Lecturer (tenure track) Quantum Technology for Space Applications

le contenu du travail

Offer Description

About the function

Teaching assignment

You will provide quality education, mainly in the bachelor physics courses and contribute to developing and teaching new course units in the Master Materiomics curriculum at the Faculty of Science. You will familiarise students with current evolutions in the latest quantum and quantum engineering sciences. Additional courses might be defined in other study programmes. In addition, in the context of continuous evolution of the curriculum innovation in education you are expected to develop new courses.

Research assignment

The research topics relate to quantum physics and space science instrumentation. You will be in charge of the conceptualization, development and realization of quantum technology‑based magnetic field sensors as well as other quantum instruments for space science applications. By using the scientific background developed at UHasselt’s Faculty of Science, you will design optimal sensor configurations and sensing protocols enabling the best device performance.

You will also be strongly engaged in the preparation of national and international projects, collaborating with international academic and industrial partners. Expected output will be publications, patents but also industrially relevant prototypes. You are expected to build and lead a strong and internationally recognised team, which is part of the Space Physics division at BIRA‑IASB, as well as the Quantum Science and Technology research unit which is embedded in IMOMEC, UHasselt’s materials research institute.

About Us

The Department of Physics, the Faculty of Science the University of Hasselt and the Space Physics division at the Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA‑IASB) have the following full-time vacancy (100%). This position consists of 2 related appointments in the context of the FED-tWIN funding programme of the federal government. FED-tWIN is a new federal research programme of the Programmatory Federal Government Service for Science Policy (BELSPO) with the aim of stimulating sustainable cooperation between ten federal science institutions and Belgian universities through the financing of joint research profiles. This vacancy falls within the research profilePrf-2021-040for scientific domainScD-2021-005. Of theFED-tWIN funding programme.The candidate will implement the FED-tWIN research profile at the UHasselt (50%) and (50%) at the BIRA‑IASB.

Advances in quantum technologies open up novel emerging applications in sensing and metrology. These directions are of special interest both for Hasselt University (UHasselt) and BIRA‑IASB. In this context, BIRA‑IASB and UHasselt have initiated a FEDtWIN research profile with an objective to set up a sustainable research cooperation in the field of quantum technology-based space instrumentation, with a special emphasis on quantum magnetometry. In a broader sense, these applications are also of interest to the Faculty of Engineering Technology at UHasselt as it concerns the instrumentation development.

The Faculty of Science will deal with fundamental aspects of quantum technology such as spin physics, quantum protocols and material aspects, BIRA‑IASB will be engaged in the development of quantum technology‑based instruments, their engineering and inclusion in space science/services missions.

požadavky

zkušenosti/kvalifikace

You have obtained a PhD in one of the following fields: quantum magnetometry, experimental quantum physics, device physics or engineering. The candidate has obtained maximum 12 years before the submission date with derogations (extension for maternity, parental, adoption, long-term illness: see details in article 14 of the Law). This period of 12 years is extended by one year for each absence due to pregnancy, parental or adoption leave, as well as each long-term absence due to illness of the candidate or and long-term absence due to illness of a family member of the first degree.

You must have minimum three years of research experience after the PhD and at least six years research experience in magnetometry. Experience in space physics and spacecraft engineering will be an asset.

You should have demonstrated expertise in the development of magnetometers and quantum readout protocols for their operation. Furthermore, it is essential that you have a high-level technical background, allowing you to transfer the physical operation principles to electronics design and construction. You should be able to model the device electronic boards and should have expertise in electromagnetic noise and shielding.

Experience in educational tasks and supervision of PhD students will be an asset.

You need to have broad scientific interests, enabling you to link the main fields of the research profile, i.e. space physics instrumentation and advanced quantum principles. You should also be able to familiarise quickly with new scientific domains.

Strong mathematical, problem-solving skills and programming (Python, Comsol, Matlab) are an asset.

Ability to export scientific methods and results to practical applications is an advantage. Experience in collaboration with industry is an asset.

You have collegial spirit, show organisational commitment and contribute to the objectives of UHasselt and BIRA-IASB. You have necessary qualities to function within a multidisciplinary research group.

You are motivated, creative and self-learning.

Dutch is the official administrative language of Hasselt University. If you do not have a sufficient knowledge of Dutch (CEFR level B2) upon your appointment, we expect you to obtain the required level no later than 5 years after being appointed or at the moment of tenure (usually after an internship of 3 years for senior academic staff). We provide tailor-made language training. If you are a coordinating lecturer you must have a command of the language of instruction of the program component at CEFR level C1. We provide tailor-made language training.