Postdoctoral Research Assistant in Hydrodynamics for Fusion Science

**Postdoctoral Research Assistant in Hydrodynamics for Fusion Science **





Grade 7: £36,024 - £44,263 per annum





The Impact and Shock Mechanics Laboratory (ISML) is seeking a highly motivated
and innovative scientist to develop and lead a new project as a postdoctoral
researcher through a Prosperity Partnership on Inertial Fusion Energy,
sponsored by UKRI and First Light Fusion, and in collaboration with Imperial
College London, Oxford Physics, and University of York. The ability to think
outside the box with creativity, along with having the drive and ambition to
develop those ideas in a highly experimental laboratory is what we value in
our colleagues. This post is available for 24 months.





You will be working at the cross-section of impact engineering, shock physics,
and fusion science, contributing to both in-house and offsite experiments to
study the properties and behaviour of materials subjected to extreme
conditions through hypervelocity impact. You will design, coordinate,
instrument, and carry out novel experiments at 4th generation light sources
(e.g. ESRF-EBS, EuXFEL), exploiting capabilities for ultrafast subsurface
probing to tease out new information on hydrodynamics and heat transport in
structured targets. The right candidate will also have the freedom to explore
alternative and novel probing strategies, exercising their knowledge and skill
to enhance the type and level of detail extracted from these high-value
experiments.





As part of your role, you will have the opportunity to engage across the wider
Partnership, accessing expertise in engineering, plasma physics, pulsed power,
numerical modelling, and data science (ML), for example, across both academia
and industry. You will also be asked to provide guidance to less experienced
members of the research group, including postdocs, research assistants,
technicians and DPhil and project students, as well as represent the PI and
ISML when required.





You will hold a PhD (or be close to completion) in a relevant subject area.
You will possess a combination of scientific and technical skills that can
help develop next generation technologies within the infrastructure
constraints we have access to or can be realistically built up. You will have
exceptional initiative and the ability to work independently at the highest
level, including a demonstrable ability to complete projects and manage your
own area of academic research.





You will help ensure a healthy and vibrant research environment within the
Impact and Shock Mechanics Laboratory. This will involve leading, devising,
coordinating and supervising research in this area, as well as engaging in
collaborative activities across the Partnership. You will be supported and
encouraged to attract further funding to underpin and complement the research,
and will also be involved in the administrative activities of the Group and
Department.





Informal enquiries may be addressed to Prof Daniel Eakins
(daniel.eakins@eng.ox.ac.uk).





For more information about working at the Department, see



www.eng.ox.ac.uk/about/work-with-us/





Only online applications received before midday on **November 3, 2023** can be
considered. You will be required to upload a covering letter/supporting
statement, including a brief statement of research interests (describing how
past experience and future plans fit with the advertised position), CV and the
details of two referees as part of your online application.





The Department holds an Athena Swan Bronze award, highlighting its commitment
to promoting women in Science, Engineering and Technology.





Keywords Shock, Hydrodynamics, X-rays, Fusion, Experimentation