem you’re experiencing to e.recruitment@durham.ac.uk

Alternatively, you may call 0191 334 6801 from the UK, or +44 191 334 6801 from outside the UK. This number operates during the hours of 09.00 and 17.00 Monday to Friday, UK time. We will normally respond within one working day (Monday to Friday, excluding UK public holidays).

University contact for general queries about the recruitment process

Next Steps

Short-listed candidates will be invited to the University, either virtually or in-person and will have the opportunity to meet key members of the Department. The assessment for the post will normally include a short presentation on their previous research and the specific skill set they would bring to the project. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview and assessment on a date to be confirmed.

In the event that you are unable to attend in person on the date offered, it may not be possible to offer you an interview on an alternative date.

Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement Job Applicants/Potential Job Applicants – Durham University which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.

When appointing to this role the University must ensure that it meets any applicable immigration requirements, including salary thresholds which are applicable to some visas.

• To understand and convey material of a specialist or highly technical nature to the team or group of people through presentations and discussions that leads to the presentation of research papers in conferences and publications.
• To prepare and deliver presentations on research outputs/activities to audiences which may include: research sponsors, academic and non-academic audiences.
• To publish high quality outputs, including papers for submission to peer reviewed conferences and/or journals under the direction of the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder.
• To assist with the development of research objectives and proposals.
• To conduct individual and collaborative research projects under the direction of the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder.
• To work with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and other colleagues in the research group, as appropriate, to identify areas for research, develop new research methods and extend the research portfolio.
• To deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines by discussing with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and offering creative or innovative solutions.
• To liaise with research colleagues and make internal and external contacts to develop knowledge and understanding to form relationships for future research collaboration.
• To plan and manage own research activity, research resources in collaboration with others and contribute to the planning of research projects.
• To deliver training in research techniques/approaches to peers, visitors and students as appropriate.
• To be involved in student supervision, as appropriate, and assist with the assessment of the knowledge of students.
• To contribute to fostering a collegial and respectful working environment which is inclusive and welcoming and where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect.
• To engage in wider citizenship to support the department and wider discipline.
• To engage in continuing professional development by participation in the undergraduate or postgraduate teaching programmes or by membership of departmental committees, etc. and by attending relevant training and development courses.

This post is fixed term for two years, since that is the length of funding allocated from the grant; the start date is flexible between May – October 2025.

The post-holder is employed to work on research/a research project which will be led by another colleague. Whilst this means that the post-holder will not be carrying out independent research in his/her own right, the expectation is that they will contribute to the advancement of the project, through the development of their own research ideas/adaptation and development of research protocols.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria:

Qualifications

Experience

Skills

Desirable Criteria

Experience

Skills

How to Apply

To progress to the assessment stage, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification below. It will be at the discretion of the recruiting panel as to whether they will also consider any desirable criteria, but we would urge candidates to provide evidence for all criteria.

While some criteria will be considered at the shortlisting stage, other criteria may be considered later in the assessment process, such as questions at interview.

Submitting your application

We prefer to receive applications online. We will update you about your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to make sure you have not missed any of our updates.

What to Submit

All applicants are asked to submit:

• a CV and cover letter which details your experience, skills, and achievements in meeting (or the potential to meet) the criteria set out below.

The deadline for submissions is 31st March, 2025.

Contact Information

Department contact for academic-related enquiries

Dr. Peter Davies-Peck, peter.w.davies@durham.ac.uk

Contact information for technical difficulties when submitting your application

If you encounter technical difficulties when using the online application form, we prefer you send enquiries by email. Please send your name along with a brief description of the problem you’re experiencing to e.recruitment@durham.ac.uk

Alternatively, you may call 0191 334 6801 from the UK, or +44 191 334 6801 from outside the UK. This number operates during the hours of 09.00 and 17.00 Monday to Friday, UK time. We will normally respond within one working day (Monday to Friday, excluding UK public holidays).

University contact for general queries about the recruitment process

Next Steps

Short-listed candidates will be invited to the University, either virtually or in-person and will have the opportunity to meet key members of the Department. The assessment for the post will normally include a presentation to staff and students in the Department followed by an interview and we anticipate that the assessments and interviews will take place over two days in April 2025.

In the event that you are unable to attend in person on the date offered, it may not be possible to offer you an interview on an alternative date.

Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement Job Applicants/Potential Job Applicants – Durham University which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.

When appointing to this role the University must ensure that it meets any applicable immigration requirements, including salary thresholds which are applicable to some visas.

Founded in 1952, the Department of Psychology is consistently ranked as one of the very best in the UK with an outstanding reputation for excellence in teaching, research and student employability. The department is committed to creating and maintaining a research environment that spans the entire breadth of psychology. Currently the department’s research falls within three groupings: Cognitive Neuroscience, Developmental Science, and Quantitative Social Psychology.

The department is extremely well-equipped for research, including facilities for fMRI, TMS, tDCS, EEG/ERP, VR, eye movement tracking, and biophysiological recording. The department also has a motion capture lab for analysis of visuomotor action and experiments in immersive VR, a ‘bar’ lab for naturalistic studies in health psychology, and setups for psychophysics including an echo-attenuated chamber.

In 2022, the Department received its third Athena SWAN Silver Award recognising our commitment to advancing women’s careers in STEM academia and reflecting the supportive and positive environment within the Department.

The successful candidate will join the vibrant Developmental Psychology Group and the Durham Cultural Evolution Research Centre who host regular meetings and activities, as well as have the opportunity to join a host of exciting inter-disciplinary networks in the University such as those supporting early career researchers. The successful candidate will gain opportunities to learn about different research methodologies and technologies utilised by the faculty in the department and adopt best practices to ensure transparency, reproducibility, and replicability.

Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Research Associate (PDRA) in cultural evolutionary modelling with a particular emphasis on examining the unique contributions of children to processes of culture change. This position is part of a larger European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant, Children as Agents of Cultural Evolution—ChACE, led by Dr Sheina Lew-Levy (Durham University) along with a wider international collaboration team. The project aims to investigate whether (1) Peer cultures evidence distinct cultural evolutionary mechanisms from adult cultures; (2) Knowledge produced as part of peer cultures helps communities adapt to social and ecological change. The successful applicant will be based at Durham (UK) and will be responsible for producing cultural evolutionary agent-based models which will then be tested against empirical data collected in diverse field sites using Approximate Bayesian Computation. The successful applicant will be supervised by the PI (Sheina Lew-Levy) an advisor Jeremy Kendal (Durham University).

ChACE will eventually integrate PhD students, Masters students, and RAs, who will work at local and international field sites to collect data against which the agent-based models will be tested. The project is thus ideally suited for someone who is organized, detail-oriented, and who is excited about working as part of an interdisciplinary team.

The successful candidate will have a strong academic track record, including experience in designing, carrying out, analysing, and interpreting agent-based models and Approximate Bayesian Computation. Experience with any of the following topics and approaches will be a strong advantage

• Cultural evolution
• Individual/agent-based models
• Approximate Bayesian Computation
• Experimental/observational design
• Anthropological/developmental research on childhood
• Integrating theoretical and empirical research methods
• Teamwork and team management
• Strong scientific and public communication skills

However, we do not necessarily expect candidates to have experience in all of these, and we can provide training as needed on those which are unfamiliar. You will report to Dr. Sheina Lew-Levy as the PI on the grant. You will also be supported by Jeremy Kendal as an advisor on the grant.

• To understand and convey material of a specialist or highly technical nature to the team or group of people through presentations and discussions that leads to the presentation of research papers in conferences and publications.
• To prepare and deliver presentations on research outputs/activities to audiences which may include: research sponsors, academic and non-academic audiences.
• To publish high quality outputs, including papers for submission to peer reviewed journals and papers for presentation at conferences and workshops under the direction of the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder.
• To assist with the development of research objectives and proposals.
• To conduct individual and collaborative research projects under the direction of the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder.
• To work with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and other colleagues in the research group, as appropriate, to identify areas for research, develop new research methods and extend the research portfolio.
• To deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines by discussing with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and offering creative or innovative solutions.
• To liaise with research colleagues and make internal and external contacts to develop knowledge and understanding to form relationships for future research collaboration.
• To plan and manage own research activity, research resources in collaboration with others and contribute to the planning of research projects.
• To deliver training in research techniques/approaches to peers, visitors and students as appropriate.
• To contribute to fostering a collegial and respectful working environment which is inclusive and welcoming and where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect.
• To engage in wider citizenship to support the department and wider discipline.
• To design, carry out, analyse, and interpret individual/agent-based models and Approximate Bayesian Computation

This post is fixed term for 35 months due to the length of funding available.

The post-holder is employed to work on research/a research project which will be led by another colleague. Whilst this means that the post-holder will not be carrying out independent research in his/her own right, the expectation is that they will contribute to the advancement of the project, through the development of their own research ideas/adaptation and development of research protocols.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria:

Qualifications

• A good first degree in psychology, anthropology, biology, linguistics, education, mathematics, physics or a related subject.
• A PhD (or be close to submission) in psychology, anthropology, biology, linguistics, education, mathematics, physics or a related subject.

Experience

• Experience in conducting high quality academic research in the field of cultural evolution.
• Experience in individual/agent-based computational modelling.
• Knowledge of and/or demonstrable ability to learn Approximate Bayesian Computation.
• Demonstrable ability to write material of a quality commensurate with publication in highly-ranked journals.
• Demonstrable ability to present research papers at national/international conferences and communicate complex information to specialists and within the wider academic community.

Skills

• Demonstrable ability to work cooperatively as part of a team, including participating in research meetings.
• Ability to work independently on own initiative and to strict deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

Desirable Criteria

Experience

• Strong publication record in peer-reviewed journals, commensurate with stage of career.
• A track record of presenting research at conferences, symposia, or meetings, commensurate with stage of career.
• Demonstrable ability to develop research proposals and designs in collaboration with other academics.
• Experience of overseeing students with respect to the development of their practical/research skills e.g. acting as a demonstrator; supervising student projects/practicals.
• Experience conducting Approximate Bayesian Computation
• Knowledge of anthropological/developmental research on childhood
• Experience of experimental and observational data collection

Skills

• Demonstrable ability to plan and manage independent research.

How to Apply

To progress to the assessment stage, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification below. It will be at the discretion of the recruiting panel as to whether they will also consider any desirable criteria, but we would urge candidates to provide evidence for all criteria.

While some criteria will be considered at the shortlisting stage, other criteria may be considered later in the assessment process, such as questions at interview.

Submitting your application

We prefer to receive applications online. We will update you about your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to make sure you have not missed any of our updates.

What to Submit

All applicants are asked to submit:

• A covering letter (max 2 A4 pages) which details your experience, strengths and potential in the requirements set out above;
• A CV which details your experience, strengths and potential in the requirements set out above;
• Please include copies of up to three relevant journal publications you would like to highlight that cannot be found online (e.g., submitted / under r revision / accepted).

Contact Information

Department contact for academic-related enquiries

For informal enquiries please contact Dr Sheina Lew-Levy (Sheina.lew-levy@durham.ac.uk). All enquiries will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Contact information for technical difficulties when submitting your application

If you encounter technical difficulties when using the online application form, we prefer you send enquiries by email. Please send your name along with a brief description of the problem you’re experiencing to e.recruitment@durham.ac.uk

Alternatively, you may call 0191 334 6801 from the UK, or +44 191 334 6801 from outside the UK. This number operates during the hours of 09.00 and 17.00 Monday to Friday, UK time. We will normally respond within one working day (Monday to Friday, excluding UK public holidays).

University contact for general queries about the recruitment process

Next Steps

Short-listed candidates will be invited to the University, either virtually or in-person and will have the opportunity to meet key members of the Department. The assessment for the post will normally include an interview, and we anticipate that the assessments and interviews will take place over two days in or around mid-March.

In the event that you are unable to attend in person on the date offered, it may not be possible to offer you an interview on an alternative date.

Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement Job Applicants/Potential Job Applicants – Durham University which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.

When appointing to this role the University must ensure that it meets any applicable immigration requirements, including salary thresholds which are applicable to some visas.

We invite applications for a Postdoctoral Research Associate position in Mathematical and Theoretical Physics, with a focus on generalized symmetries in their broadest sense. This includes, but is not limited to, research on mathematical structures, formal advancements in quantum field theory, and applications to high-energy physics, supersymmetry, and condensed matter systems. The successful candidate will play an integral role in advancing the goals of the ERC Consolidator Grant “Symmetries and Spectra,” led by Professor Mathew Bullimore.

This post is a 3-year fixed term position funded by the ERC consolidator grant “Symmetries and Spectra” led by Prof Mathew Bullimore. The expectation is that the post-holder will contribute to the advancement of the grant through contributions to joint research projects and the development of their own research ideas.

Successful applicants will ideally be in post by 1st October 2025.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria:

Qualifications

Experience

Skills

Desirable Criteria:

Experience

Skills

13. Demonstrable ability to plan and manage independent research.

How to Apply

To progress to the assessment stage, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification below. It will be at the discretion of the recruiting panel as to whether they will also consider any desirable criteria, but we would urge candidates to provide evidence for all criteria.

While some criteria will be considered at the shortlisting stage, other criteria may be considered later in the assessment process, such as questions at interview.

Submitting your application

We prefer to receive applications online. We will update you about your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to make sure you have not missed any of our updates.

What to Submit

All applicants are asked to submit:

• Curriculum Vitae (CV): A comprehensive summary of your educational background, professional experience, and relevant achievements.

Contact Information

Department contact for academic-related enquiries

Prof Mathew Bullimore, mathew.r.bullimore@durham.ac.uk

Contact information for technical difficulties when submitting your application

If you encounter technical difficulties when using the online application form, we prefer you send enquiries by email. Please send your name along with a brief description of the problem you’re experiencing to e.recruitment@durham.ac.uk

Alternatively, you may call 0191 334 6801 from the UK, or +44 191 334 6801 from outside the UK. This number operates during the hours of 09.00 and 17.00 Monday to Friday, UK time. We will normally respond within one working day (Monday to Friday, excluding UK public holidays).

University contact for general queries about the recruitment process

Next Steps

Short-listed candidates will be invited to an online interview where they will have the opportunity to meet key members of the Department. The assessment will include a short presentation and interview, and we anticipate that the assessments will take place in early February.

In the event that you are unable to attend in person on the date offered, it may not be possible to offer you an interview on an alternative date.

Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement Job Applicants/Potential Job Applicants – Durham University which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.

When appointing to this role the University must ensure that it meets any applicable immigration requirements, including salary thresholds which are applicable to some visas.