We are looking to appoint a Postdoctoral Research Associate (PDRA) to play a major role in the EPSRC-funded project ‘Non-equilibrium electron-ion dynamics in thin metal-oxide films’ (ref: EP/K003151/1).

The project aims to employ first principles theoretical modelling to understand the properties and behaviour of metal-oxide materials with relevance to technological applications in oxide-based electronic devices such as resistive switching memories. Your role will be to employ density functional theory to model the behaviour of oxygen deficient oxide materials and their transformation under the application of external electric fields. Collaboration with experimental colleagues in the department and with project partners at institutions in Europe, Japan and the US, will be actively encouraged in this project.

The position is available within the McKenna Materials Modelling Group based in the Department of Physics at the University of York (http://www-users.york.ac.uk/~km816). The Department of Physics provides an ideal environment for this type of research, with a number of groups focussed on developing and applying computational quantum mechanical methods for materials simulation. The research is also supported by significant high-performance computing resources, including access to the UK’s national supercomputer Archer (http://www.archer.ac.uk/).

You should have (or be close to obtaining) a PhD in Physics, Chemistry or Materials Science and have a track record of peer-reviewed publications in high quality journals. A good understanding of condensed matter physics and quantum mechanics, and excellent communications skills are essential. Applicants with relevant practical experience of programming and/or first principles simulation methods are particularly encouraged to apply.

Informal email enquiries may be made to Dr. Keith McKenna (email: [email protected]).

The post is available for a fixed-term period of 22 months in the first instance with the possibility of extension subject to availability of funding.