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Our culture empowers people to achieve this aim and to collectively and individually make a real difference.
The role
We are seeking an enthusiastic and creative postdoctoral researcher to join a 3-year STFC-funded project exploring one of the central questions in astrophysics: what is dark matter made of? The project, Stellar streams as seismometers for dark matter subhaloes, is led by Dr Denis Erkal alongside Dr Eugene Vasiliev.
During this project, data from Gaia, LSST, WEAVE, 4MOST, and S5 will provide the richest dataset to date for studying perturbations to stellar streams. The successful candidate will work on multiple facets of this problem. First, they will explore how perturbations to streams develop from a variety of baryonic effects. This catalogue of perturbed streams will be used to test how well subhaloes can be inferred, and which streams in the Milky Way are the cleanest detectors. Second, working with collaborators to exploit upcoming datasets, we will identify the most promising streams with perturbation signatures and fit these. For these fits, we will explore the speed up from using GPUs as well as machine learning techniques, e.g. simulation-based inference. Finally, we will use similar techniques to make a statistical inference of the population of subhaloes by reproducing the stream's statistical properties.
The role will involve:
building a census of simulated streams with a variety of perturbations;
comparing CPU and GPU codes for generating and perturbing streams;
using likelihood-based and simulation-based inference techniques for exploring subhalo properties;
measuring the properties of subhaloes in the Milky Way;
publishing results in leading journals and presenting the work at national and international meetings;
contributing to the S5, LSST, WEAVE, and 4MOST collaborations where appropriate;
contributing to the wider research culture of the Astrophysics Research Group at Surrey.
The successful candidate will be encouraged to develop their own research ideas within the broad themes of the project and to build an independent research profile.
This is a fixed-term, full-time position until 30/09/2029, and is planned to start in October 2026.
About you
You will have:
a PhD in astrophysics, physics or a closely related discipline;
experience with research in Galactic Dynamics;
programming experience relevant to scientific research;
the ability to communicate research clearly through written work, presentations and collaboration;
a track record of research outputs appropriate to your career stage;
the ability to work both independently and as part of a collaborative research team.
We recognise that candidates come from a range of research backgrounds. We are looking for candidates with strong quantitative and computational skills who are excited to develop expertise in stellar streams as part of the project.
How to apply
Applications should be submitted online via the University of Surrey jobs portal. Please include:
a CV, including a list of publications;
a cover letter explaining your interest in the role and how your experience fits the project.
Interviews are expected to take place in early August and will be online.
Further details
For more information and to apply online, please download the further details and click on the 'apply online' button.
In return we offer a generous pension, relocation assistance where appropriate , flexible working options including job and blended home/campus working locations (dependent on work duties), access to world-class leisure facilities on campus, a range of travel schemes and supportive family friendly benefits including an excellent on-site nursery.
The University of Surrey is committed to providing an inclusive environment that offers equal opportunities for all. We place great value on diversity and are seeking to increase the diversity within our community. Therefore we particularly encourage applications from under-represented groups, such as people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups and people with disabilities.
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Job Details
Department
Physics
Location
Guildford
Salary
£37,694 to £41,064 per annum
Fixed Term until 30/09/2029
Post Type
Full Time
Closing Date
23.59 hours BST on Thursday 30 July 2026
Reference
031626
