Research Associate Astrophysics

The Role

The School of Mathematics, Statistics and Physics (MSP) at Newcastle University are seeking to recruit a fixed-term Research Assistant/Associate in extragalactic astrophysics to join an exciting UKRI-funded research program managed by Dr Chris Harrison. The post will be hosted at Newcastle and will involve working closely with collaborators at Durham University, via Prof. Dave Alexander and his team.

The project will combine observations with predictions from hydrodynamic simulations to make significant scientific progress in understanding how Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) influence the formation and evolution of galaxies. There is a particular interest in understanding the role of dust and obscuration in driving AGN feedback.

This post is expected to focus on spectroscopic surveys including 4

MOST and MOONS. Newcastle and Durham are members of the extragalactic surveys of MOONRISE and the 4

MOST IR AGN surveys, both of which are expected to start operations in 2026. There will also be close ties with collaborators based in Garching (Germany) at the European Southern Observatory (ESO) and Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE).

In addition to project-specific activities, you will be encouraged to pursue your own, related, independent research interests and training/development. Furthermore, you will be encouraged to undertake outreach/engagement activities, particularly those designed to increase accessibility and inclusion to science, e.g., through Newcastle’s Audio Universe project.

Successful applicants will join the growing astronomy and astrophysics group at Newcastle University, which has wider expertise in galaxy evolution, cosmology, compact objects, stellar evolution, and magneto-hydrodynamic simulations. Furthermore, you will be part of the Newcastle-Durham “Accretion Alliance” collaboration, which is a network of those interested in accretion related physics across the two institutions.

The post can commence from March 2026 and is provisionally expected to last until February 2029. Funds are available for travel, training and other support.

We embrace equity and particularly welcome applications from community members that are under‑represented in physics and/or if you have demonstrable experience in showing a commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion then please outline this in your application.

We are committed to building and maintaining a fair and inclusive working environment.

We would be happy to discuss arrangements for flexible and/or blended working.

To apply, please complete the online application, attaching a CV, covering letter and 3-page research statement.

In your covering letter, please outline how you are either working towards, meet or exceed all the essential requirements for the role holder.

For all information enquiries, please contact Dr Chris Harrison via email: k.

For more information, see the following:

• The 4
  
  MOST IR AGN survey.
• The MOONS spectrograph.
• Dr Chris Harrison’s personal webpage.
• Prof. Dave Alexander’s personal webpage.
• The wider astrophysics and observational cosmology research group at Newcastle.
• The Audio Universe project.

The main duties and responsibilities are as follows:

• Conduct the data analysis and research along the lines of the programme of the funded project.
• Work successfully in a research team and wider collaborators to publish world‑leading research.
• Present outputs of the research from the research team to scientific and non‑scientific audiences, in written and oral form.
• Contribute to the positive culture and general strengths of the research group and the School; for example, through supervision of project students, participation in outreach, leading initiatives to promote Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), and organising/participating in research events.
• Any other duties that may be required from time to time, commensurate with the grade of the post.

• Excellent technical skills in analysing and interpreting spectroscopic datasets, specifically related to extragalactic observations.
• An excellent knowledge of extragalactic astrophysics, ideally…