Postdoc Position in String Compactifications and String Phenomenology

Cluster of Excellence Quantum Universe

The Cluster of Excellence Quantum Universe at Hamburg University / DESY invites applications for two postdoc positions in the field of String Compactifications, String Geometry, String Phenomenology and String Cosmology.

The Cluster of Excellence performs research to understand mass and gravity at the interface between quantum physics and cosmology. The research team includes leading scientists from mathematics, particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology at Universität Hamburg and DESY. The two positions are in the context of a project led by Timo Weigand and Alexander Westphal as well as Vicente Cortés and Jörg Teschner to investigate string theoretic and mathematical aspects of string compactifications and quantum gravity, including implications for string cosmology and string phenomenology.

The positions are embedded into a very active international research environment which involves, apart from the Cluster of Excellence itself, multiple activities both at Universität Hamburg and DESY such as the Collaborative Research Center 1624 Higher structures, moduli spaces, and integrability, the Center for Mathematical Physics (ZMP) https://zmp.math.uni-hamburg.de and the Wolfgang Pauli Center https://www.wpc-hh.de.

Qualifications

The applicants are expected to contribute to the research of the group at an internationally competitive level and to have research experience equivalent to or comparable with a Ph.D. in theoretical physics or mathematics.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the research of the group at an internationally competitive level.
• Participate in the supervision of doctoral students.
• Teach at the University.
• Assist in the organization of the Cluster via an early career council.
• Attend conferences and other educational and supporting measures with individual budgets.
• Perform project-specific duties with travel money provided by hosting research groups.

Position Details

The positions are limited to 3 years and are expected to be filled in fall 2026. The successful applicants will become members of the Quantum Universe research school (QURS) and through this receive offers for academic training, soft skills, and career planning.

Application Procedure

Applications can be submitted via the DESY platform under this web interface (indicating the group(s) you are applying with) and should include a statement of research interests, CV, list of publications, as well as the names of three referees who will be asked to upload letters of recommendation. In case of technical problems, you may contact pd-app-desyt@desy.de.

Deadline for applications via the DESY platform is 1 December 2025. The reviewing process will begin on 8 December 2025. The involved groups have approved the High-Energy Theory postdoc deadline accord (the offers, expected to be made before Christmas 2025, will have an acceptance deadline no earlier on 30 January 2026).

Contact

Timo Weigand, timo.weigand@desy.de

Alexander Westphal, alexander.westphal@desy.de