20 Postdoctoral Fellowship at University of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England

The project will involve the development of new theoretical and computational approaches to study dynamics of interacting quantum systems, in the context of condensed matter physics and ultracold atomic systems. Some of the focus areas of the project include classical and quantum simulations of many-body systems (in particular, matrix product states and tensor network methods), quantum ergodicity and its violations (e.g. quantum scars and many-body localisation), as well as topological phases of matter. The job will involve collaborations within the group, e.g., with the group of Prof Pachos, as well as with our international collaborators. You will have a PhD (or you will have submitted your thesis prior to taking up the appointment) in many-body quantum systems, broadly defined. You will also have experience in modelling, analysis and computational skills and evidence of contributing to papers in internationally recognised, peer-reviewed journals or evidence of publishable research in progress.

We are looking for a proactive individual to join the Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering to investigate the functional performance in bird skulls through using computational modelling to simulate skull biomechanics and kinesis.  The role is part of an BBSRC project, in collaboration with the University of Hull, which will investigate how the morphological variation between bird skulls influences their skull biomechanics.  The computational modelling required to accurately simulate kinesis in the bird skulls is extremely challenging. Therefore, this role will use a range of computational techniques to: (1) determine how the bird skull generates and transmits force via rigid-body motion and strain, using computational biomechanics; (2) validate the computational models to establish best practices for modelling bird feeding; and (3) use this knowledge to understand how variation in the skull morphology has evolved to accommodate feeding forces.

One of the key challenges for commercial fusion is a viable fuel cycle that provides a steady supply of Li-6. Li-6 can be separated from natural Li (a mixture of the Li-6 and Li-7 isotopes) using a variety of processes; one of which is solvent extraction. However, these candidate processes have only been proven at small laboratory scale and data is needed at larger scales for engineering scale up. The aim of this project is to prove that lithium can be recovered from a brine system, in the presence of a secondary ion (Mg) at scale above laboratory. This will be achieved by running extraction experiments on the 3-stage contactor rig at the University of Leeds. 

We are looking for a Research Fellow to join our project on Rationality and Reason beyond the Individual. This project aims to develop new theories of decision-making, rationality and reasoning in animals and animal groups. You will work with project leader Dr Richard Mann on the development of mathematical and computational models based on principles of rational decision-making, Bayesian inference, reinforcement learning and game theory, and collaborate with colleagues in experimental biology to integrate these with biological knowledge and experimental results. You will have a PhD in Mathematics, Statistics, Physics, Engineering or a closely aligned discipline. You will also have the ability to conduct independent research and a developing track record of publications in international journals. In addition, you will have excellent communication, planning and team working skills.

We are delighted to be recruiting two new two-year Research Fellows in Mobility Data Science to work on the cutting edge of human mobility analysis. The Research Fellows will use large-scale mobility data, in combination with machine learning and statistical measures, to answer critical questions about the nature of mobility behaviour and its role within wider social and spatial systems.  The Research Fellows we recruit will work closely with each other, and join an active, ambitious, and interdisciplinary research group of other Fellows and PhD students, all working on mobility challenges at different scales and contexts. Our recent research has explored how mobility data and models can derive new insights into health, sustainability, human cognition, inequalities, and economic activity. While there are commonalities in the requirements and approaches required of the two posts, they relate to and will have responsibility for one of two distinct projects.

The University of Leeds is looking for an interdisciplinary researcher to join our growing team on circular economy for wind turbines. This position is part of the EU-funded demonstration project EOLO-HUBs, primarily aiming to develop innovative technologies to recycle glass and carbon fibre from wind turbine blades. The University of Leeds is leading a work package to facilitate circular business model innovation for the sustainable exploitation of wind turbine blade recycling solutions, supported by a context sensitive decision-making framework. In collaboration with a team of international researchers, you will carry out regional case studies across Europe. Each case study will analyse regional contexts and connects this to the selection of circular economy strategies for wind turbines and the co-production of accompanying circular business models. You will use the research results to prepare a decision-making framework which will offer practical guidance to regional stakeholders wishing to develop a circular economy for wind energy.

We are seeking to appoint a Research Fellow in Data Science to join our world leading team in the Academic Unit for Ageing & Stroke Research (ASR), Leeds Institute of Health Sciences, located at the Bradford Institute for Health Research. The ASR is a long-established applied health research centre with an international reputation for research related to older people and stroke. As the University of Leeds host Unit for Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) North, the ASR is recognised as a UK and international leader in Health Data Research relating to older people. Influential recent health data research work has included development and national implementation of the multi-award-winning electronic frailty index (eFI), alongside prognostic prediction modelling work, and medicines optimisation. ASR research outputs have generated major impact through direct influence on UK healthcare policy, are cited in clinical guidelines worldwide, and have led to international changes in practice for the identification and management of older people living with frailty. The successful applicant will join this established team of mixed-methods researchers. 

We are recruiting a Senior Research Fellow to work on the ‘My First 1000 Days’ project, a project aimed at improving the long-term development and life chances of children born into some of Britain’s most disadvantaged communities. Funded by a substantial donation from an individual donor, the project will harness expertise from research groups across the University and work with a range of regional and international partners. This project has differing workstreams that represent a holistic approach to the crucial first 1000 days of a child’s life. The project will determine the feasibility of implementing group care with new mothers /fathers/ caregivers and their 0–2-year-olds in Leeds. It is anticipated that the project outcomes will influence and inform national policy, especially around how supporting early parenting can impact language and cognitive development, healthy behaviours, and support the flourishing of disabled children. You will be responsible for the My First 1000 Days research activities which will include conducting a situational analysis, setting up and implementing a feasibility study, and undertaking qualitative and/or quantitative evaluations.

As part of an exciting collaboration between the University of Leeds, Imperial College London, the British Geological Survey and industrial partners from all along the supply chain, you will evaluate cementitious materials produced with UK activated clays. You will determine the existing correlations between the properties of the starting raw clays, and the effect of different activation processes (e.g., calcination and/or grinding) on their chemical reactivity. You will elucidate how activated UK clays influence the microstructural features of reaction products formed in blended cements produced with them. This will be achieved by applying analytical materials characterisation techniques such as X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and others.   Holding a first degree and doctoral degree (or close to completion) in Materials or Civil Engineering, Geology, Environmental Science or a closely allied discipline, you will have a strong background in cementitious materials chemistry, experience in characterisation of Portland and/or non-Portland cements, and a good understanding of the interrelationships between the chemistry of the cements evaluated, phase assemblage and pore structure development. You will have excellent interpersonal skills and be willing to collaborate with a vibrant and dynamic team of researchers across different Schools at the University of Leeds, and different partner Universities within the UK. Experience in concrete technology, particularly concrete durability assessment, would also be welcome. The successful applicant will conduct the research in the UKCIRC National Centre for Infrastructure Materials at the University of Leeds. 

We are looking for an outstanding candidate to join the Patient Centred Outcomes Research (PCOR) group. PCOR is internationally recognised for delivering patient focussed studies which focus on:

The University of Leeds invites applications for a 2-year postdoctoral position in planet formation, working with Dr Richard Booth on a Royal Society funded project into planet formation. You will conduct original research into the formation or evolution of planets. The focus will be to understand how planet formation processes and chemistry interact, how this affects the composition of planets, and the discs that they form in. Holding a PhD (or have submitted your thesis prior to taking up the role) in astrophysics or a related disciple, you will have experience in the simulation of protoplanetary discs or planet formation, and a developing track record of peer-reviewed publications in international journals.

Working in partnership with the BBC and Channel 4, What’s on? will analyse the production, consumption, and reception of two case study dramas. In doing so, it connects questions of who produces, what is made, and how class is represented and understood. Led by Professor Beth Johnson (PI, Leeds), Professor Dave O’Brien (Co-I, Manchester) and Dr Laura Minor (Co-I, Salford), the project is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. What’s on? is an interdisciplinary research project which investigates intersectional class inequalities in the UK TV industry, to address academic and public concerns. The research is situated between academic, policy, and industry, combining industry-focused research techniques investigating inequality in cultural and creative industries, with cultural and media studies approaches to media production, texts, representations and audiences.  Based at the University of Leeds, you will be working with the project team in an open and collaborative environment, supportive of your academic and career development. You will undertake fieldwork interviews and ethnographic research of television production; close analysis of television texts; support audience focus groups; conduct policy research; and lead on impact activities. You will contribute intellectually to the development of the project, co-produce research outputs, and help coordinate research and knowledge-exchange events.

This post provides statistical modelling expertise for various projects within the Leeds Institute for Health Sciences, primarily the large NIHR-funded project FUSED. The FUsED project aims to improve services for people who attend Accident and Emergency Departments on a so-called frequent basis. As part of the programme , the plan is to use large data from Hospital Episode Statistics and the CURE database, a dataset of emergency contacts in the Yorkshire and Humber Region to better understand patterns of frequent attendance at emergency services and  predictors of frequent attendance, followed by an evaluation of current services for frequent attenders using time series analyses. The project is large (consisting of the Universities of Leeds, Sheffield and York), cross-disciplinary (clinicians, computer scientists, statisticians, health economists, qualitative researchers), and is funded by the National Institute for Health Research.

As a collaborator in the AHRC’s £3.1 million investment in cultural heritage research, the School of Performance and Cultural Industries is looking to recruit an enthusiastic and motivated individual with disciplinary expertise in cultural heritage and a passion for shaping UK policy. With the ability to collaborate effectively in large projects and synthesise disparate information into a useful, coherent structure, you will be part of a multi-disciplinary project across four institutions, aiming to develop a taxonomy of stocks and flows of cultural heritage value that will inform policymakers for years to come. Based at the University of Leeds and working closely with the Centre for Cultural Value, you will be a core member of a dynamic research-industry team and supervised by Dr Hugh Brown. Key project collaborators include Historic England, the University of Liverpool, and the University of Glasgow. The project is funded for 2.5 years and aims to develop and validate a taxonomy of cultural and heritage capital services, stocks and flows.

(18) Postdoctoral Fellowship Position

Postdoc Fellowship Position summary/title: Research Fellow in Planetary Atmospheres

Deadline :  22 November 2023

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We are looking for an outstanding Research Fellow to join a research project based in the group of Professor Fiona Meldrum in the School of Chemistry. The project is part of a £5.6M EPSRC Programme Grant that brings together a team of researchers including three experimental groups and five modelling groups from UCL and the universities of Leeds, Sheffield, and Warwick. The overall goal of the consortium is to develop new ways to control crystallization by combining cutting-edge experiment and modelling to understand the mechanisms that determine how inorganic crystals nucleate and grow. There are multiple opportunities to collaborate, take part in network events and undertake research placements. The position at Leeds will focus on strategies for controlling nucleation and crystal growth in the real world, where you will focus on the influence of graphene nanomaterials on crystallisation.

We are seeking to appoint a Research Fellow in biological applications of theoretical physics and mathematics, funded under the UKRI ‘Building Collaboration in the Physics of Life’ scheme. The project, “A fresh look at visual sampling: (PhysFEM) How are fixational eye-movements optimised?” is in collaboration with Oxford University Department of Experimental Psychology and US collaborators. The project brings theoretical and numerical modelling (Leeds) together with advanced adaptive-optics retinal imaging, positional measurement and stimulation, and computation (Oxford) to explore the hypothesis that fixational eye-movements (FEMs) are optimised to tasks. You will work with Prof. Daniel Read to develop analytical and numerical models of the trajectories of fixational eye movements (FEMs), exploring their influence on biological visual processing, and investigating the characteristics of FEM paths that are most optimal and useful to the observer under a range of assumptions and constraints. Working closely with the experimental team of Prof. Hannah Smithson at the University of Oxford, who measure fine-scale eye movements with an advanced Adaptive Optics Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope (AO-SLO), you will be part of a core collaborative team, evaluating predictions from models against experiments. You will also work closely with a computational Research Fellow at Oxford and with Prof. David Brainard’s group at the University of Pennsylvania to transfer your new modelling capacity into the public domain via the ISETBio human vision modelling tool.