Post-Doctoral Research Associate: Department of Physics and Astronomy - UTK

About the job

The Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville invites applications for a postdoctoral research position in theoretical particle physics and phenomenology to work with Assistant Professor Innes Bigaran.

The successful candidate will pursue research in areas including neutrino and charged-lepton phenomenology, physics beyond the Standard Model, effective field theory, and future collider physics. Particular topics of interest include the physics potential of high-energy muon colliders, neutrino interactions at current and future experiments, lepton flavor and lepton number violation, neutrino mass models, and connections between low-energy precision measurements and high-energy searches. Experience with (or interest in developing experience in) neutrino–nucleus scattering across a wide range of energies is not required, but would be an advantage.

The position is intended to provide substantial flexibility for the successful candidate to develop and lead independent research projects while collaborating with Bigaran, students, and other researchers at UT Knoxville and beyond. The candidate will have opportunities to interact with the broader particle and nuclear physics communities at UT Knoxville and with researchers at collaborating national laboratories.

The position is initially funded for two years, with an anticipated renewal for a third year subject to satisfactory performance and university policies. Support for research travel and participation in conferences and workshops will be available.

Responsibilities

The successful candidate will:

• Conduct original research in theoretical particle physics and phenomenology.

• Develop and lead research projects in areas related to neutrino physics, charged-lepton phenomenology, physics beyond the Standard Model, effective field theory, and/or future colliders.

• Perform analytical and computational calculations relevant to particle-physics phenomenology.

• Collaborate with researchers at UT Knoxville and with external collaborators.

• Contribute to the preparation and publication of research articles.

• Present research results at seminars, workshops, collaboration meetings, and international conferences.

• Participate in the intellectual activities of the particle theory and broader high-energy physics community at UT Knoxville.

• Contribute to the mentoring of graduate and undergraduate students and to a collaborative research-group environment.

• Develop independent research directions consistent with the broader scientific goals of the group.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Education: PhD in theoretical particle physics, or a closely related field, completed by the employment start date.

• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Demonstrated research experience in particle physics or a closely related area.

• Strong analytical and/or computational skills relevant to theoretical particle physics.

• Ability to conduct independent research and contribute effectively to collaborative projects.

• Strong written and oral communication skills.

• Ability to prepare research results for publication and presentation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Research experience in one or more of the following areas:

• neutrino physics;

• charged-lepton flavor or precision physics;

• physics beyond the Standard Model;

• effective field theory;

• collider phenomenology;

• future collider physics, including muon colliders;

• neutrino mass models;

• connections between low-energy precision observables and high-energy searches.

• Experience with computational tools commonly used in particle phenomenology.

• Interest in developing research that connects multiple experimental frontiers or energy scales.

• Experience collaborating with experimental physicists or translating theoretical models into experimentally testable signatures.

• Interest in mentoring students and contributing to a collaborative research environment.

Work Location

• This role will be located in Knoxville.

Compensation and Benefits

• Find more information on UT Benefits here

Application Instructions

For best consideration applicants should submit the below materials before December 24, 2026.

• CV (including a list of publications)

• Cover letter

• Three letters of recommendation

About The Department

The Department has an exemplary research record, with eight professors earning NSF CAREER awards since 2012, eight professors among the world’s top two percent of physicists based on citation count, the award of the prestigious American Physical Society 2021 Bonner Prize, eleven APS Fellows, and four AAAS Fellows. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville is Tennessee’s flagship state research institution, a campus of choice for outstanding undergraduates and a premier graduate institution with a number of nationally and internationally ranked programs and with national and international leadership in numerous fields.

About Us

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has shaped leaders, changemakers, and innovative thinkers since its founding in 1794. The university is home to more than 38,000 students and 10,000 statewide employees—the Volunteers—who uphold the university’s tradition of lighting the way for others through leadership and service.

UT Knoxville offers over 900 programs of study across 14 degree-granting colleges and schools. As Tennessee’s flagship land-grant university, its footprint spans the entire state. The university holds the highest Carnegie classification for research activity and has deep partnerships with industry leaders and the US Department of Energy’s largest multidisciplinary laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The Knoxville campus serves and recruits for UT Knoxville, including the Institute of Agriculture and the Space Institute, as well as the UT Institute of Public Service.

UT Knoxville considers its employees its number one asset. With values that focus on work-life balance, compensation, and innovation leadership, all Vols are supported to advance professionally. Employees have access to career development and coaching, continued education, and an extensive list of development and training possibilities. The Volunteer employee experience implements structures and practices to attract and retain top-tier talent, fostering a strong staff community and supporting a culture of involvement and engagement for everyone.

The university holds a strong commitment to its land-grant mission of learning and engagement, with a tradition of service and leadership that carries that Volunteer spirit throughout the state and around the world. It has been ranked nationally as “Best Employer for New Graduates,” “One of America’s Best Large Employers,” and “Best Workplace for Women,” and has been designated as “Best Place for Working Parents” by Forbes Magazine.

Apply today and join the Tennessee Volunteer community!

Additional Information

• Job Identification: 10659
• Job Category: Research
• Posting Date: 2026-11-04
• Job Schedule: Full time
• Locations: 1408 Circle Drive, Knoxville, TN, 37996, US