Post-Doctoral Associate (Cherman)

University of Minnesota • Minneapolis, MN

45d • $61,008 - $80,000

About The Position

We invite applications for a postdoctoral position at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, starting in the Fall of 2026 in the field of non-perturbative quantum field theory, with applications to the physics of confinement, phases of matter, and particle and nuclear physics. This position is supported by funds from the Simon Collaboration on Confinement and QCD Strings. The successful candidate will work in collaboration with Aleksey Cherman and other faculty, postdocs, and students of the nuclear theory and particle theory groups at the University of Minnesota. Primary duties include the following. 60%: Carrying out research in quantum field theory and its applications to nuclear physics and high-energy physics more generally. Determining which questions to study, determining which theoretical methods are appropriate for answering these questions, and inventing new methods where necessary. One must also evaluate the results for internal consistency and consistency with experimental constraints where relevant. 25%: Maintaining familiarity with the latest results and methods in the field, reading relevant papers, organizing and participating in seminars and conferences. 15%: Communicating research to the broader community by writing papers, submitting them to the arXiv and for publication in peer-reviewed journals. Giving research presentations at universities and laboratories, and presenting results at domestic and international conferences. Other duties of a similar scope as assigned. This position is not eligible for H-1B visa sponsorship.

Requirements

• PhD in Theoretical Physics by beginning date of appointment

Nice To Haves

• Expertise in modern aspects of non-perturbative quantum field theory, such as generalized symmetries, anomalies, semiclassical expansions, and lattice gauge theory.

Responsibilities

• Carrying out research in quantum field theory and its applications to nuclear physics and high-energy physics more generally.
• Determining which questions to study, determining which theoretical methods are appropriate for answering these questions, and inventing new methods where necessary.
• One must also evaluate the results for internal consistency and consistency with experimental constraints where relevant.
• Maintaining familiarity with the latest results and methods in the field, reading relevant papers, organizing and participating in seminars and conferences.
• Communicating research to the broader community by writing papers, submitting them to the arXiv and for publication in peer-reviewed journals.
• Giving research presentations at universities and laboratories, and presenting results at domestic and international conferences.
• Other duties of a similar scope as assigned.

Benefits

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training
• Medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Industry: Educational Services
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees