Postdoctoral Research Associate in 2D SPD Arrays for Quantum Networking

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Role: Postdoctoral Research Associate in 2D SPD Arrays for Quantum Networking

Grade and Salary: Grade 7 – £37,694 – £47,389

FTE and working pattern: Full time (35 hours per week), Fixed term (18 months)

Holiday Entitlement: 33 days annual leave plus 9 buildings closed days (and Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday)

Purpose of Role: Join a cutting‑edge research initiative at the forefront of quantum communications and photonic sensing. This Postdoctoral Research Associate (PDRA) position is part of the EPSRC‑funded QUANTA project—Quantum ComUnications over Atmospheric chaNnels aided by deTector Arrays— a collaboration between the University of Edinburgh and Heriot‑Watt University. The PDRA will lead Heriot‑Watt’s technical contributions, working within a dynamic team that operates the UK’s most advanced optical ground station for quantum and free‑space optical communications. You will conduct experimental research into quantum key distribution (QKD), explore the dual‑use capabilities of 2D SPAD arrays, and develop novel multiplexing techniques for high‑throughput secure links.

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• Prof Majid Safari (UoE), expert in quantum and optical communication systems using SPAD arrays.
  
• Prof Robert Henderson (UoE), a pioneer in SPAD sensor design and integration.
  
• A vibrant team at Heriot‑Watt with deep expertise in quantum optics, photonic engineering, and space‑based communications.
  
• Industrial advisory board made up of the supply chain, services providers, and end users.
  

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• The Hub Optical Ground Station (HOGS) at Heriot‑Watt, featuring a 70 cm telescope, adaptive optics, and single‑photon detectors.
  
• A dark fibre network for hybrid quantum‑optical experiments.
  
• Advanced lab facilities for photonic device testing and system integration.
  
• Advanced 2D Single‑photon counting array technology.
  

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• Work with colleagues and line manager to devise and perform work aligned with project goals.
  
• Write research reports and publications based on outputs. Disseminate results through peer‑reviewed journals, conferences, and other appropriate media.
  
• Build internal contacts and participate in internal networks for information exchange and future collaboration.
  
• Provide guidance to staff, research students, and assisting students.
  
• Contribute, under supervision, to the planning of research projects, including development of new grant/contract proposals.
  
• Expected to perform hands‑on work with optoelectronic components: laser diodes, intensity modulators, phase modulators, single‑photon detectors, and fibre‑optics.
  
• Ensure good communication skills and a suitable publication record.
  
• Conduct and lead experiments, and assist in day‑to‑day maintenance of experimental facilities, liaising with companies and external collaborators.
  

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• Applicants should hold a PhD in a relevant area (thesis submitted by start date).
  
• Possess sufficient breadth or depth of specialist discipline knowledge and research methods.
  
• Ability to articulate research work, both in technical reports/papers and by oral presentation.
  
• Experience in writing and managing peer‑reviewed papers/reports.
  
• Must be able to work as part of a team on experiments at Heriot‑Watt and with collaborators at other institutions and industrial partners.
  
• Willingness and ability to travel for consortium meetings.
  
• Working knowledge and extensive hands‑on experience of practical quantum communications and use of single‑photon avalanche diodes.
  
• Ability to formulate and progress work on their own initiative.
  

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• Additional working knowledge of optical communications, free‑space implementations, multiplexing techniques, and field trials.
  
• Experience in industry or collaboration on an R&D project.
  
• A candidate with ambitions to work in industry or an applied research lab.
  

Applications can be submitted up to midnight (UK time) on Sunday 11th January 2026.

Please submit your CV & covering letter via the Heriot‑Watt online recruitment platform.

We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g., part‑time working and job share options.

Heriot‑Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised, and otherwise treated on the basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.

Heriot‑Watt University values diversity across our university community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/equality-diversity.htm and our award‑winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers https://disc.hw.ac.uk/.

At Heriot‑Watt University’s Institute of Photonics and Quantum Sciences, our research lab is pioneering the future of secure global communications through quantum and optical technologies. Led by Associate Professor Dr Ross Donaldson, we focus on the practical implementation of satellite‑based quantum key distribution and high‑bandwidth free‑space optical communications.

Our team plays a central role in the Quantum Communications Hub and Integrated Quantum Network Hub, where we lead the design, development, and operation of the Hub Optical Ground Station (HOGS)—a £2.5M facility located at Heriot‑Watt’s Research Park in Edinburgh. HOGS is equipped with a 70 cm reflective telescope, adaptive optics, and single‑photon detectors, enabling quantum‑encrypted satellite communications and advanced space debris tracking. The station is integrated into a dark fibre network, creating a living lab for hybrid quantum‑optical networks and future 6G technologies.

We are actively engaged in collaborative missions including the UK’s SPOQC demonstrator and Canada’s QEYSSat, and maintain strong links with ESA, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, and industry partners through multiple Innovate UK projects.

At Heriot‑Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team.

Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot‑Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well‑being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.