Postdoctoral Research Fellow

This new full time post is available from 1 October 2025 on a fixed term basis until 30 September 2028.

The post

The Faculty wishes to recruit an enthusiastic Postdoctoral Research Fellow to participate in the project: “Under-Land: Understanding and Visualising Complex Optimisation Landscapes”. This project aims to develop visualisation and analysis methods to aid in the comprehension of optimisation landscapes. The goal is to convey real-world optimisation scenarios, including multiple competing objectives of interest, complex problem representations, and uncertainty, in a compact form, such as a network (graph). The collaborative project is led by Prof. Gabriela Ochoa at the University of Stirling, with a team at the University of Exeter. This Leverhulme Trust funded post is available from 1 October 2025 to 30 September 2028.

The successful applicant will work closely with Prof. Jonathan Fieldsend in Exeter, and with Prof. Gabriela Ochoa and an additional Postdoctoral Research Fellow employed at the University of Stirling as part of the wider project. The work will include method development, analysis, and experimental work, alongside software development and release.

About you

The successful applicant will be able to develop research objectives, projects and proposals; identify sources of research funding and contribute to the process of securing funds and make presentations at conferences and other events.

Applicants will possess a relevant PhD or equivalent qualification/experience in a related field of study. The successful applicant will be a nationally recognised authority in optimisation and possess sufficient specialist knowledge in the discipline to develop research programmes and methodologies. The successful applicant will also be able to work collaboratively, supervise the work of others and act as team leader as required. Applicants will be able to develop novel methods for optimisation landscape visualisation and analysis, contribute to framework development for their use in landscape-aware search, engineer software tools for use by the wider research community, and collaborate effectively with a range of researchers - including collaboration with colleagues based elsewhere in the UK.

Please ensure you read the Job Description and Person Specification for full details of this role.

What we can offer you

• Freedom (and the support) to pursue your intellectual interests and to work creatively across disciplines to produce internationally exciting research;
• Support teams that understand the University wide research and teaching goals and partner with our academics accordingly
• An Innovation, Impact and Business directorate that works closely with our academics providing specialist support for external engagement and development
• Our Exeter Academic initiative supporting high performing academics to achieve their potential and develop their career
• A multitude of staff benefits including sector leading benefits around maternity, adoption and shared parental leave (up to 26 weeks full pay), Paternity leave (up to 6 weeks full pay), and a Fertility Treatment Policy
• A beautiful campus set in the heart of stunning Devon 

Further information

For further information please contact Prof. Jonathan Fieldsend, J.E.Fieldsend@exeter.ac.uk.

Interviews are expected to take place on the 18 September 2025.

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