Assistant/Associate Professor in Theoretical Physics

Applications are invited for an Assistant/Associate Professor in Theoretical Physics to commence on 01 January 2027 or as soon as possible thereafter. An appointment will be made at an appropriate point on the scale for either an Assistant or Associate Professor. The appointment will be for a probationary period of five years with appointment to the retiring age thereafter, subject to satisfactory performance. Appointment as Associate Professor will typically require a demonstrable history of exceptional achievement.

The successful candidate will have a PhD in Mathematics, Physics or closely related subject area, and have an outstanding record of research in fundamental theoretical physics, interpreted broadly. For more information about relevant current research in DAMTP please see: http://www.damtp.cam.ac.uk/research/hep/ and http://www.damtp.cam.ac.uk/research/gr/.

The applicant will be expected to give undergraduate and Masters-level lectures (including in particular being able to contribute to the very popular theoretical physics courses within Part III Mathematics, see http://www.maths.cam.ac.uk/part-iii-prospective), taking feedback from students and providing them with career or pastoral advice, and perform other usual departmental duties such as those associated with examinations. They will be expected to investigate new areas of research and funding opportunities and submit grant applications. They will also be required to write papers for publication, attend conferences, network with national/international colleagues and give presentations.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Please ensure that in the Upload section of the online application you provide:

• A cover letter (1-2 Pages) addressing the Assistant or Associate Professor person specification and your relevant experience.
• A document containing your full curriculum vitae (CV), a list of your research publications, and a one-page statement (A4) detailing your research interests and future plans with an emphasis on how these relate to the current research profile of the Department.
• A statement of teaching of no more than two pages, focusing on your teaching experience and interests, and how you will ensure that your teaching is effective for all students. Please consider both undergraduate and masters-level teaching.
• Please also include the contact details of three academic referees (including their e-mail addresses). As academic references are an important component of the recruitment process, please ensure that your referees are informed that they will be contacted the next working day following your application submission. They will be asked to provide a reference within seven days of the request. The Mathematics HR Office Administrator will reach out to your referees to request that they upload a reference via our Web Recruitment System. We kindly ask you to encourage them to respond promptly.

We encourage early submissions, and please note that any updates or amendments, including revised research publications, can be submitted up until the closing date.

Informal enquiries about the position may be made to Professor Sean Hartnoll by e-mail: sah40@cam.ac.uk

If you have any queries regarding the application process, please contact the Faculty of Mathematics HR Team at LE49436@maths.cam.ac.uk

Please quote reference LE49436 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK. We welcome applications from candidates with diverse career paths. If you would like us to consider any career breaks, part time working, or other circumstances that have influenced your career, please outline these in your cover letter so we can ensure your achievements are assessed in context.

Complete applications are due by Midnight (UK Time) on 14 June 2026.

Interviews will be conducted in Cambridge, provisionally during the week commencing 14 September 2026.

Key information

Department/location

Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics

Salary

£47,389 - £59,966 OR
£63,606 - £67,468 per annum

Reference

LE49436

Category

Academic

Date published

7 May 2026

Closing date

14 June 2026