Assistant/Associate Professor in Data-Intensive Physics and AI

Many areas of physics rely on experiments, observatories, missions, and simulations that produce data at increasing scale and complexity. Inferring reliable physical conclusions from these data often requires methods designed around the scientific questions rather than the application of generic tools. We are therefore seeking a Data Physicist who combines a strong research programme in physics with expertise in machine learning, AI, statistics, or scientific computing.

Your research will develop new approaches to analysis, inference and data mining for challenging physics datasets. It will also advance the machine learning and AI methods needed for this work, including the treatment of uncertainty, physical structure, robustness and computational scale. The search is department-wide and welcomes applicants rooted in any area of physics. The appointment will be made on the basis of scientific excellence and the strength of the proposed research programme.

Illustrative areas in which you might work include inference and discovery in large, heterogeneous or high-dimensional physics datasets, simulation-based inference, inverse problems and surrogate modelling, fast and resource-efficient machine learning for real-time analysis, adaptive experimental control and autonomous instruments, and physics-informed and generative AI, including uncertainty quantification, robustness and interpretability. These areas indicate the breadth of the role and do not prescribe particular tools or physics subfields.

What you would be doing:

As a member of our academic faculty, you will:

• Conduct and publish innovative, internationally leading research within your field.
• Contribute to teaching and curriculum development at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
• Supervise and mentor PhD students and junior researchers.
• Secure external research funding and build productive collaborations within and beyond Imperial.
• Play an active role in the life and strategic development of the Department and the wider Faculty.
• Serve as a mentor and role model for colleagues and students.
• Contribute to the MRes in Machine Learning and Big Data in the Physical Sciences.
• Help develop proposals for CDT, Doctoral Focal Awards and related doctoral training initiatives, and contribute to their delivery where funded.

Depending on your level of appointment, you may also:

• Contribute to departmental leadership and management.

What we are looking for:

We are seeking an outstanding academic who is committed to excellence in research, teaching, and contribution to the academic community.

You will be able to demonstrate:

• A PhD in Physics or in a closely related field, or equivalent.
• An independent research programme of international quality that addresses clearly defined questions in physics, evidenced by high-quality publications in peer-reviewed journals (commensurate with your career stage).
• Demonstrated experience in research using large or complex datasets, simulations or data streams in physics, or a track record of developing original AI or machine learning methods for physics analysis and inference.
• Original methodological contributions to data-intensive science, machine learning or AI, evidenced by published research and not limited to the application of existing tools.
• Evidence that your ideas and methods transfer between datasets, simulations, experiments or physics settings.
• The potential to collaborate with researchers across the Department.
• Commitment to high-quality teaching and supervision of students.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and leadership skills appropriate to your career stage.
• At the Assistant Professor level, you will have clear potential to develop an international reputation in data-intensive physics.
• At the Associate Professor level, you will have an established profile and emerging international recognition, independent scientific leadership including leading a team of researchers, and sustained success in securing external research funding.

It would also be desirable for you to have:

• Experience of developing or deploying methods on accelerated or heterogeneous computing platforms, including GPUs, FPGAs or other specialised hardware, for real-time or large-scale physics applications.

We welcome candidates whose work is grounded in one area of physics. We are looking for methodological depth and ideas that can be applied more widely, not evidence that you already work across several communities.

What we can offer you:

• The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution and be part of our mission to use science for humanity.
• Access to state-of-the-art facilities, including significant high-performance computing resources through Imperial’s Research Computing Service.
• Grow in your career with tailored training programmes for academic staff including dedicated support with navigating your career and managing research as well as a transparent promotion process.
• Sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 43 days off a year including public holidays and generous pension schemes).
• Be part of a diverse, inclusive and collaborative work culture with various staff networks and resources designed to support your personal and professional wellbeing.

Further Information

Salary

Assistant Professor: £73,194 to £82,954 per annum

Associate Professor: Minimum starting salary of £85,873 per annum

Closing date: Monday, 19 October 2026, 23:59 hours (Midnight BST)

This is an open-ended, full-time post (35 hours per week). The starting date will be agreed with the successful candidate.

The Department of Physics is part of the Faculty of Natural Sciences at Imperial College London. We are an internationally renowned Physics department, which enables us to create groups of international standing, and with sufficient scale and critical mass, that they influence the research agenda and attract the world’s top researchers.  The Department is structured into five Research Communities that drive new research directions: Light, Matter, Physics of Particles, Physics of the Universe, and Space, Plasma and Climate.

Data-intensive methods and machine learning are used across all five research communities, and this appointment represents a strategic investment in a priority growth area for the Department. The post is department-wide and is intended to connect research across the communities. The Department is investing in AI infrastructure and has been bringing together its significant computing resources and expertise by setting up a new Computing Centre. Together with Imperial’s Research Computing Service and national facilities, the Centre will support data-intensive research across the Department, and the successful candidate will draw on these resources in developing their research programme and play a leading role in growing this activity.

Imperial College is committed to equality of opportunity, eliminating discrimination and fostering an inclusive workplace culture. The Department of Physics is also proud to hold an Athena SWAN Silver Award, recognising our commitment to fostering a supportive, inclusive, and thriving community. We value the strength that comes from diverse perspectives, and we warmly welcome applications from talented people of all backgrounds, and particularly those underrepresented in physics, to join our vibrant community supported by initiatives that promote collaboration, inclusivity, and professional development.

Find out more about our inclusive environment.

If you would like more information or have specific queries about the role, please contact:

Professor Stefan Söldner-Rembold, Head of Department – s.soldner-rembold@imperial.ac.uk

If you have any questions about the application process, please contact:

The Physics Knowledge Hub – physicsconnect@imperial.ac.uk

If you experience any technical issues while applying online, please don't hesitate to email us at support.jobs@imperial.ac.uk. We're here to help.

Please note that job descriptions are not exhaustive, and you may be asked to take on additional duties that align with the key responsibilities mentioned above.

About Imperial

Welcome to Imperial, a global top ten university where scientific imagination leads to world-changing impact.

Join us and be part of something bigger. From global health to climate change, AI to business leadership, we navigate some of the world’s toughest challenges. Whatever your role, your contribution will have a lasting impact.

As a member of our vibrant community of 22,000 students and 8,000 staff, you’ll collaborate with passionate minds across nine London campuses and a global network.

This is your chance to help shape the future. We hope you’ll join us at Imperial.

Our culture

We work towards equality of opportunity, eliminating discrimination and creating an inclusive working environment for all. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries, and are committed to employing a team that has diverse skills, experiences and abilities. You can read more about our commitment on our webpages.

Our values are at the heart of everything we do and everyone in our community is expected to demonstrate respect, collaboration, excellence, integrity and innovation.

Competitive