Postdoctoral Research Associate

About us

The Department of Informatics is a cutting-edge place to study and research the field of computer science and the technologies that are transforming our lives today and tomorrow.

We aim to consider fundamental scientific questions as well as respond to key societal challenges and opportunities in an increasingly complex digital world.

About the role

The Department of Informatics is seeking to recruit a Postdoctoral Researcher for an EPSRC-funded research project on the complexity of database query evaluation, under the direction of Faculty member Hubie Chen.

The successful applicant should have (or expected to receive) a PhD in Computer Science, Mathematics, or a related discipline.  Research interest and experience in the following areas will be valued: logic in computer science, database theory, finite model theory, structural decomposition methods, term rewriting, and parameterized complexity theory.

Travel funding will be available to you, and you will have the opportunity to interact with our project partners in China, France, and Germany. Flexible working conditions can be considered.

It is hoped that the successful applicant will start by 1 August 2025, but there is some flexibility concerning the start date.

If the position is started by 1 August 2025, it can be held for at least 1 year.

This is a full time post (35 Hours per week), and you will be offered a fixed term contract.

About you

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria

• Possess sufficient breadth or depth of specialist knowledge in the discipline and of research methods and techniques to work within established research programmes
• Skills in research relevant to the subject area
• Experience of utilising research methods and techniques
• Previous experience of contributing to research
• PhD (or equivalent) in a relevant subject area

Desirable criteria

• Experience in one of the particular subject areas mentioned
• Experience with research supervision

* Please note that this is a PhD level role but candidates who have submitted their thesis and are awaiting award of their PhDs will be considered. In these circumstances the appointment will be made at Grade 5, spine point 30 with the title of Research Assistant. Upon confirmation of the award of the PhD, the job title will become Research Associate and the salary will increase to Grade 6.

Further Information

We pride ourselves on being inclusive and welcoming. We embrace diversity and want everyone to feel that they belong and are connected to others in our community.

We are committed to working with our staff and unions on these and other issues, to continue to support our people and to develop a diverse and inclusive culture at King's.

We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, and a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the advert. If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible.

To find out how our managers will review your application, please take a look at our ‘ How we Recruit’ pages.

Advert information