Research Assistant / Associate In Stellar Astrophysics

Salary:

Research Assistant: £32,546 to £34,132 per annum

Research Associate: £35,116 to £39,355 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 15 June 2025

The Role

We invite applications for a 3-year postdoctoral research position in stellar astrophysics, with a focus on computational magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). This position is funded by an STFC Small Award and will be supervised by Professor Tamara Rogers.

The role will focus on running and analysing three dimensional (3D) magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) simulations of core convecting stars to understand the role magnetism plays in chemical mixing and angular momentum transport within stars and how magnetism affects both standing and propagating internal gravity waves. The successful candidate will work as part of a team of both computational fluid dynamicists and stellar astrophysicists (observational and theoretical). Applications are encouraged particularly from those with experience in numerical simulations, fluid dynamics and/or stellar astrophysics.

Newcastle University is home to an exciting and lively stellar astrophysics and fluid dynamics research groups. This includes the observational group led by Dr.Dominic Bowman and multiple fluid dynamicists as part of the Geophysical and Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics Group. More broadly, the Newcastle astrophysics group works closely with the observational group led by Prof. Conny Aerts at KU Leuven.

In addition to project-specific activities, the Research Assistant / Associate will be encouraged to pursue their own independent research and training. They may undertake outreach/engagement activities, particularly those designed to increase accessibility and inclusion to science.

The position is fixed-term, with full time hours (37 per week) and an estimated start date of 1 October, 2025 (candidates seeking a different start date are encouraged as this is flexible). Generous funds for travel and training are available. Start dates and flexible working are negotiable. We are committed to building and maintaining a fair and inclusive working environment.

For informal inquiries, please contact Professor Tamara Rogers.

To apply, please complete the online application and attach a: (1) CV (no page limit), and (2) a covering letter combined with a research statement (max 3 pages). In your covering letter, please outline how you are either working towards, meet or exceed all of the essential requirements for the role holder as outlined below. The research statement should explain how your research experience is suitable for the post and how your research interests will align with those performed in the group.

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Excellent technical skills in computational fluid dynamics and/or stellar modelling that can be applied to the aims of the project described under ‘The role’
• A track record of high-quality research outputs related to the goals of the project, commensurate with career stage (e.g., peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, open-source software, etc.)
• Advanced programming skills in at least one programming language
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Demonstrable knowledge of stellar astrophysics
• A track record of presenting research at conferences, symposia, or meetings, commensurate with career stage

Desirable

• Advanced programming skills in Fortran and Python and experience with High Performance Computing
• Demonstrable experience in image data analysis that can be applied to the aims of the project as described under ‘The role’

Attributes and Behaviour

• Demonstrable ability to work independently using own initiative and to meet deadlines
• Demonstrable ability to work cooperatively as part of a team, including participating in research meetings and working on joint research projects
• A high level of analytical, numerical and problem-solving capability
• A commitment to the values of equality, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of your work
• Ability to set own research goals, and to be self-motivated and proactive
• Proficient time management skills

Desirable

• Demonstrable commitment to promoting a positive and healthy research culture (e.g., by actively supporting/mentoring students, supporting initiatives to improve the work environment etc.)
• An interest in student supervision (postgraduates and undergraduates)

Qualifications

Essential for Research Assistant Position

• Studying for a PhD in Astrophysics or a closely related discipline (or exceptionally equivalent professional experience)

Essential for Research Associate Position

• PhD awarded in Astrophysics or a closely related discipline (or exceptionally equivalent professional experience)

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a silver Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC. We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.

Requisition ID: 28090