Contact: application[AT]gravity.fau.deLocation: Erlangen, Germany
In autumn 2025, at least one postdoctoral position in the field of non-perturbative quantum gravity, including mathematical foundations, quantum cosmology, quantum black holes, numerical quantum gravity and quantum gravity phenomenology as well as topics in quantum foundations and quantum information relevant for quantum gravity is expected to be available at the Institute for Quantum Gravity (IQG) (Chair for Theoretical Physics III) of the Friedrich Alexander Universitaet Erlangen-Nuernberg (FAU) in Germany. The position is for two years with a possibility of extension for one additional year, depending on funding and performance. In exceptional cases, a five year contract may be negotiable. Salaries depend on seniority and follow the collective wage agreement for scientific employees in Germany (TV-L).
Current staff of the IQG includes professors Kristina Giesel, Hanno Sahlmann and Thomas Thiemann (Chair), Heisenberg fellow Wolfgang Wieland, postdocs Renata Ferrero, Hongguang Liu, and Cong Zhang, as well as 9 PhD and 6 master and 3 bachelor students. Former institute members and Humboldt Fellows, professors Jonathan Engle and Muxin Han (Florida Atlantic University) hold affiliate positions at the institute. Further affiliates are professors Wojciech Kaminski (University of Warsaw) and Parampreet Singh (Louisiana State University).
The IQG is part of the Erlangen Centre for Astroparticle Physics (ECAP) which has a strong expertise in experimental astroparticle physics. The IQG also fosters strong links with the Department of Mathematics in Erlangen. The IQG benefits from continuous exchange with the excellence cluster ‘Origins’ in Munich, especially with the groups working on (quantum) cosmology. Finally, the IQG is in close contact with a network of international research centres focussing on quantum gravity, such as the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada; University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, Canada, the Institute for Gravitation and the Cosmos in State College, Pennsylvania, USA; Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Institute for Theoretical Physics in Marseille, France; Instituto de Estructura de la Materia, CSIC and Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain; Institute for Theoretical Physics in Warsaw, Poland and Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
Applicants must have a PhD in physics or mathematics and should have prior research experience in quantum gravity. The following list of material should be uploaded in one pdf- or zip file, with the applicant’s last name as file name, using the application form at https://www.umfrageonline.com/s/vzthzdk .
1. Curriculum vitae.
2. Research proposal including a summary of previous work and plans for future projects.
3. Teaching experience (if applicable).
4. List of seminars and conferences attended, detailing talks given (if applicable).
5. List of publications.
In addition we ask for three letters of recommendation, which should also be uploaded by the referees before the deadline via the application form at https://www.umfrageonline.com/s/rerrxqc . Referees are kindly asked to use the last name of the applicant as the filename. Recommendation letters sent by email will not be accepted.
Applications will be reviewed starting December 9, 2024 (deadline) but later applications may be considered until the position is filled. The starting date of the position is normally Oct. 1st 2025 but there is some flexibility. For further information about the Department of Physics and the Institute please visit: https://www.physik.nat.fau.de/ and www.gravity.physik.fau.de . For further information about the position please send an inquiry to application[AT]gravity.fau.de .