Postdoctoral Research Associate

About us

The study of Physics at King's dates back to the foundation of the College in 1829. The Department has an illustrious history. The first Professor was the polymath Sir Charles Wheatstone and other former professors include James Clerk Maxwell, whose outstanding work unifying the equations of electromagnetism took place during his time at King’s. He also took the first colour photograph in that period. Later, the Department was home to several Nobel laureates: Appleton, Barkla, Richardson and Wilkins. The seminal x-ray crystallography work by Maurice Wilkins and Rosalind Franklin, which led to the discovery of the structure of DNA, took place in the Physics Department. More recently, in 2013, two alumni of the Department, Professor Peter Higgs FRS and Professor Michael Levitt FRS were honoured with the Nobel Prize for Physics and Chemistry, respectively.

The Department is currently undergoing significant growth with substantial investment in new appointments, research infrastructure and laboratory space refurbishment.  The details of the current research in the Department can be found at www.kcl.ac.uk/physics. The post will be based at Photonics & nanotechnology group led by Professor Anatoly Zayats.

About the role

We are seeking a talented and motivated Research Associate to join the EPSRC-funded project Metamaterials in Four Dimensions (Meta4D, www.meta4d.co.uk). This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research at the intersection of nanophotonics and advanced materials science.

The successful candidate will play a central role in the modelling and experimental investigation of topological effects in optical nonlinear metamaterials, as well as exploring the topological properties of light. The project focuses on advancing our understanding of how nonlinear and ultrafast processes influence light–matter interactions in complex, engineered systems.

You will be responsible for designing and carrying out both theoretical and experimental studies, with a particular emphasis on nonlinear optical phenomena, ultrafast polarisation dynamics and pulse shaping in metamaterial platforms.

The position offers a collaborative and interdisciplinary environment. You will work closely with project partners at Imperial College London and the University of Exeter, contributing to joint research activities and shared project goals. In addition to research responsibilities, you will co-supervise PhD and MSc students, providing mentorship and contributing to the development of the next generation of researchers.

This role provides an excellent platform for career development in a rapidly advancing field. You will have the opportunity to expand your technical expertise, take ownership of key research directions, and develop leadership skills through project and people management.

We offer a supportive and innovative research environment, access to state-of-the-art facilities and the chance to contribute to high-impact scientific advancements.

If you are passionate about pushing the boundaries of photonics and metamaterials research and are ready to take the next step in your career, we encourage you to apply.

This is a full time job (35 hours per week), and you will be offered a fixed term contract until 31/03/2029.

Research staff at King’s are entitled to at least 10 days per year (pro-rata) for professional development. This entitlement, from the  Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers, applies to Postdocs, Research Assistants, Research and Teaching Technicians, Teaching Fellows and AEP equivalent up to and including grade 7. Visit the  Centre for Research Staff Development for more information

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