Job Description

Position Details

School of Physics and Astronomy

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £36,636 to £46,049 with potential progression once in post to £48,822

Grade: 7

Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to 3 years

Closing date: 14th July 2026

Background

Applications are invited to join the Sun, Stars and Exoplanets research group in the School of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Birmingham, to work with Professor Bill Chaplin on using asteroseismology to probe magnetic activity in solar-type stars. This is a fixed-term, full-time position for up to three years, with an earliest possible start date of October 2026.

Asteroseismology can provide key inferences on magnetic activity in solar-type stars through the impact that changing magnetic fields have on their solar-like oscillations. In this project, sensitive asteroseismic diagnostics will be applied to photometric data from the NASA Kepler and TESS missions, and the soon-to-be-launched ESA PLATO mission, to provide novel constraints on the morphology of the near-surface activity, including the latitudinal distribution of active regions and the balance of dark spots and bright faculae on the surfaces of the stars. Helioseismology has provided a wealth of data on the Sun’s magnetic activity. The work will also utilise Sun-as-a-star helioseismic data spanning multiple solar cycles (e.g., from our own global BiSON network of telescopes) to help develop, test and benchmark analysis techniques for application to the stellar data.

The successful candidate will join the vibrant Sun, Stars, and Exoplanets group, and have plenty of opportunity for collaboration with international colleagues. The group currently comprises five permanent faculty, more than ten postdoctoral and technical staff, and around ten PhD students. Its research spans the domains of helio- and asteroseismology, and exoplanets. In addition to running BiSON, members of the group have leadership roles and responsibilities in SPECULOOS, ASTEP, HARPS-N and HARPS3, and are responsible for developing parts of the asteroseismic pipeline for PLATO.

Research Environment

The School of Physics and Astronomy is a world-leading physics department, excelling in both research and teaching. Our physics research was ranked top in the UK for 4-star-category research, and 4th by GPA, by the Research Excellence Framework 2021. The School has a wideranging research portfolio that covers three principal themes: Astronomy and Experimental Gravity; Particle and Nuclear Physics; and Quantum Matter. It has over 130 academic and research staff together with around 130 graduate students with around 50 technical and clerical support staff.

The School is an Institute of Physics Juno Champion since 2014 and holder of the Athena SWAN Silver Award. Both initiatives recognise a commitment to promote diversity and equality, and to encourage better practice for all members of the community, supporting an equitable working culture in which all members can achieve their full potential. We welcome applications from all qualified applicants, but applications from traditionally under-represented groups in physics and astronomy, such as women and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates, are particularly encouraged.

Applications

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;
• Contact details of at least two referees.

• Work within specified research grants and projects and contribute to writing bids
• Operate within area of specialism
• Analyse and interpret research findings and results
• Contribute to generating funding
• Contribute to licensing or spin out deals with demonstrated commercial success (such as revenues, asset or company sales, IP generated) and/or public understanding of the discipline or similar

Main Duties

The responsibilities may include some but not all of the responsibilities outlined below.

• Develop research objectives and proposals for own or joint research, with assistance of a mentor if required
• Contribute to writing bids for research funding
• Analyse and interpret data
• Apply knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding
• Disseminate research findings for publication, research seminars etc
• Supervise students on research related work and provide guidance to PhD students where appropriate to the discipline
• Contribute to developing new models, techniques and methods
• Undertake management/administration arising from research
• Contribute to Departmental/School research-related activities and research-related administration
• Contribute to enterprise, business development and/or public engagement activities of manifest benefit to the College and the University, often under supervision of a project leader
• Collect research data; this may be through a variety of research methods, such as scientific experimentation, literature reviews, and research interviews
• Present research outputs, including drafting academic publications or parts thereof, for example at seminars and as posters
• Provide guidance, as required, to support staff and any students who may be assisting with the research
• Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines
• Fosters a fair and equitable workplace for all staff
• Identify and respond to equality and diversity issues in line with relevant university policies and procedures
• Other relevant criteria from our equality and diversity duties document.

Person Specification

• A PhD in astrophysics/astronomy
• Experience in data-driven or computational astrophysics; prior experience in the fields of asteroseismology or helioseismology would be beneficial
• Programming experience relevant to scientific research; experience of timeseries analysis would be desirable
• A track record of research outputs appropriate to career stage
• High level analytical capability
• Ability to communicate complex information clearly
• Fluency in relevant models, techniques or methods and ability to contribute to developing new ones
• Ability to assess resource requirements and use resources effectively
• Understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes
• Contribute to the planning and organising of the research programme and/or specific research project
• Co-ordinate own work with others to avoid conflict or duplication of effort
• Knowledge of the protected characteristics and duties under the Equality Act 2010. Including fostering good relations and advancing the universities Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED)
• Other relevant criteria from our equality and diversity knowledge, skills and experience document.

Informal enquiries to William Chaplin, email: w.j.chaplin@bham.ac.uk

Use of AI in applications: We want to understand your genuine interest in the role and for the written elements of your application to accurately reflect your own communication style. Applications that rely too heavily on AI tools can appear generic and lack the detail we need to assess your skills and experience. Such applications will unlikely be progressed to interview.

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website