04 Postdoctoral Fellowship at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

The Quantum Photonics Laboratory at Heriot-Watt University (HWU) is engaged in research covering solid-state photonics, engineering coherent light-matter interaction using quantum structures and devices, and exploiting such devices for quantum technologies. The group consists of about 25 members, including five academics: Prof Margherita Mazzera, Prof Cristian Bonato, Prof Brian Gerardot, Dr Mauro Brotons i Gisbert, Samer Kurdi and Dr Christian Bekker. The quantum photonic platforms used within the group includes rare-earth doped crystals, defects in wide band-gap materials such as SiC or diamond, two-dimensional materials ‘beyond graphene’, quantum dots in III-V semiconductors. 

The group has well-equipped laboratories for quantum optics and high-resolution laser spectroscopy of quantum emitters at room and cryogenic temperatures, radio-frequency control of electronic/nuclear spins as well the facilities for fabrication of novel optoelectronic / quantum photonic devices.  

The group is affiliated to the Institute of Photonics and Quantum Science (IPaQS), which is one of the UK’s largest photonics-oriented research institutes. IPaQS has a strong culture of collaborative research, which is built on the regular exchange of ideas between our experimental and theory groups. We are a tight-knit community of academics that support each other’s career development. 

We have a strong commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, and hold regular events that celebrate our diversity and raise awareness about issues affecting the IPaQS community. We boast world-class research facilities, including a 275m² cleanroom and 2175m² of high specification optics and laser laboratories, providing the infrastructure needed to conduct internationally leading research in photonics and quantum sciences. The UK Research and Excellence Framework (REF2021) saw Heriot-Watt Physics ranked first in Scotland and 4th in the UK for world-leading research. 

IPaQS is part of the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences (EPS) at Heriot-Watt. The University and EPS hold an Institutional and School-level Athena Swan Bronze Award, recognising excellence in championing the advancement of the careers of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. We offer a range of family-friendly and inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements, staff engagement forums, campus facilities and services to support staff from different backgrounds. Our staff hail from many countries around the world and we pride ourselves as being a welcoming and inclusive place to work.   

Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Research Associate position in theoretical physics at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. The position is available from 1st September 2026 for a 2-year, full-time contract, with a potential third year extension subject to the availability of funding. You will join the research group of Matthew Walters, which studies quantum field theory, conformal bootstrap, holography, and related topics (for examples of past work, see https://inspirehep.net/authors/1259636). 

Possible projects include the computation of nonperturbative scattering amplitudes, the study of thermalization and chaotic behaviour in quantum field theories, and the derivation of universal constraints on higher-dimensional theories of quantum gravity from the perspective of conformal field theories, though you will also be encouraged to develop and pursue your own research directions. 

You will also be part of the Edinburgh Mathematical Physics Group, a joint research collaboration between Heriot-Watt University and the University of Edinburgh. The EMPG consists of twenty faculty members and multiple postdoctoral researchers and PhD students, pursuing research in many aspects of field theory, string theory, and integrability (for more information, see https://empg.maths.ed.ac.uk). 

Applicants should have a PhD in theoretical physics (high energy, condensed matter, mathematical physics, etc) and a track record of research excellence in quantum field theory, conformal field theory, holography, or related areas. We strongly encourage applicants from underrepresented groups or from institutions with limited resources. 

Join a cutting-edge research initiative at the forefront of quantum communications and photonic sensing. This Postdoctoral Research Associate (PDRA) position is part of the EPSRC-funded QUANTA project—Quantum commUnications over Atmospheric chaNnels aided by deTector Arrays—a collaboration between the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University.

The PDRA will lead Heriot-Watt’s technical contributions, working within a dynamic team that operates the UK’s most advanced optical ground station for quantum and free-space optical communications. You will conduct experimental research into quantum key distribution (QKD), explore the dual-use capabilities of 2D SPAD (Single-Photon Avalanche Diode) arrays, and develop novel multiplexing techniques for high-throughput secure links.