Open positions

We are always on the lookout for high-quality PhD students or postdoctoral researchers to work within the research groups here within the Experimental Quantum Optics and Photonics Group.

PhD Studentships

PhD students typically begin in October, however applications are accepted throughout the year. Students will join a vibrant cohort of over 30 students working on both fundamental and applied quantum technologies and receive focused graduate training in experimental atomic physics and quantum optics.

Students (including non-European students) with an excellent track record can apply for a SUPA prize PhD studentship with us and other PhD scholarship options at Strathclyde are shown here. Below, we give details of current fully-funded projects available. If you would like to know more about the projects in a given area or to work in something not listed below, please email the relevant member of academic staff for details.

The available projects listed below are fully-funded for the October intake; however, there is some flexibility for a deferred start. Please contact the named academic supervisor for information.

PhD Studentships - 2023

Advancing the stability and accuracy of a laser-cooled microwave atomic clock

Advancing the stability and accuracy of a laser-cooled microwave atomic clock Type: Experiment Availability: Open Start date: 2023 Contact: Dr Aidan Arnold or Dr Paul Griffin

Jan 1, 2022

Atom-interferometry for inertial sensing of rotation

Optical-atomic magnetometry using alkali-spin maser techniques for geophysical magnetic sensing Type: Experiment Availability: Open Start date: 2023 Contact: Dr Stuart Ingleby or Prof Erling Riis

Jan 1, 2022

Atom-interferometry for inertial sensing of rotation

Atom-interferometry in optical waveguides for next-generation gyroscopes

Atom-interferometry in optical waveguides for next-generation gyroscopes Type: Experiment Availability: Open Start date: 2023 Contact: Prof Erling Riis or Dr Paul Griffin

Jan 1, 2022

Micro-fabricated components for optical metrology

Micro-fabricated components for optical metrology Type: Experiment Availability: Open Start date: 2023 Contact: Dr James McGilligan or Dr Paul Griffin

Jan 1, 2022

SI-traceable atomic thermometry

SI-traceable atomic thermometry You will be part of a new research area for the UK, namely making absolute and traceable measurements of temperature using optical measurements of the Doppler broadening of an atomic transition.

Jan 1, 2022

Two-photon spectroscopy of rubidium for an optical atomic clock

Two-photon spectroscopy of rubidium for an optical atomic clock Type: Experiment Availability: Open Start date: 2023 Contact: Prof Erling Riis or Dr Paul Griffin

Jan 1, 2022

Renewing studentships

Atom-interferometry for inertial sensing of rotation

Atom-interferometry for inertial sensing of rotation No funded positions are available at present. If you have a separate source of funding, please do contact the supervisors below. The possibility of using interference of coherent matter-waves offers tantalizing levels of potential accuracy for measurement devices.

Jan 1, 2022

Compact Laser systems

Compact Laser Systems For Quantum Technologies Translating quantum tech out of the lab places stringent requirements on new components and sub-systems. This studentship aims to advance the state-of-the-art in compact laser systems with integrated frequency and amplitude control.

Jan 1, 2022

Compact, laser-cooled atomic clocks

Compact, laser-cooled atomic clocks Atomic clocks are a shining example of the power that technology based on atomic physics can have. In the last decades, using atoms laser cooled to the microKelvin regime, the sensitivity of atomic clocks has increased to now being better than one second over the age of the universe.

Jan 1, 2022

Scalable Qubit Arrays for Quantum Computation and Optimisation

Scalable Qubit Arrays for Quantum Computation and Optimisation Quantum computation offers a revolutionary approach to information processing, providing a route to efficiently solve classically hard problems such as factorisation and optimisation as well as unlocking new applications in material science and quantum chemistry that could in future be scaled up to accelerate drug design or optimised materials for aerospace and manufacturing.

Jan 1, 2022

Ultra-precise atomic magnetometry for unshielded measurements

Ultra-precise atomic magnetometry for unshielded measurements This project builds on the experience at the University of Strathclyde in developing atomic magnetometers with sensitivities better than 1pT. Using compact, room temperature, atomic samples the new lab will compete directly with superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) based systems that require prohibitively expensive cryogenic environments.

Jan 1, 2022

Ultracold atoms in an optical lattice

Ultracold atoms in an optical lattice In this project, the student will work on a quantum-gas microscope which allows us to image fermionic potassium atom by atom, lattice site by lattice site.

Jan 1, 2022

Industrial PhD Studentships

Alongside our standard academic studentships, we have a number of exclusive industrial PhD studentships offering the unique opportunity to work embedded within an industrial innovation team working to take cutting edge research in quantum technologies out of the lab environment. Students will be assigned academic supervisors but will work on-site with the industry partners, whilst benefiting from the same training and mentoring opportunities offered through the International Quantum Technologies Graduate School (IGSCQT) as our students based on campus. Below, we give details of current fully-funded projects available. If you would like to know more about the projects in a given area or to work in something not listed below, please email the relevant member of academic staff for details.

Available industrial studentships

The available projects listed below are fully-funded for the October 2022 intake, however there is some flexibility for a deferred start. Please contact the named academic supervisor for information.

Compact Laser Systems For Quantum Technologies

Compact Laser Systems For Quantum Technologies As part of Alter UK’s Photonics Design Centre based on the Strathclyde Campus projects are available to develop lasers with integrated frequency and amplitude control.

Jan 1, 2022

Engineering technologies for scalable quantum computing

Engineering technologies for scalable quantum computing Quantum computation offers a revolutionary approach to information processing, providing a route to efficiently solve classically hard problems such as factorisation and optimisation as well as unlocking new applications in material science and quantum chemistry.

Jan 1, 2022

Vapour cells for spectroscopy

Vapour cells for spectroscopy Vapour cells are used in spectroscopic instruments and gas analysers for validation or calibration and for stabilisation. Cascade Technologies has an interest in all of these methods and is particularly interested in developing inexpensive vapour cells for gases with spectral features in the NIR and MIR wavelength regions.

Jan 1, 2022

Postdoctoral researcher vacanciess

We are always keen to recruit motivated post-doctoral researchers and typically have funding available for excellent candidates. Current vacancies are listed below, however if you don’t see a vacancy for the research project you are interested in please contact the lead academic for information on current and future opportunities to join our teams.

Research Associate in Experimental Ultracold Quantum Mixtures

We are seeking a highly motivated experimental researcher to join the Quantum Fluids research team. The project will develop a state-of-the-art K-Rb quantum-mixture apparatus located at the University of Strathclyde. The apparatus will enable studies of vortex dynamics in binary superfluids, with a particular emphasis on reduced dimensionality (e.

Sep 23, 2023

Research Associate in Experimental Ultracold Quantum Mixtures

Research Associate in Experimental Quantum Computing

Research Associate in Experimental Quantum Computing Quantum computation offers a revolutionary approach to information processing, providing a route to efficiently solve classically hard problems such as factorisation and optimisation as well as unlocking new applications in material science and quantum chemistry that could in future be scaled up to accelerate drug design or optimised materials for aerospace and manufacturing.

Jan 1, 2022