Research Fellow

About the Role

Please direct informal enquiries and requests for further information to Prof. Scott Habershon (S.Habershon@warwick.ac.uk).  

The research fellow will engage in development and implementation of new computer simulation methods – merging trajectory-based approaches and machine-learning algorithms – to push the limits of accessible system-sizes and time-scales in predictive quantum dynamics modelling across a range of thermal and non-adiabatic processes, including energy transport, photocatalysis, energy dissipation and photodissociation.

The appointed research fellow will join the COSMOS EPSRC Programme Grant [EP/X026973/1, A Universal Approach for Solving Real-World Problems Using Quantum Dynamics: Coherent States for Molecular Simulations (COSMOS)] which started in October 2023. The research fellow will join a cohort of researchers across the UK that is developing a new community code with a range of versatile simulation approaches for modelling quantum dynamics across application domains from photochemistry to quantum computing. 

As a research fellow within the COSMOS project, there will be regular opportunities to engage and collaborate with a network of project partners through regular meetings, workshops, hack-a-thons, and visits to other COSMOS team members at UCL, Oxford, Newcastle, Leeds and Bristol.At Warwick, the appointed research fellow will be part of the Computational and Theoretical Chemistry (CaTCh) research centre, comprising 6 academic computational chemistry groups, and have access to outstanding research computing facilities through Warwick’s Scientific Computing Research Technology platform.Further information on the Habershon group is available at: https://go.warwick.ac.uk/habershongroup   

For details on the experience and skills required, please refer to the job description (link here).

About You

The appointed research fellow would be expected to have a strong background in:

• computational quantum dynamics simulations using wavefunction-based or density-matrix based approaches;
• computational chemistry methodology- and code-development;
• non-adiabatic simulations and/or electronic structure methodology.

In addition, familiarity with aspects of machine-learning that are relevant to efficient chemical dynamics simulations – such as potential energy surface fitting – would be desirable.

The research fellow should also possess strong inter-personal skills – and an appreciation of equality, diversity and inclusion impacts in research – in order to support the development of a cohesive research environment, both at Warwick and as part of the wider COSMOS project.

PhD Status

If you are near submission of your PhD, or have not yet had it conferred, any offers of employment will be made at Research Assistant level, at the highest spinal point of pay grade 5 (£34,610 per annum).

Upon receipt of evidence confirming the successful award of your PhD, you will be promoted to Research Fellow, at the lowest spinal point of grade 6 (£35,608 per annum).

About the Department

The Department of Chemistry at Warwick is a thriving and inclusive community of students, academics, researchers, and professional services staff.

Our fundamental research pushes boundaries across all major fields of chemistry, while our applied work - delivered through close partnership with the wider scientific community and industry - addresses major global challenges, breakthroughs in health, solar energy harvesting, and sustainable materials.

We are proudly outward-facing, and our community is recognised as one of the strongest in the UK. Our extensive national and international relationships create an outstanding environment for collaboration, innovation, and career development. From polymers and catalysts to computation, advanced instrumentation and cutting-edge materials, our research sits at the forefront of the discipline.

We are highly interdisciplinary, having long-standing partnerships with the School of Life Sciences, Warwick Medical School, Physics, Manufacturing, Computer Science, Engineering, and Mathematics.

We are committed to fostering a supportive and inclusive working and learning environment in which diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives are recognised, respected, and valued. Our Athena Swan Silver Award reflects our ongoing efforts to embed equality, diversity, and inclusion into our culture, practices, teaching, and research, and our commitment to supporting the career progression of all staff.

Explore our webpages to learn more about the Department of Chemistry’s research and teaching, industry-leading facilities, and the impact of our work.

How to Apply

To apply please complete your essential personal details and attach a CV and cover letter by 11.59pm on the closing date of Sunday 11th October 2026.

Applications will only be accepted through the University of Warwick’s job application portal; direct applications by e-mail cannot be accepted.

Your application should only include a Curriculum Vitae (2 pages max.) and a Cover Letter (4 pages max.). Please note that these limits should be strictly observed; applications that do not adhere to these limits will be rejected. 

Your CV should include:

• Your education and employment history (including your most recent employment).
• Any other relevant experience (e.g. volunteering, extracurricular, etc.).

Your cover letter should explain:

• Your motivations for applying to the role.
• Using examples, how you meet the essential and desirable criteria detailed in the job description (PDF attached below).

All essential criteria must be met by candidates who are invited to interview. You are welcome to include details of any career breaks (e.g. parental leave, caring responsibilities, sick leave).

Interview date to be confirmed