Postdoctoral Research Assistant

Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Research Assistant: Black Hole Outflows.

 

We seek an outstanding post-doctoral researcher to work on topics relating to high-energy astrophysics and accreting black holes in the research group of Dr James Matthews. Our overall aim is better understanding the physics of jets and winds in accreting black hole systems across the mass scale. We try to answer question including, but not limited to, the following: How are black hole jets and disc winds launched? How does high energy particle acceleration happen in jet- and wind-driven shocks? How much mass, momentum and energy do jets and winds transport in different accreting systems?

 

The exact direction of the PDRA project is somewhat flexible, and will depend somewhat on the candidate’s experience, but will involve one or more of the following projects:

 

• Using the radiative transfer code SIROCCO to simulate the spectral imprints of accretion disc winds in quasars and/or X-ray binaries in optical, UV and X-ray bands, to better understand the physical conditions in such outflows;

 

• Characterising the broadband impact of disc winds including their reprocessing impact on the underlying disc continuum, using a com-bination of techniques (e.g. SIROCCO, semi-analytic models, Cloudy);

 

• Conducting hydrodynamic simulations of AGN disc winds and jets to better understand their nonthermal signatures in the radio and gamma-ray bands; for example, by predicting the TeV gamma-ray signatures from nearby radio galaxies, or the anticipated radio emission from accretion disc winds;

 

• Using a combination of hydrodynamic simulations and general phys-ics arguments to build better physical models for particle accelera-tion to PeV energies in X-ray binaries (and ultrahigh energies in AGN).

 

You will have the opportunity to teach.

 

Applicants should have a PhD (or close to completion) in Physics, Astrophysics or a related field. Experience with relevant numerical simulations or theoretical calculations as well as an excellent programming skills are essential for this post.

Please direct enquiries about the role to james.matthews@physics.ox.ac.uk

 The post is full time and fixed term for two years (if starting by 01 April 2026) with a possibility of further extension.

 

The closing date for applications is noon GMT, 16 January 2026.

 

As part of the online application, you will be asked to upload a supporting statement, CV and details of two referees as part of your online application. Your referees should be asked to send their letters, before the application deadline, to Leanne O’Donnell (leanne.odonnell@physics.ox.ac.uk) by the closing date.

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