Postdoctoral Research Associate in Transient Astrophysics

Overview

The University of Lancashire, via its School of Physics and Astronomy, is hiring a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Transient Astrophysics. This position is part of the five-year STFC Large Award known as TRANSCEND, a collaboration involving Lancaster University, the University of Southampton, the University of Oxford, and Queen’s University Belfast. The initiative uses Vera Rubin/LSST transient data and the 4MOST Time-Domain Extragalactic Survey to investigate stellar explosions, chemical enrichment, supermassive black hole growth, and the nature of dark energy.

What you get

The role offers a salary between £39,906 and £46,049 per annum. It is a full-time, permanent appointment funded for five years beginning on April 1, 2027. The selected researcher will collaborate closely with peers at the partner institutions through regular collaboration visits to maximize the scientific outcomes of the project.

Requirements

The Lancaster University post focuses on simulations and selection effects for SN Ia cosmology and beyond. Responsibilities include leading the forward-modelling of the combined LSST and TiDES sample, characterizing sample selection effects, and building galaxy population catalogues validated against cosmological simulations such as IllustrisTNG.

Key dates

The closing date for applications is November 5, 2026. Interviews for the position are scheduled to take place on December 4, 2026.