Opportunities

PhD Positions

The astrophysics group welcomes applications for PhD study. Applicants are encouraged to contact potential supervisors by email before applying.  Projects currently advertised are listed below with a link for further information. For a full list of PhD projects in the School of Physics and Astronomy see here. Our department is proud to create inclusive student, research, and working cultures that are supportive and welcoming to those from all backgrounds, genders, ages, disabilities, religions, and other protected groups. We are committed to providing a postgraduate program that not only equips you with the technical and professional skills you will need in your career, but which is also enjoyable, supportive, diverse, and inclusive. We welcome all applications, but especially those from the under-represented groups in physics. Everybody’s needs will be supported, but if you do have any concerns, you can contact us, in confidence, to discuss how we can support your particular needs during a research degree at the University of Leeds  

Current projects (title/supervisor):

Priority Projects

  1. Chemistry in planet-forming regions revealed by ALMA – Dr Catherine Walsh
  2. Unveiling planet-forming discs with the Square Kilometre Array – Dr John Ilee
  3. Unusual solar systems with massive debris disks – Prof Mark Thompson
  4. Massive Star Formation in the outer reaches of the Milky Way – Prof Mark Thompson
  5. The Non-thermal Emission from Colliding Winds Binaries – Dr Julian Pittard
  6. The missing link between protoplanetary discs and planetary systems – Dr Olja Panic

Unfunded projects

  1. X-shooter spectroscopy of Massive Young Stellar Objects – Prof Rene Oudmaijer

Funding on offer

Self-Funded or externally sponsored students are welcome to apply. UK – The Leeds Doctoral Scholarships, Akroyd & Brown, Frank Parkinson and Boothman, Reynolds & Smithells are available to UK applicants. The Bell Burnell Scholarship Award is available to support applicants who are from groups that are currently under-represented in physics (awarded by the IOP).  Alumni Bursary is available to graduates of the University of Leeds. Non-UK – The School of Physics & Astronomy Partial Fee Scholarship is available to support the additional academic fees of Non-UK applicants. The Bell Burnell Scholarship Award is available to support applicants who are from groups that are currently under-represented in physics (awarded by the IOP).   The China Scholarship Council – University of Leeds Scholarship is available to nationals of China. The Leeds Marshall Scholarship is available to support US citizens. Alumni Bursary is available to graduates of the University of Leeds.

Postdoctoral Research Positions

No positions at this time.
 

Fellowships

We welcome applications for senior fellowship schemes such as STFC’s Ernest Rutherford Fellowship or Stephen Hawking Fellowship, Royal Society’s University Research Fellowship or Dorothy Hodgkins fellowship, RAS Research and Norman Lockyer Fellowships or ERC starter/consolidator grants. Interested applicants are welcome to contact individual members of staff to discuss possible synergies between their work. You will need to identify a suitable staff member to act as your sponsor. We particularly welcome applications from candidates with theoretical expertise in the field of planet and star formation complementing our current research.
If you wish to proceed with an application then please notify Dr Stuart Lumsden (s.l.lumsden@leeds.ac.uk). For the STFC and Royal Society URF schemes there is an internal sifting process in place. The deadline for both for 2022 is Friday 15th July, and notices of intent must be received by then. We require a full CV + publication list and a one page statement of research interests for the sifting process. For any other scheme, including the ERC ones, a notice of intent is required at least 8 weeks before the scheme deadline, but not other paperwork is required at that time.