Location
University of Warwick Campus, Coventry
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Department
Physics
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Position Type
Fixed Term
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Duration
Fixed-term contract until 30th June 2028.
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Salary
£35,608 to £46,049 per annum
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About the Role
Informal Queries
For informal queries about the role, please contact Donald Evans (Senior Research Fellow) at
[email protected]
Flexible Working
We will consider applications for employment on a part-time or other flexible working basis (e.g. job share), despite the position being advertised as full-time.
We are seeking to appoint an experienced Research Fellow to undertake advanced crystallographic research on superconductors and correlated oxide materials, with a particular focus on developing a detailed structural understanding of complex, weakly ordered, and incommensurate crystalline phases.
The post will centre on the use of high precision spatially resolved single crystal X ray diffraction (XRD) to resolve subtle symmetry breaking, modulated structures, and crystallographic heterogeneity that underpin superconducting behaviour. Particular attention will be given to structural phase transitions, oxygen sublattice ordering, lattice instabilities, nanoscale structural inhomogeneity and the structural defects such as dislocations or stacking faults.
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About You
You will have a PhD in physics, materials science, chemistry, or a related discipline, with a strong background in crystallography or diffraction based structural analysis.
You will have demonstrable experience in the study of complex structural behaviour in solids, such as weak or emergent symmetry lowering, incommensurate or modulated order, crystallographic disorder, or subtle lattice distortions associated with superconducting or correlated oxide materials such as ferroelectrics. Extensive experience with X ray diffraction techniques (powder or single crystal diffraction) is essential, and experience using XRD to investigate subtle transitions or oxygen occupancy ordering is highly desirable.
Experience of synchrotron beamtime is essential. A demonstrated track record via employment at a synchrotron or large scale facility beamline—for example contributing to instrument operation, user support, or method development—is particularly welcome.
Equally important, you will bring an open, positive, and collaborative approach to research, with enthusiasm for working across experimental boundaries. You will be comfortable acting as a conduit between diffraction specialists and functional materials researchers, contributing structural insight to a wider experimental story.
For details on the experience and skills required, please refer to the
PhD Status
If you are near submission of your PhD, or have not yet had it conferred, any offers of employment will be made at Research Assistant level, at the highest spinal point of pay grade 5 (£34,610 per annum).
Upon receipt of evidence confirming the successful award of your PhD, you will be promoted to Research Fellow, at the lowest spinal point of grade 6 (£35,608 per annum).
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About the Department
Group/Team
The PDRA will occupy a bridging role between two closely interacting teams:
The X ray Diffraction team led by Prof Mark Senn, specialising in advanced crystallographic methods for resolving complex and subtle structural phenomena.
Dr Don Evans, who is part of the Functional Materials team, focused on superconductors and correlated oxides, employing in situ and nanoscale characterisation of superconductivity, including cryogenic conducting atomic force microscopy (c AFM)
The successful candidate will be expected to bring deep XRD expertise into the functional materials program, while simultaneously allowing practical insight from superconductivity measurements and in situ experiments to inform diffraction strategies and data interpretation. This two way integration is central to the role.
Department of Physics
The post will be based in the Department of Physics, a vibrant academic department with over 200 academic, research, technical and professional services staff, over 800 undergraduate students and 200 postgraduate research students.
We are proud of our diverse community of staff, students, and visitors, and are committed to maintaining excellence in both teaching and research by promoting equality of opportunity for all, within a culture of mutual respect and dignity.
We are pleased to hold an Athena SWAN Silver Award, recognising our ongoing work to advance gender equality for all staff and students. We also hold an Institute of Physics Inclusion Award in support of our commitment to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment.
Further information about working in the Department of Physics and the benefits available can be found at www.warwick.ac.uk/physics/staff/working/.
Childcare for interviews
Childcare can be provided for you at the University of Warwick Nursery (www.warwick.ac.uk/services/childrensservices/nursery) in order for you to attend the interview. Childcare is subject to availability of places at the Nursery.
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About the University
We are a world-leading research-intensive university founded in 1965. We are ranked 74th in the world and 9th in the UK.* Additionally, 92% of our research is rated world-leading or internationally excellent.**
Find out more about us at warwick.ac.uk/about/.
- World University Ranking 2026, Complete University Guide 2026
** Research Excellence Framework 2021
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How to Apply
Closing Deadline: Monday 6 July 2026 at 11:55pm (UK Time)*
To apply, please click APPLY below and submit an application form by the closing deadline.
You will be asked to include a CV and Cover Letter. These documents should:
Outline employment and education history (including your most recent employment).
Demonstrate how you meet the essential and desirable criteria in the /*generated inline style */
Right to Work in the UK
If you do not yet have the right to work in the UK and/or are seeking sponsorship for a Skilled Worker visa, please follow this link which contains further information about obtaining the right to work in the UK.
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