Ultracold Atom News

The NZ Institute of Advanced Studies at Massey University is seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow in Theoretical and Computational Condensed-Matter Physics to join our team. This position is a full-time fixed term opportunity based on Massey’s Auckland campus.

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About the role

Odd-frequency superfluidity is a theoretically proposed but as yet elusive phenomenon. Rooted in the concept that fermions pair in time rather than space to develop superfluid or superconducting properties, it may either endow a conventional superfluid with novel properties or provide an unconventional pathway to superfluidity. Deep theoretical questions about the existence and stability of odd-frequency superfluids are still open and so far, only indirect and incomplete experimental evidence for the phenomenon is available in electronic materials.

The postdoctoral fellow will examine existing and develop new quantum many-body models that show odd-frequency fermionic pairing correlations. A particular emphasis is on models that could be realised in experiments with ultra-cold atoms. Your main workhorse for the examination of the models will be quantum Monte Carlo simulations and you will contribute to developing the open-source codebase Rimu.jl, but other theoretical and numerical methods may be employed as well.

The position is funded by the Marsden Fund of New Zealand through the research project “Unveiling hidden order in ultracold matter: The case of odd-frequency superfluidity”. The postdoctoral fellow will collaborate closely with the project leader Professor Joachim Brand and an international team of experts in condensed-matter theory, Monte Carlo simulations, and ultracold-atom experiments. You will have the opportunity to help supervise a PhD student funded through the same project.

The postdoctoral fellow will become a member of Te Whai Ao – Dodd-Walls Centre for Photonics and Quantum Technology, a national Centre of Research Excellence, and will enjoy access to the facilities and programmes of the Centre. Based at the New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study at Massey University’s Auckland campus, the postdoctoral fellow will further interact with a lively community of ultra-cold atom researchers in New Zealand and Australia. The postdoctoral fellow will have access to high-performance computing facilities at Massey University and the national facilities of REANNZ.

Applicants should have a PhD in theoretical or computational condensed-matter physics or a related field and publications in high-quality peer-reviewed journals. Previous experience with quantum many-body theory and the theory of ultra-cold atomic gases, as well as quantum Monte Carlo or general computational methods of theoretical physics will be a plus. Experience and competency with scientific coding and high-performance computing is expected, preferably in the computer language Julia.

Ko ngā hua o te tūranga? | What’s in it for you?

You’ll join a collaborative, international team of researchers including collaborators based in Wellington (NZ), the US, and Germany. Based on Massey University’s beautiful Auckland campus, you’ll enjoy a supportive local work environment with a healthy work-life balance and access to campus cafes, gym facilities, and green spaces. In addition, you’ll have opportunities to travel internationally and visit the collaborators and present at international conferences. You will further be a member of Te Whai Ao – Dodd Walls Centre for Photonic and Quantum Technologies, and participate in their activities.

You will also receive up to 6.75% employer contribution to the UniSaver Superannuation Scheme, five university holidays each year in addition to annual leave and a subsidised Southern Cross Healthcare plan for you and your whānau.

The salary will depend on experience but will be in the range of NZ$86,113 - NZ$89,088.

Term of Contract: Fixed Term of 2 Years.

Further enquiries should be directed to the project leader, Professor Joachim Brand – email j.brand@massey.ac.nz.