PhD Position in Emergent Phases in Quantum Matter: Experiment

Are you an experimental physicist interested in quantum materials and close collaboration with theoretical physics? Would you enjoy working as part of an interdisciplinary consortium researching emergence in physics across scales spanning sixty orders of magnitude? Are you keen to learn how to connect your research to the general public via cool festivals and collaborations with artists? If so, then this may be the right job for you!

Join Us!
We are looking for a MSc experimental physicist aiming to do a PhD with a focus on angle resolved photoemission (ARPES) of quantum materials. You will collaborate closely with a theory PhD (University of Leiden) also currently being recruited who has a focus on holographic dualities. Together, you will do research into Emergent Phases in Quantum Matter, and particularly the strange metal phase in high temperature superconductors, as part of a Dutch national programme Emergence at All Scales (EAAS).

The consortium Emergence at all Scales is the national flag-carrier of the NWA route 2's Dutch Institute for Emergent Phenomena (d-iep.org). EAAS combines 8 Dutch and 1 Ukrainian university as well as Statistics Netherlands (CBS) in an interdisciplinary and collaborative endeavour aimed at understanding emergent phenomena across scales, combining multiple fields including physics, mathematics, astronomy, history & philosophy of science, and social science. Its approach to societal engagement throughout the project’s 5-year lifetime is equally interdisciplinary, with a wide variety of activities ranging from art/science programmes, large scale science festivals, citizen science and educational initiatives at various levels. EAAS is hiring a total of 20 PhD/postdoc scientists to join the team, and our project/group leaders share the ambition of gender parity in hires across EAAS.

This is what you will do
You will do high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission (ARPES) and time-resolved ARPES experiments, both in the Amsterdam lab (Golden group) and at international large-scale facilities (Golden group and Grubisic-Cabo group, Groningen). The data will be analysed in combination with low-T and high-field transport experiments carried out on the very same crystals (Hussey group, University of Bristol) as well as using machine learning approaches (Kordyuk group, Kyiv). Additional electron energy loss spectroscopy experiments are also on the menu, with collaborators in the IFW Dresden.

Besides the cutting-edge physics, this position will train you to the highest level in spectroscopy, and experimental electronic structure techniques based at the lab, synchrotron and free electron laser, as well as ultra-high-vacuum and laser technologies.

Tasks and responsibilities:

• conducting independent research into emergent phases in quantum materials using ARPES and related experimental techniques, including the use of synchrotron and free electron laser facilities in Europe and overseas;
• collaborating closely with both your experimental colleagues and theory team members who are using holographic dualities to help understand your experimental data;
• analysing and interpreting your data, leading to writing up into publications for submission to peer-reviewed, international journals, as well as presenting your work at (inter)national conferences and workshops;
• actively participating in the interdisciplinary scientific collaborations, scientific communication and outreach activities of the EAAS consortium (see below);
• involvement, e.g. as teaching assistant in the physics and astronomy educational programmes ;
• supervision and co-mentoring of Bachelor and Master students doing thesis projects in our group.

What we ask of you
Active participation in the EAAS Consortium
If selected for this position you are expected to participate in the various scientific activities, meetings and workshops of the Emergence At All Scales consortium, to form interdisciplinary collaborations across fields and geographical locations within the Netherlands, and to acquire skills by active participation in science communication activities, interacting with public audiences and taking part in a pilot programme where experience can be acquired in high school science teaching.

Your profile and experience:

• you are curious, fascinated by nature and excited to work out ways to uncover its secrets;
• you like to learn new things, supported by your team;
• you are open to finding out how others' work connects to your own, and how to (learn to) generate new connections and collaborations;
• you are at home in an international environment and communicate effectively in English, both spoken and written;
• you agree that we scientists should be passionate about what we do and about sharing that passion and wonder with the general public, both young and old;
• you have a MSc in physics or a physics-heavy related discipline.

This is what we offer you
A temporary contract for 38 hours per week for the duration of 4 years (the initial contract will be for a period of 18 months and after satisfactory evaluation it will be extended for a total duration of 4 years). The preferred starting date is in late summer / early fall of 2025 and can be discussed. This job should lead to a dissertation (PhD thesis). We will draft an educational plan that includes attendance of courses/workshops summer/winter-schools and (international) conferences, as well as provision of training in scientific writing & presentation. We also expect you to assist in teaching undergraduates and master students, for which we will provide training.

The gross monthly salary, based on 38 hours per week and dependent on relevant experience, ranges between € 3,059 to € 3,881 (scale P).This does not include 8% holiday allowance and 8,3% year-end allowance. The UFO profile PhD is applicable. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The Collective Labour Agreement of Universities of the Netherlands is applicable.

You will work in this team
The Faculty of Science has a student body of around 8,000, as well as 1,800 members of staff working in education, research or support services. Researchers and students at the Faculty of Science are fascinated by every aspect of how the world works, be it elementary particles, the birth of the universe or the functioning of the brain.

The Institute of Physics (IoP) of the University of Amsterdam is located in the center of the Amsterdam Science Park. The IoP – as part of the Faculty of Science –is housed in a modern building with excellent labs and technical facilities. Surrounded by several national research institutes and with our partners at the Vrije Universiteit (VU) Amsterdam, the institute is part of a strong physics center of international standing.

The Van der Waals - Zeeman Institute for Experimental Physics (IoP-WZI) is part of the IoP and home to three research clusters: Quantum Gases & Quantum Information (QG&QI), Quantum Materials (QMat), and Soft Matter (SM).

If you feel the profile fits you, and you are interested in the job, we look forward to receiving your application. You can apply online via the button below. We will start assessing applications on 11 August 2025, and will continue this process (also with later submissions) until the vacancy is filled. Please submit your application directly to m.s.golden@uva.nl and include:

• one .pdf containing a detailed CV including the months (not just years) when referring to your education and work experience;
• one .pdf containing these three parts:

1. a letter of motivation. Include your arguments why a close 1:1 collaboration with your future theory PhD partner is a good fit for you;
2. a list of publications if you have them already and academic transcript for your BSc and MSc programmes;
3. the names and email addresses of at least two references we can approach for their assessment of you.

A knowledge security check can be part of the selection procedure (for details: national knowledge security guidelines). Only complete applications received within the response period via the link below will be considered. If you have any questions or do you require additional information? Please contact: Mark Golden, email address: m.s.golden@uva.nl.