Associate Professorship in Particle Theory

Associate Professorship in Particle Theory

University of Oxford - Department of Physics

Oxford, United Kingdom

GBP 57,986 - 77,366 per year

Overview of the post

The post-holder will be a leading researcher in particle theory, specifically in one of the following areas, or in the intersection of those areas: 1) beyond-the-standard model physics in relation to astrophysics, cosmology and particle colliders and 2) formal quantum field theory, for example in relation to holography, scattering amplitudes, conformal field theories and numerical approaches. The post provides an opportunity to build up a world-leading research programme in one of the above research areas, within the vibrant communities at Oxford physics and the Rudolf-Peierls-Centre for Theoretical Physics.

The post-holder will contribute to departmental teaching, both at undergraduate and at graduate level and participate in departmental administration.

The successful applicant will hold a doctorate in the area of particle theory and will have an established track record of high-quality, internationally recognised research in one of the areas mentioned above. They will join the Rudolf-Peierls-Centre for Theoretical Physics at the University of Oxford and be a member of the centre’s particle theory group.

The role of Associate Professor at Oxford

We would expect the post-holder to spend, on average, approximately 10-30% of their time on teaching, 50-70% on research and 10-20% on administrative and pastoral responsibilities, noting that the relative fraction may vary within these ranges during their time in Oxford.

Duties of the post

The Associate Professor will develop a world-leading research program in theoretical particle physics, teach at undergraduate and graduate level, and participate in departmental administration. On behalf of the College they will have responsibility for admission, teaching and support of students reading degrees in Physics. They will participate in the governance of the College, as a Trustee of the College as a Charity.

The successful candidate will hold a doctorate in physics, in the area of particle theory, and will have a proven record of internationally leading research. The candidate will be an be an excellent educator who creates an inclusive learning environment and engages constructively with all students and colleagues.

The main University duties of the post are as follows:

Research:

• Establish/maintain your own research group in the field of particle theory fostering a collaborative and supportive research environment for people from different backgrounds;
• Develop and submit competitive grant proposals to support your own research and contribute to the growth of distinctive areas of expertise in the Department and the wider University;
• Maintain a successful publication record (appropriate to the stage of career, and accounting for career breaks) and disseminate your group’s research through participation in international conferences and seminars, and other media.

Teaching and Supervision:

• Contribute to the ongoing development, improvement of the undergraduate curriculum within the department; deliver lectures; supervise 4th-year undergraduate and doctoral students, and participate in examining, marking and assessment as appropriate.

General duties:

• Demonstrate respect, courtesy and consideration in all interactions with members of the University community; undertake training as and when asked to do so;
• Ensure all lab, field and office work is undertaken safely;
• Engage constructively with the Department and play an active role in its administration and governance.

College duties:

• Have shared tutorial responsibility for the organisation and teaching of Physics within the College and teach undergraduates through tutorials of six weighted hours per week averaged over three eight-week terms in physics. Tutorial teaching is teaching in very small groups, usually of 2 or 3 students:
  • Coordinate, set and mark College termly exams (Collections), monitor student progress, and write termly reports on students’ work, and organise, where necessary, teaching by specialist colleagues in other colleges;
  • The colleges operate a ‘weighted hours’ scheme, under which a one-to-one tutorial counts as one stint hour, a two-person tutorial as 1.25 hours; a three-person as 1.5 hours. Tutorials consist of an hour of academic discussion between tutor and students, and tutors are expected to mark written work as part of each tutorial.
• Take responsibility for the pastoral care of students studying physics within the College (alongside the College Welfare Team) and to act as Graduate Advisor to a small number of graduate students at the College;
• To participate in the governance of the College, as a Trustee of the College (an educational charity), and to undertake a reasonable share of College administrative duties including attendance at Governing Body (three meetings per term) and to take an appropriate share in other committee and administrative work. Also contribute to the intellectual life and academic activities of the College;
• Participate in the annual admissions process for the selection of undergraduates who wish to read Physics at the College

Selection criteria

Applications will be judged only against the criteria which are set out below, so you should make sure that you show very clearly how your skills and experience meet these criteria.

Qualifications and Research:

• Essential: A doctorate in particle theory;
• Essential: An excellent internationally recognised academic and research record within the field of particle theory, specifically in the areas of beyond-the-standard-model physics or formal quantum field theory;
• Essential: A publication record that demonstrates impact within the field appropriate to your career stage, and accounting for career breaks or personal circumstances;
• Essential: The ability to develop an independent programme of research and attract and manage research funding.

Teaching:

• Essential: Demonstrable ability for teaching and inspiring students to achieve their full academic potential; evidence of teaching need not be to undergraduate students;
• Essential: Experience of teaching, commensurate with the candidate’s career stage.

Personal effectiveness:

• Essential: The ability to support and guide a research group of post-doctoral staff and research students and help them to develop into successful independent researchers;
• Essential: The interpersonal skills to work well with colleagues across the university;
• Essential: Good citizenship and a willingness to undertake administrative duties (within reason) to support the smooth running of the Department and the College;
• Desirable: Achievement of impact of research beyond academia and a readiness to communicate to a wider public the central interest and importance of the field.