Job Description

Role:

Postdoctoral Research Associate in Optical Attosecond Science

Grade and Salary:

Grade 7 (37,174 - 46,735)

Contract Type:

Full Time, Fixed Term (3 years with possibility for extension)

Location

: Edinburgh Campus

Rewards and Benefits:

33 days annual leave, plus 9 buildings closed days (and Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday) for all full time staff. Use our total rewards calculator: https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.

Detailed Description

The Laboratory of Ultrafast Physics and Optics (LUPO, https://lupo-lab.com ) seeks a talented and motivated scientist to drive a research programme in advanced ultrafast nonlinear optics and attosecond-resolution ultrafast spectroscopy. The goal of the project is to design, implement, and utilise a new beamline for ultrafast science with ultrabroadband optical attosecond pulses. The work will involve both ultrafast pulse compression and frequency conversion exploiting gas-filled hollow-core fibres as well as ultrafast spectroscopy investigations of condensed-matter samples. The project will be carried out under the supervision of Dr Christian Brahms and in the framework of an ERC Starting Grant, which aims to establish a new regime of optical attosecond science. It will be supported by international collaborations with several world-leading research groups in ultrafast science. A new state-of-the-art laboratory is being developed for the project.

About Our Team

LUPO uses nonlinear optics to create new light sources with extreme spectral and temporal properties: ultrabroadband supercontinua, intense sub-cycle field transients, and few-femtosecond ultraviolet pulses, among many others. We combine numerical modelling with experiments to study the fundamental nonlinear optical dynamics in our favourite system: gas-filled hollow-core fibres, both with and without microstructure. We use the new light sources we develop in applications ranging from industrial and healthcare technology to fundamental scientific research, both in our own laboratories and in collaboration with a large international network of partners in academia and industry.


LUPO is jointly led by several principal investigators. Our facilities include over 200 m 2 of laboratory space and a large range of primary ultrafast laser sources, ranging from home-built fibre oscillators to several high-power ytterbium-based systems and a high-energy titanium-doped sapphire amplifier. We design and build many of our own components and devices, including state-of-the-art ultrafast pulse characterisation systems, vacuum beamlines, high-pressure gas cells, and optical diagnostics. Our numerical simulations rely on our own open-source code, Luna.jl ( https://github.com/LupoLab/Luna.jl ).


More details about our group and our research can be found at https://lupo-lab.com/


LUPO is part of the Institute of Photonics and Quantum Science (IPaQS), which is one of the UK's largest research clusters in Photonics. IPaQS has a strong culture of collaborative research, which is built on the regular exchange of ideas between our experimental and theory groups. We are a tight-knit community of academics that support each other's career development. We have a strong commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, and hold regular events that celebrate our diversity and raise awareness about issues affecting the IPaQS community. We have world-class research facilities, including a 275m 2 cleanroom and 2175m 2 of high-specification optics and laser laboratories, providing the infrastructure needed to conduct internationally leading research in photonics and quantum sciences. The most recent UK Research and Excellence Framework (REF2021) saw Heriot-Watt Physics ranked first in Scotland and 4 th in the UK for world-leading research.

Education, Qualifications and Experience

Essential

A PhD in physics or engineering with a specialisation in ultrafast nonlinear optics and/or ultrafast spectroscopy, or extensive postdoctoral experience in these areas. Candidates must have submitted their doctoral thesis before starting in post. Experience of publishing high-quality research in the above-mentioned fields, proportionate to career stage and opportunity. A strong theoretical understanding of ultrafast science, including ultrafast pulse compression and frequency conversion as well as scientific applications of ultrafast light sources. Extensive experimental skills and experience in ultrafast optical systems.
The ability to articulate research work, both their own and others', in research publications and oral presentations. The ability to work as part of a team in the experiments in our own laboratories as well as with a diverse group of international collaborators.

Desirable

Track record of supervision of other researchers, e.g. PhD students and undergraduate project students, proportionate to career stage and opportunity. Evidence of ability to present work effectively at conferences, seminars etc. Practical experience with the use of gas-filled hollow-core fibres for nonlinear optics, pulse compression, frequency conversion etc. Experience with ultrafast measurements, e.g. pulse metrology, transient absorption spectroscopy, photoelectron spectroscopy, two-dimensional spectroscopy. Practical experience with vacuum systems, including ultra-high vacuum systems. Experience of programming for data acquisition and analysis (preferably in Python or Julia). Experience of computer-aided design (CAD) of components and devices. Experience of using and/or writing numerical simulation code.

About Heriot-Watt University

At Heriot-Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team.


Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.

How to Apply

With the formal application through the university portal, candidates should submit a CV and a cover letter explaining their motivation and interest in this project. Candidates should specifically highlight how they meet the essential criteria for the position, which are listed above.


Applications can be submitted up to midnight (UK time) on

Friday 8

th

August 2026.

For more information and informal discussions, please contact Dr Christian Brahms ( c.brahms@hw.ac.uk ).


We especially encourage applications from women and other underrepresented groups in Physics.



At Heriot Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team.


Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.


Heriot-WattaEURUniversity is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities.aEUR Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.


Heriot-WattaEURUniversity values diversity across our University community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our websiteaEUR https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/equality-diversity.htm aEURand also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science CareersaEUR https://disc.hw.ac.uk/ aEUR.


Use our total rewards calculator:aEUR https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm aEURto see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.