Fibre and Communication Group

Location: Highfield Campus
Salary: £34,980 to £42,978 per annum
Full Time Fixed Term (2 Years)
Closing Date: Wednesday 21 August 2024
Reference: 2807124PN

Research Fellow – Advanced Beam Shaping for Fibre Lasers

Fibre & Systems Group

Optoelectronics Research Centre

A Research Fellow position is available for a highly motivated and talented researcher with a strong interest in optical fibre technology to work on the UK’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) funded Programme Grant, HiPPo (Smart Fibre optic High-power Photonics), and will involve collaboration with a wide range of researchers at the Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC) and external academic and industrial partners. A key goal of the project is to develop advanced fibre designs and novel fibre devices for programmable spatial and polarization beam shaping to optimize the performance of fibre laser systems.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and implement various beam (and polarization) shaping techniques to enhance the performance of fibre laser systems.
• Conduct experiments and simulations to evaluate the effectiveness of beam (and polarization) shaping technologies.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate beam (and polarization) shaping technologies into the fibre laser systems.

Application Requirements:

Applicant should have a PhD* (or equivalent professional qualifications and experience) in Physics, or Engineering, along with excellent experimental skills. Knowledge and hands-on experience in fibre optics, laser physics, and numerical modelling techniques are highly beneficial for this position. Candidates must demonstrate proven skills in the critical evaluation and interpretation of data, as well as experience working as part of a collaborative research team.

The initial appointment will be for two years with the potential for further extension beyond this.

The University of Southampton is one of the top 100 universities worldwide and one of the UK’s Russell Group research-intensive universities. We believe equality, diversity and inclusion are fundamental to making the University of Southampton a welcoming, vibrant and successful organisation. Having a diverse workforce, inclusive of people of all ages and beliefs, from different racial, educational and social backgrounds opens up a wealth of possibilities, makes us more creative and accelerates our impact on society. We welcome applicants who value the diversity of our community and are willing to play their part in supporting the mission of inclusivity. We give full consideration to applicants who wish to work flexibly, including part-time, and due consideration will be given to applicants who have taken a career break. The University has a generous maternity policy**, and onsite childcare facilities. 

 *Applications for Research Fellow positions will be considered also from candidates who are working towards or nearing completion of a relevant PhD qualification. The title of Research Fellow will be applied upon successful completion of the PhD. Prior to the qualification being awarded the title of Senior Research Assistant will be given.