Research Fellow in Early-Universe Stellar and Galactic Chemical Evolution

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The role

We seek a creative researcher to join the 3-year STFC-funded project The Stellar Chemical Blueprint of the Early Universe, led by Dr Robert Izzard at Surrey with Professor Chiaki Kobayashi at Hertfordshire. JWST has revealed young, high-redshift, low-metallicity galaxies with compositions unlike those in the local Universe, including nitrogen enhanced by around a factor of ten and, in some systems, enhanced carbon. These discoveries challenge current models of stellar evolution, nucleosynthesis and galactic chemical evolution. The project asks: which stars made the first chemical elements in the earliest galaxies, and how did they do so rapidly enough to explain the JWST data?

The successful candidate will work at the interface of stellar evolution, population nucleosynthesis and galactic chemical evolution. They will develop and use low- and zero-metallicity models of single, binary, AGB, massive and very-massive stars to predict carbon, nitrogen and oxygen yields, test binary interactions and uncertain input physics including mass loss, nuclear reaction rates and interpolation methods, and determine which sources reproduce early-galaxy abundance patterns. 1 The role will involve extending the open-source binary_c rapid population synthesis code and MINT interpolation framework; developing stellar-evolution grids; modelling yields across a wide mass range; incorporating yields into 1D and 3D galactic chemical evolution simulations; and comparing predictions with JWST observations and forthcoming DESI, MOONS and PFS data. The successful candidate will publish in journals, present at meetings, contribute to BRIDGCE and participate in the research culture of the Astrophysics Group at Surrey. This is a fixed-term, full-time position for three years.  

About you

You will have:

• a PhD, or equivalent research experience, in astrophysics, physics or a closely related discipline;
• experience in computational or data-driven astrophysics;
• programming experience relevant to scientific research;
• the ability to develop, run and interpret quantitative models;
• the ability to communicate research clearly through written work, presentations and collaboration;
• a track record of research outputs appropriate to career stage;
• the ability to work both independently and as part of a collaborative research team.

We recognise that candidates may come from different research backgrounds. You do not need to have worked previously on every aspect of stellar evolution, binary stars and galactic chemical evolution, but you should be motivated to develop expertise across these areas as part of the project.

How to apply

Applications should be submitted online via the University of Surrey jobs portal.

Please include:

• a CV, including list of publications;
• a cover letter explaining your interest in the role and how your experience fits the project;
• contact details of at least two referees.

Interviews are expected to take place in June 2026, either in person or online.

Informal enquiries are welcome and should be directed to Dr Robert Izzard at r.izzard@surrey.ac.uk.

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