Senior Research Officer at University of Essex

The School of Mathematics, Statistics, and Actuarial Science at the University of Essex has achieved a formidable expansion in the last three years. We are looking to appoint a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Statistical Physics. The successful candidate will be part of two research themes, the Analysis and Mathematical Physics theme and the Applied Mathematics theme. These groups provide an ideal collaborative environment to engage with local experts spanning the fields of Theoretical Physics and Applied Mathematics. Our offering of research seminars and our close distance to London area community also contribute to an excellent research environment and offer outstanding opportunities for networking with leading academics from within and beyond the researcher’s own field. 

The successful applicant will work with Dr Nikolaos Fytas on a research project related to the critical (and other) properties of the random-field Ising model, one of the most important models in Statistical Physics for the study of collective behaviour in the presence of quenched disorder. This Postdoctoral Research Fellow post is a 27-months, full-time and fixed-term position, available from 1^st of April 2024 until the 30^th of June 2026. This research project entitled “Random-field effects in spin models: Supersymmetry, criticality, and universality” is funded by the New Investigator Award Scheme of the Royal Society and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) of the United Kingdom. 

The main academic duties of this post are to develop optimisation numerical methods for the study of the random-field problem at zero temperature and elaborate on the well-known violations of supersymmetry and dimensional reduction at low dimensions. You will also investigate the universality aspects of the random-field Ising model with a bimodal discrete distribution, at three but also at four dimensions. Discrete, bimodal fields have overall received less attention over the years, mainly due to computational difficulties arising from its shape. Discreteness of fields results in degeneracies at the ground-state manifold which have profound consequences for the underlying physics which we plan to reveal within the proposed project.

Funds will be available for professional development, such as conference participation and research visits. You should have a PhD (or near completion) in a relevant area of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics. We are looking for someone with a strong background in numerical simulations of spin models in Statistical Physics.

Skills and Qualifications Required
Applicants are expected to hold a PhD degree in Statistical Physics (or near completion) in subject area of direct relevance for the project. You will possess expertise in numerical simulations of spin models in Statistical Physics.

You will be expected to have evidence of a developing research agenda and a developing record of publications in internationally recognised, reputable journals.

The successful candidate will have ability and willingness to complement and enhance the research project/department/school’s education and research strengths and areas of planned development. Strong communication skills, both written and verbal are also essential.

Please use the ‘Apply’ button to read further information about this role including the full job description and person specification which outlines the full duties, skills, qualifications and experience needed for this role. You will also find details of how to make your application here. Our website http://www.essex.ac.uk contains more information about the University of Essex. If you have a disability and would like information in a different format, please email resourcing@essex.ac.uk.