Research Assistant in Space Physics

Contract Type: Full-time, fixed term for two years with the possibility of extension

Not normally less than 35 hours per week; however, a part-time appointment would be considered

Location: South Kensington Campus, London SW7 

Job Summary

A Research Associate position is available to work in space plasma physics, with an emphasis on data taken by the Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter spacecraft in the inner heliosphere. 

The post holder will work with other Research Associates, PhD students and academics in a small but active group studying the solar wind. We are science team members of the plasma and fields instruments on Parker Solar Probe, all in situ instruments on Solar Orbiter, and the magnetic field instrument on BepiColombo. We built and continue to operate the magnetometer on Solar Orbiter and are building the magnetometers for the upcoming NASA IMAP and HelioSwarm missions. 

Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter are making unprecedented measurements of the inner heliosphere and the post holder will be expected to work in one or more related areas, such as sources of the solar wind, evolution of structures and turbulence, latitudinal dependence of the heliospheric magnetic field, or energetic particle acceleration. 

There are opportunities to undertake some teaching activities within the Department, including laboratory demonstration and project student supervision.

• You must hold a PhD (or equivalent) in Space Plasma Physics 
• Experience in the analysis of space-based field and particle data
• Evidence of originality in research, including scientific publications, commensurate with career stage
• Knowledge of the appropriate areas of space physics
• Knowledge of scientific programming and other computer-based tools
• Excellent verbal communication skills and the ability to deal with a wide range of people
• Ability to keep accurate records of research results and activity

For more information, please contact Tim Horbury t.horbury@imperial.ac.uk.

Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed as Research Assistant within the salary range £40,694-£43,888 per annum.

Further Information

Please include a covering letter with your application, outlining how your experience to date fits with the essential and desirable job criteria. 

Should you have any queries about the application process please contact the Space and Atmospheric Physics Group Administration office via space.sec@imperial.ac.uk. For technical issues when applying online please email support.jobs@imperial.ac.uk.

Closing date:  31 October 2023 midnight BST

To apply, visit www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs and search by the job reference NAT01539

Please note that job descriptions cannot be exhaustive and the post-holder may be required to undertake other duties, which are broadly in line with the above key responsibilities.

The College is a proud signatory to the San-Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), which means that in hiring and promotion decisions, we evaluate applicants on the quality of their work, not the journal impact factor where it is published. For more information, see https://www.imperial.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/about-imperial-research/research-evaluation/

We are committed to equality of opportunity, to eliminating discrimination and to creating an inclusive working environment for all. We therefore encourage candidates to apply irrespective of age, disability, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion and belief, gender identity, sex, or sexual orientation. We are an Athena SWAN Silver Award winner, a Disability Confident Leader and a Stonewall Diversity Champion.

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