University of Southampton
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3 weeks ago
Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Transient Astrophysics (TRANSCEND) University of Southampton in United Kingdom
Degree Level
Postdoc
Field of study
Computer Science
Funding
Full-time postdoctoral research associate positions funded for 5 years from 1 April 2027 as part of the STFC Large Award TRANSCEND. The post is a salaried research job rather than a scholarship; no stipend amount is stated.
Deadline
Nov 6, 2026
Country
United Kingdom
University
University of Southampton

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About this position
The School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Southampton is advertising a Postdoctoral Research Associate position in transient astrophysics as part of the five-year STFC Large Award TRANSCEND. The wider collaboration includes Lancaster University and the University of Oxford, and the project uses Vera Rubin/LSST transient data together with the 4MOST Time-Domain Extragalactic Survey (TiDES) to study how stars explode, how supermassive black holes grow, and the nature of dark energy.
The Southampton role focuses on host galaxies of transients, including deriving host-galaxy properties from LSST+TiDES photometric and spectroscopic data, studying how transients correlate with their environments, and measuring transient rates to understand the physical origins of stellar deaths. The broader TRANSCEND programme also includes related postdoctoral posts at Oxford and Lancaster on SNe Ia cosmology groundwork, citizen science, simulations, and selection effects.
This is a full-time, 5-year funded post starting from 1 April 2027. Applicants are encouraged to apply for more than one post and should state their order of preference (topic and institution) in the application materials. The role also includes time contributing to TiDES infrastructure work and opportunities to follow up interesting transients.
Eligibility highlights: PhD (or near completion) in astrophysics, physics, cosmology, or a related field; strong Python/scientific programming skills; and research experience in time-domain astrophysics, supernovae, galaxy evolution, cosmology, or survey science. Strong communication and teamwork skills are also requested.
How to apply: Submit a CV, publication list, and a 2-page research statement explaining your past research and its relevance to TRANSCEND. Include your order of preference if applying to multiple posts. Apply through the University of Southampton vacancy portal before the closing date.
Deadline: 6 November 2026.
Funding details
Full-time postdoctoral research associate positions funded for 5 years from 1 April 2027 as part of the STFC Large Award TRANSCEND. The post is a salaried research job rather than a scholarship; no stipend amount is stated.
What's required
A PhD or near completion in astrophysics, physics, cosmology, or a related field. Applicants should have strong scientific programming skills, especially Python, and research experience in time-domain astrophysics, supernovae, galaxy evolution, cosmology, or survey science. Excellent communication and teamwork skills are required.
How to apply
Prepare a CV, publication list, and a 2-page research statement describing your past research and its relevance to TRANSCEND. If applying to more than one post, state your order of preference in the research statement. Submit via the University of Southampton vacancy page before the deadline.
More information can be found here
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