Research Assistant-Experimental Physics in Newcastle upon Tyne

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.

The Role

We are excited to launch this new opportunity for a Research Assistant in Experimental Physics to join us in the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Physics at Newcastle University. Are you enthusiastic about spearheading pioneering research discoveries? Our research aims to tackle fundamental questions and propel innovations for the development of low-carbon technologies. You will join a collegiate and welcoming team with expertise in device fabrication and nanomaterials. We are looking for a Research Assistant to work on confined fluidic transport for a fixed-term period of 9 months. This will involve modelling fluidic transport, material characterisation, optical microscopy, and spectroscopy.

We are looking for a candidate who will enjoy working in the collaborative and dynamic environment at Newcastle University. Candidates should have the ability to work both collaboratively and independently. We are particularly keen to hear from candidates with knowledge and experience in measurements, analytical modelling, data analysis and programming skills, and experience in setting up in-house experiments and measurement techniques. Candidates should have a background and formal training in Physics, Applied Physics, or a related field, with excellent communication skills, both oral and written, and the ability to organise their own research activities and manage their time effectively. This is a fixed-term position for 9 months, with an estimated start date of 1 September 2026. We would welcome requests for flexible working and, depending on the needs of the role, blended working opportunities to work remotely as well as on campus may be considered.

Support and Benefits

We follow the Researcher Development Concordat. We enable all colleagues to fulfil their research potential regardless of career stage. This commitment secures our thriving research culture and vibrant research environment. Our offer to each individual and their researcher development includes mentoring, annual research planning discussions, pooled research funding to support career development and research activities, peer review support for the development of research and innovation funding applications. Please reach out to Dr Vasu Kalangi, at vasu.kalangi@newcastle.ac.uk to have a chat about this opportunity. We are committed to making the process accessible to everyone and can provide additional support or adjustments to meet your needs.

Responsibilities will include:

• Nanomaterial characterisation, building customised measurement set-ups, literature review, and drafting research articles.
• Perform material and device characterisation (e.g. optical microscopy and vibrational spectroscopy) and data analysis.
• Collaborate on original research tasks with colleagues and industrial partners.
• Carry out administrative tasks associated with the lab, including organisation of project meetings and documentation.
• Plan and manage own workload, with guidance from colleagues as required, and contribute to running the laboratory.
• Collect, analyse and interpret research data and draw conclusions on the outcomes.
• Co-ordinate own work with that of others, use problem solving to affect the achievement of research objectives and contribute to the planning of the project(s).
• Present information on research progress and outcomes to a Principal Investigator or groups overseeing the research project.
• Write up results from own research activity and provide input into the research project’s dissemination, in whatever form (report, papers, chapters, books).
• Use research resources (including, where required, laboratories, workshops and specialist equipment) as appropriate.

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

• Knowledge and experience of experimental measurements, data analysis and programming skills relevant to physics research.
• Experience in setting up in-house experiments and measurement techniques (e.g. optical microscopy and vibrational spectroscopy).
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, with the ability to organise own research activities and manage time effectively.
• Attention to detail and ability to work at high levels of accuracy.
• Ability to present complex information effectively to a range of audiences.
• Proven ability to analyse data and write-up results.
• Experience of working collaboratively with colleagues.
• Excellent IT skills in all major office applications.
• The ability to use personal initiative and creativity to solve research problems.

Attributes and Behaviour:

• Commitment to working positively as a member of a multi-skilled research team.
• Ability to negotiate and prioritise multiple, competing responsibilities and to work to deadlines.
• Commitment to continued professional development.
• Understanding of good practice in equality, inclusion and diversity.

Qualifications:

• Honours degree or higher qualification in Physics, Applied Physics, or a related field.

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 Gold 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. 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.