Postdoctoral Research Associate Ultrafast Nonlinear Optics in Gas-Filled Fibres

Role PDRA in Ultrafast Nonlinear Optics in Gas‑Filled Fibres

Grade and Salary: Grade 7 – £37,694 – £47,389 per annum

Contract Type: Full Time, Fixed Term until end December 2027

Holiday Entitlement: 33 days annual leave, plus 9 buildings‑closed days for all full‑time staff

Purpose of Role: The Laboratory of Ultrafast Physics and Optics (LUPO) seeks a talented and motivated scientist to carry out a research programme focused on developing novel ultrafast light‑source technologies in gas‑filled hollow‑core anti‑resonant fibres. The role will involve working in close collaboration with our industry partner ASML—the major player in the semiconductor lithography sector—to harness new techniques in nonlinear optics in gas‑filled fibres to develop light sources with unique properties. The project is expected to lead to significant technological progress and high‑impact scientific publications in the areas of ultrafast and nonlinear optics.

Key Duties & Responsibilities:

• Design and perform rigorous and systematic experiments to explore new ultrafast nonlinear optics phenomena in gas‑filled hollow‑core optical fibres.
• Work with ultrafast optical set‑ups, including management of advanced laser systems, the design and construction of pulse‑compression systems, performing ultrafast laser experiments, and building and operating optical characterisation devices.
• Run existing simulation codes and process their results.
• Help to develop new models and algorithms to simulate pulse propagation, the material response, and other aspects of our experiments.
• Coding in Julia and Python.
• Take a prominent role in discussions and knowledge transfer with our industrial collaborators, including writing detailed progress reports.
• Write, edit and publish scientific articles in leading journals, and present results at international conferences.
• Assist with the filing of intellectual property and technology transfer.
• Supervise the activities of junior group members and mentor PhD students.
• Assist in the day‑to‑day maintenance of the experimental facilities, liaising with companies and external collaborators.
• Carry out the research project to a high standard by meeting planned milestones and deliverables; report progress regularly to supervisors, both verbally and in written reports; keep clear written records of work done and store data in accessible formats according to a system agreed with the project supervisor.
• Work collaboratively and cooperatively in a team environment; this involves shared use of laboratory equipment (therefore effective communication between group members is essential).

Essential & Desirable Criteria:

Essential:

• A PhD in physics or engineering with a specialisation in ultrafast laser systems, ultrafast nonlinear optics, or extensive additional experience in these areas. Candidates must have submitted their doctoral thesis before starting in post.
• Direct experience of experimental work on ultrafast lasers or ultrafast nonlinear optics.
• A record of high‑quality publications, and evidence of contribution to the writing of these publications proportionate to opportunity.
• The ability to articulate research work, both in technical reports/papers and by oral presentation.
• A strong theoretical understanding and thorough grounding in experimental techniques relevant to the project.
• The ability to work as part of a team on the experiments at Heriot‑Watt and more widely with collaborators at other institutions.

Desirable:

• Evidence of ability, subject to opportunity, to guide other researchers, e.g. PhD students and undergraduate project students.
• Evidence of ability to present work effectively in person, e.g. at conferences and seminars.
• Experience with gas‑filled hollow‑fibre set‑ups, including the design and use of gas systems, beam stabilisation systems and vacuum systems.
• Experience of programming for data acquisition and analysis (preferably in Python).
• Experience of computer‑aided design (CAD) of components and devices.
• Experience in writing numerical pulse‑propagation codes.

How to Apply: Applications can be submitted up to midnight (UK time) on Monday 10th August 2026. The application requires a CV and a cover letter explaining your motivation/interest in this project to be submitted through the university portal. Candidates are requested to specifically highlight in their applications how they fulfil the essential criteria for the post. We especially encourage applications from women and other under‑represented groups in physics.

For more information, please send enquiry emails to Prof John Travers (j.travers@hw.ac.uk). We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns such as part‑time working and job share options.

Equal Opportunity Statement: Heriot‑Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised, and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all. Heriot‑Watt University values diversity across our university community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from under‑represented groups.

About the Team: The laboratory of ultrafast physics and optics (LUPO) uses nonlinear optics to create new light sources with tailored, and extreme, spectral and temporal properties. Examples include the generation of high‑energy single‑cycle pulses in the ultraviolet, new techniques for broadband white‑light supercontinuum generation, and the design and construction of high‑energy few‑cycle ultrafast fibre lasers. Our work is a mix of experimentation and numerical modelling.

About Heriot‑Watt University: At Heriot‑Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real‑world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team.