Research Assistant / Associate
Job number: NAT02301
Faculties: Faculty of Natural Sciences
Departments: Department of Physics
Salary or Salary range: £50,733 - £59,484 per annum
Location/campus: South Kensington Campus - On site only
Contract type work pattern: Full time - Fixed term
Posting End Date: 29 Nov 2026
About the role
The post arises from a collaboration funded by the ERC Advanced grant “Light interaction with synthetically moving metamaterials - LUMINOUS” and the UKRI Programme Grant “Next Generation Metamaterials: exploiting four dimensions – META4D” with the objective of advancing our understanding of temporal metamaterials and materials with synthetic motion. The successful applicant will be expected to work with Professor Riccardo Sapienza in London and our experimental collaborators to develop experiments in the field of metamaterials and perform advanced temporal spectroscopy of dispersive time-varying metamaterials.
You will carry out research programmes in photonic metamaterials, nanophotonics, ultrafast spectroscopy and time-resolved measurements, undertake project management and/or supervise multi-disciplinary teams. We are looking for expertise in experimental spectroscopy and in particular time-resolved measurement of ultrafast light.
What you would be doing
This role is mostly experimental with some theory aspects. You will design and implement advanced time-resolved experiments involving home-built ultrafast laser spectroscopy, and will manage a 10 fs laser setup and generate structural light from it.
You will work collaboratively within the team at Imperial College.
What we are looking for
You will hold a PhD in Physics (or a closely related quantitative discipline) and have an outstanding record of research achievement. We are particularly interested in candidates with exceptional experimental skills, demonstrated through the development of novel time-resolved measurements with fs resolution, advanced data-analysis methodologies, and experience with time-varying metamaterials.
The ideal candidate will be intellectually ambitious, highly self-motivated and excited by the prospect of working at the boundary between metamaterials and ultrafast laser physics.
What we can offer you
- The opportunity to contribute to a pioneering research programme aimed at establishing synthetic motion as a new paradigm for spatio-temporal metamaterials.
- Collaboration within a multidisciplinary team involving experimental and theoretical physicists.
- Involvement in publications, conference presentations and future grant applications.
- The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution and contribute to our mission of “Science for Humanity”.
- Access to Imperial’s sector-leading career support for researchers, as well as opportunities for promotion and progression.
- A sector-leading salary and remuneration package, including 43 days’ leave per year and generous pension schemes.
- A diverse, inclusive and collaborative working culture, with staff networks and resources to support your personal and professional wellbeing.
Further information
This is a full-time (35 hours per week), fixed-term role based at our South Kensington Campus.
If you require further details about the role, please contact:
Professor Riccardo Sapienza – r.sapienza@imperial.ac.uk
Please note that job descriptions are not exhaustive, and you may be asked to take on additional duties that align with the key responsibilities mentioned above.
We reserve the right to close the advert before the stated closing date, should we receive a high volume of applications. Please submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
If you have any general queries about this vacancy, please contact the hiring manager listed in the ‘Further Information’ section. Alternatively, you can contact the Recruitment Hub at recruitmenthub@imperial.ac.uk, and we will be happy to assist you.
If you experience any technical issues that prevent you from submitting an application, please contact our Technical Support team at support.jobs@imperial.ac.uk, who will be able to help resolve the issue.
About Imperial
Welcome to Imperial, a global top-ten university where scientific imagination leads to world-changing impact.
Join us and be part of something bigger. From global health to climate change, AI to business leadership, here at Imperial we navigate some of the world’s toughest challenges. Whatever your role, your contribution will have a lasting impact.
As a member of our vibrant community of 22,000 students and 8,000 staff, you’ll collaborate with passionate minds across nine London campuses and a global network.
This is your chance to help shape the future. We hope you’ll join us at Imperial College London.
Our Culture
We work towards equality of opportunity, eliminating discrimination, and creating an inclusive working environment for all. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries, and are committed to employing a team that has diverse skills, experiences and abilities. You can read more about our commitment on our web pages.
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Our values are at the root of everything we do, and everyone in our community is expected to demonstrate respect, collaboration, excellence, integrity, and innovation.
