Research Associate

United Kingdom (Hybrid working)

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Job Info

• Job Identification 12519
• Locations Informatics Forum, Edinburgh, EH8 9AB, GB (Hybrid working)
• Organization Edinburgh University Group
• Department Informatics
• Apply Before 06/12/2025, 10:59 PM
• Health and Safety Requirements No key hazards identified for this post
• Criminal Record Check No criminal record check required
• Contract Type Fixed Term
• Job Schedule Full time
• Grade UE07
• Number of Openings 2
• Job Function Researcher

Job Description

Grade UE07: £40,497 - 48,149 per annum

CSE / School of Informatics

Full-time: 35 hours per week

Fixed-term: until 31 March 2026

This position is part of a collaborative programme of work between QSL and the National Quantum Computing Centre (“NQCC”) funded by UKRI under Grant Reference EP/X026167/1. In this role, the successful candidate will collaborate with QSL’s team of researchers to design and implement variational quantum algorithms, resource estimation, and quantum machine learning for NISQ architecture(s).

This post is advertised as full-time. We are open to considering requests for hybrid working (on a non-contractual basis) that combines a mix of remote and regular on-campus working.

Your skills and attributes for success:

• A PhD (or near completion of PhD) in Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, Engineering, Chemistry, or other relevant subject.
• Experience working on the theory, design, and analysis of quantum computing experiments.
• Experience in the design, simulation, and/or implementation of variational quantum algorithms, resource estimation and/or quantum machine learning.
• Proficiency in Python, C/C++, or other relevant programming languages.

Click to view a copy of the full job description (opens new browser tab).

Application Information Please ensure you include the following documents in your application:

• CV
• Cover letter

Contact details for enquiries: Prof Elham Kashefi, ekashefi@exseed.ed.ac.uk

Feedback is only provided to interviewed candidates.

As a valued member of our team you can expect:

• A competitive salary.
• An exciting, positive, creative, challenging and rewarding place to work.
• To be part of a diverse and vibrant international community.
• Comprehensive Staff Benefits, such as a generous holiday entitlement, competitive pension schemes, staff discounts, and family-friendly initiatives. Check out the full list on our staff benefits page (opens in a new tab).

Championing equality, diversity and inclusion

The University of Edinburgh holds a Silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advance gender equality in higher education. We are members of the Race Equality Charter and we are also Stonewall Scotland Diversity Champions, actively promoting LGBT equality.

Prior to any employment commencing with the University you will be required to evidence your right to work in the UK. Further information is available on our right to work webpages (opens new browser tab).

The University is able to sponsor the employment of international workers in this role. If successful, an international applicant requiring sponsorship to work in the UK will need to satisfy the UK Home Office’s English Language requirements and apply for and secure a Skilled Worker Visa.

Key dates to note

The closing date for applications is 12 June 2025.

Unless stated otherwise the closing time for applications is 11:59pm GMT. If you are applying outside the UK the closing time on our adverts automatically adjusts to your browsers local time zone.

About Us

As a world-leading research-intensive University, we are here to address tomorrow’s greatest challenges. Between now and 2030 we will do that with a values-led approach to teaching, research and innovation, and through the strength of our relationships, both locally and globally.

About the Team

Informatics is the study of how natural and artificial systems store, process and communicate information. Research in Informatics promises to take information technology to a new level, and to place information at the heart of 21st century science, technology and society. The School enjoys collaborations across many disciplines in the University, spanning all three College, and also participates as a strategic partner in the Alan Turing Institute and, with Heriot-Watt University, in the Edinburgh Centre for Robotics.

The School provides a fertile environment for a wide range of studies focused on understanding computation in both artificial and natural systems. It attracts students around the world to study in our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, and currently has approximately 1000 undergraduate students, 320 MSc students and 350 PhD students. Informatics is one of seven schools in the College of Science and Engineering, at the University of Edinburgh. It is recognised for the employability of its graduates (demand exceeds supply), its contributions to entrepreneurship, and the excellence of its research. Since the first Research Assessment Exercise in 1986, Informatics at Edinburgh has consistently been assessed to have more internationally excellent and world-class research than any other submission in Computer Science and Informatics. The latest REF 2014 results have again confirmed that ours is the largest concentration of internationally excellent research in the UK. This contributes to our ranking in the top 15 CS departments world-wide according to the latest Times Higher Education ranking.

We aim to ensure that our culture and systems support flexible and family-friendly working and recognise and value diversity across all our staff and students. The School has an active programme offering support and professional development for all staff; providing mentoring, training, and networking opportunities.

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