Company: Durham University
Location: North East
Posted: April 28th, 2026
We invite applications for a Research Assistant position, to start in October 2026, with an initial period of 2 years and the possibility of further extension. The post is funded by the ERC Consolidator Grant project X‑MAPS and will be supervised by Dr Adam Ingram, who will be moving to Durham University in June 2026. The successful candidate will join thriving research teams within the Centre for Extragalactic Astronomy (CEA) at Durham, which is a leading group in observational astrophysics with expertise in compact objects, active galactic nuclei, galaxies and large‑scale structure.
The role will contribute to the goals of the X‑MAPS project, which aims to unify fast X‑ray timing and X‑ray polarimetry techniques to improve our understanding of black hole X‑ray binaries and measure black hole fundamental properties. Specific research projects include training neural networks to act as fast drop‑in replacements for advanced X‑ray timing and polarisation models (e.g. the X‑ray reverberation mapping code RELTRANS), and applying advanced Fourier timing techniques to search for rapid spectral and polarimetric variability in the X‑ray signal from black hole X‑ray binaries. We are therefore searching for candidates with experience in theoretical modelling of accreting black holes and/or in observational stochastic X‑ray timing and polarimetric analysis.
We invite applications for a Postdoctoral Research Associate position, to start in October 2026, with an initial period of 2 years and the possibility of further extension. The post is funded by the ERC Consolidator Grant project X‑MAPS and will be supervised by Dr Adam Ingram, who will be moving to Durham University in June 2026. The successful candidate will join thriving research teams within the Centre for Extragalactic Astronomy (CEA) at Durham, which is a leading group in observational astrophysics with expertise in compact objects, active galactic nuclei, galaxies and large‑scale structure.
The role will contribute to the goals of the X‑MAPS project, which aims to unify fast X‑ray timing and X‑ray polarimetry techniques to improve our understanding of black hole X‑ray binaries and measure black hole fundamental properties. Specific research projects include training neural networks to act as fast drop‑in replacements for advanced X‑ray timing and polarisation models (e.g. the X‑ray reverberation mapping code RELTRANS), and applying advanced Fourier timing techniques to search for rapid spectral and polarimetric variability in the X‑ray signal from black hole X‑ray binaries. We are therefore searching for candidates with experience in theoretical modelling of accreting black holes and/or in observational stochastic X‑ray timing and polarimetric analysis.
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