University of Edinburgh Information Services Group
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Grade UE07: £41,064 to £48,822 per annum
School of Engineering / Institute for Imaging, Data and Communications
Full time: 35 hours per week
Fixed term: for 6 months
Where curiosity becomes impact
With roles from hospitality to research, there’s a career for everyone at the University of Edinburgh. We can offer opportunities for you to develop in your career and make a real difference in the communities around us while contributing to the world at large.
We offer careers and roles in just about every area you can think of. Whether you are looking for entry-level, mid-career or roles at the top of your chosen specialism, we can offer you a career where you can flourish and make a real difference in the communities around us while contributing to the world at large. Our people come from a wide range of backgrounds, each bringing their abilities and experiences to our organisation.
The University isn’t just any employer. We are part of a local community and a contributor to global thinking, progress and research. In Edinburgh, you are in one of the world’s most attractive cities with active arts and social sectors, while working in a University that has made significant contributions to society, medicine, physics and teaching for over four centuries. Our people have helped create the modern world and are working on more ground-breaking technologies and practices. Join the University of Edinburgh and you’ll be making a difference to everything around you
The University of Edinburgh is a world-class organisation. We look for the best in the field across all disciplines and provide a working environment where academics can develop their careers and passion for their chosen subject area. We offer the full range of academic roles and have a genuine focus on our students performance and wellbeing.
The Opportunity
The Research Associate position will contribute to the project ‘Beyond Line-of-Sight Diffuse Optical Wireless Communication (BOLD) within the Institute for Imaging, Data and Communications (IDCOM) at the University of Edinburgh.
The role is UE07 and is available on a 6 months fixed term contract.
A full list of main responsibilities and the knowledge, skills and experience required for the role can be found in the full job description below.
Your skills and attributes for success:
- A PhD and first degree in Communications Engineering, Electronic Engineering or a closely related subject
- Experience of electronic systems design including PCB layout/prototyping.
- Knowledge and experience of Optical Communications
- Knowledge and experience of experimental optical wireless communications system design and modelling.
- Knowledge and experience physical layer design for digital communication systems.
- Experience of carrying out experiments in optical communication systems.
View the full job description (opens in a new browser tab)
How to apply
Please include the following documents in your application:
- CV
- Cover letter
- List of publications
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, including generous annual leave entitlement, a defined benefits pension scheme, a wide range of staff discounts, family-friendly initiatives, and flexible work options. Check out the full list on our staff benefits page (opens in a new tab) and use our reward calculator to discover the value of your pay and benefits.
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 a Stonewall Proud Employer, actively promoting LGBTQ+ equality.
We welcome applications from all qualified candidates.
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)
On this occasion the University will not consider applicants requiring sponsorship for this role. International workers will therefore only be able to take up this role if they can demonstrate an alternative right to work in the UK.
Key dates to note
The closing date for applications is 14 September 2026.
Unless stated otherwise the closing time for applications is 11:59pm UK time. If you are applying outside the UK the closing time on our adverts automatically adjusts to your browsers local time zone.
Interview dates to be confirmed.
About UsAs 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 TeamThe School of Engineering addresses diverse complex challenges across the entire field of engineering, at the micro- and macro/global scales. At the microscopic scale, its research supports the design and deployment of novel nanotechnology and devices for biological monitoring and medical diagnosis; at the macro/global scale, it optimises the security and sustainability of the built environment and develops engineering solutions to climate change issues. In REF 2021 the joint submission from the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University to General Engineering was ranked 1st in Scotland and 3rd in the UK for quality and breadth of research. The ranking cited is based upon the breadth and quality of research which apply standard formula (as used by the Times Higher Education) to the REF 2021 results.
The School has a strong track record in producing more than 50 technology spin-outs and developing industry links that enable our graduates to build career-long relationships. Current research income in the School was c.£22.0M in 2020/21.
University of Edinburgh Information Services Group Edinburgh, Scotland Office
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
