Postdoc in Observations of the High-Redshift Universe

Overview

The Astrophysics Group in UCL's Department of Physics & Astronomy is recruiting a postdoctoral researcher to work on observations of the high-redshift universe. The group is one of the largest in the UK, with about 130 members of staff, and covers galaxy formation and evolution, cosmology, gravitational waves, massive stars, exoplanets and instrumentation. UCL has a strong record of leadership in facilities including JWST, DES, DESI, 4MOST, Euclid, Ariel and Rubin-LSST.

This is a three-year post in Dr Guido Roberts-Borsani's group, within the OMEGA project funded by a European Research Council Starting Grant. The postdoc will study galaxy formation and evolution in the first billion years using James Webb Space Telescope spectroscopy from the principal investigator's approved programmes, in particular DAJE-JWST and OMEGA-JWST. Research themes include the ionisation structure of the interstellar medium and metallicity measurements, the origins of carbon, nitrogen and oxygen abundance ratios, the burstiness of star formation at high redshift, and how early galaxies built up their chemical reservoirs. Besides first-author publications, the postdoc will develop their own ideas and telescope proposals, coordinate with existing collaborations and help supervise PhD students.

Requirements

The successful candidate holds, or is close to completing, a PhD in astrophysics, with a strong record of observational extragalactic research in leading peer-reviewed journals. Experience analysing JWST spectroscopic or photometric data is expected, and use of HST, Keck, VLT or ALMA is a bonus, as is strong knowledge of interstellar medium physics in high-redshift galaxies. Programming and data-analysis skills are essential, along with the ability to plan independently, meet tight deadlines and coordinate across international collaborations.

What you get

The full-time, fixed-term post pays £46,261 to £54,019, inclusive of London Allowance, and follows a hybrid working pattern. The start date falls between 1 January and 1 April 2027 by mutual agreement.

How to apply

Applicants submit a single PDF containing a cover letter, CV, research statement of up to three pages and publication list through the application portal. Two reference letters are sent separately by the referees.

Key dates

The closing date is 25 November 2026.