Research Fellow (108647-0724)

For informal enquiries, please contact Gavin Morley (Professor) at Gavin.morley@warwick.ac.uk. 

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Department of Physics at the University of Warwick.

We are seeking to appoint a Research Fellow to build an experiment with a magnetically levitated microdiamond towards testing the quantum nature of gravity. The appointment will be for two years with the possibility of extension as part of our five-year project supported by The Moore Foundation and the Sloan Foundation, in collaboration with Yale University, Northwestern University, UCL and Groningen University. You will work with Professor Gavin Morley and his team in Warwick. We have built magnetic levitation of micron-sized diamonds including centre-of-mass cooling, and separately, quantum control of single nitrogen-vacancy (NV) spins in non-levitated microdiamonds. The microdiamonds we have developed (with Oliver Williams’ group) have the longest quantum coherence times. You will combine these two experiments to control the spin of NV centres inside magnetically levitated microdiamonds. You will build this inside of a specially commissioned cryostat. The aim is to create a spatial superposition of the diamond towards testing fundamental physics including a test of the quantum nature of gravity. You would be the day-to-day supervisor for two PhD students on this levitated microdiamond project, and support the other PhD students in the group.

Applications from underrepresented minorities are particularly encouraged.

We will consider applications for employment on a part-time or other flexible working basis, even where a position is advertised as full-time, unless there are operational or other objective reasons why it is not possible to do so.  

We are looking for someone with a PhD in Physics or a related field, or someone who is very close to obtaining this. 

You should have a background in building and/or running physics experiments, microwave/optical/electronic engineering, magnetic resonance, materials science and/or quantum technology. The ideal candidate would have worked with levitating nanoparticles or microparticles in vacuum, but people that have not done this are also encouraged to apply. You will be a good communicator capable of working effectively both independently and as part of a research team. You will have written up clear papers about your previous interesting research. You will possess good planning and time management skills to ensure your research objectives are achieved effectively.

For further information regarding the skills required for this role please see the personal specification section of the attached job description.

If you are near submission or have recently submitted your PhD but have not yet had it conferred, any offers of employment will be made as Research Assistant at the top of level 5 of the University grade structure. Upon receipt of evidence of the successful award of your PhD, you will be promoted to Research Fellow on the first point of level 6 of the University grade structure. 

Full details of the duties and selection criteria for this role can be found in the vacancy advert on the University of Warwick's jobs pages. You will be routed to this when you click on the Apply button.