Join us!

tl;dr: the next deadline is 15 November 2023, see here. For postdocs there are opportunities to join throughout the year, please just reach out.

Thank you for your interest in joining my group. I have collected here some relevant information.

Nature of our work

Our group is based in the Department of Mathematics of the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) and affiliated to the Quantum for Life centre. Like all of quantum science, the centre is highly interdisciplinary, encompassing physics, computer science, and mathematics.

I am primarily a theoretical physicist, and my work is directed at understanding and exploiting the new possibilities of quantum technology for applications, e.g., to simulate many-body physics. As a result, we predominantly think about AMO (atomic, mesoscopic, and optical) systems, but use inspiration and tools from condensed matter and quantum information theory. We collaborate frequently with experimentalists and maintain strong ties to theoretical and experimental groups in the nearby Niels Bohr Institute, especially to the quantum optics section, but also the condensed matter group. Please refer to Research for more specific details.

Work environment

As a city, Copenhagen frequently tops ranking of the most liveable cities, in Europe and in the world. Denmark has claimed the top spot in the SDG gender index published by Equal Measures 2030 for a number of years now, but of course much remains to be done. In our group, we are committed to supporting women and minorities in science. Moreover, UCPH is a very supportive and family friendly employer.

UCPH has a number of world-leading research groups in quantum technologies. There are research centres working on the whole array quantum technologies experimentally, including solid-state platforms at QDEV (spin qubits, quantum dots, superconducting qubits and topological materials), photonics and optomechanics at Hy-Q, and hybrid platforms incorporating cold atoms at QUANTOP. Similarly, we have outstanding theory colleagues in quantum optics, condensed matter, and quantum information.

Research at UCPH is well funded, due to a strong commitment by governmental and private funding agencies. Most recent is the 1.5 bn DKK ($200m) quantum computing programme, but there is also a long-standing collaboration with Microsoft, the future NATO quantum centre, and of course our recently established Quantum for Life, funded by Novo Nordisk.

This makes Copenhagen a vibrant and modern work environment with a world-leading, collaborative effort in quantum science.

PhD candidates

My group tackles a wide range of problems, and thus you will have considerable flexibility in choosing your research field, leaning either to more mathematical topics in quantum information and tensor networks, or to quantum optics and experimental platforms. Possible topics include, but are not limited to, atomic arrays, ultracold atoms, superconducting circuits, quantum circuits, and tensor network states.

You do not have to bring your own research agenda. I have research problems to start you off, and at later stages I will help you come up with meaningful research questions yourself. Ideally you should have a background in quantum optics, many-body physics, or quantum information theory, have excelled in your undergraduate, and be intrinsically motivated to succeed in academia.

Applications in the Department of Mathematics are managed centrally, and there are two calls each year, with deadlines in November and April. To apply and for further details, please head to https://qmath.ku.dk/vacant-positions/, and follow the instructions there. Please make sure you name me as your "Suggested PhD adviser". 

I have advised and mentored a number of students. I encourage you to reach out to them to ask them about their experience if you are interested. I can give you contact details upon request.

Postdoc candidates

You will be granted substantial freedom as part of this position. On top of the topics at Research, I am currently interested in ultracold atomic systems with long-range interactions and in finding ways to quantify the computational power of analogue quantum simulators.

For postdocs, there is only one official deadline per year (November). But there are other modes of employment that work year-round, so please contact me at any time. For example, there are several fellowships you could also apply to, including Marie Curie fellowships (funded by the EU) or fellowships by the Carlsberg Foundation.