University assistant predoctoral/PhD Candidate

The University of Vienna is a community of over 10,000 individuals, including approximately 7,500 academic staff members, who passionately pursue answers to the profound questions that shape our future. They represent individuals driven by curiosity and a relentless pursuit of excellence. With us, they find the space to try things out and unfold their potential. Are you inspired by their passion and determination? We are currently seeking a/an

University assistant predoctoral/PhD Candidate

51 Faculty of Physics

Job vacancy starting: 09/ 01/2025

Limited contract until: 08/31/2029

Job ID: 4391

We are a team of researchers using operational and information- theoretic tools to gain insights into quantum foundations, causality, and space-time physics. We are convinced that further progress on open problems in physics is not possible without acknowledging the crucial role of observations and context in the foundations of quantum theory. If you are interested in deepening our conceptual understanding of the intersection between quantum theory and space-time -- using modern methodological approaches from quantum information theory -- you are very welcome to apply.

Your personal sphere of influence:

As a university assistant (prae-doctoral position) in this 4-year role, you will be part of the Quantum Foundations and Quantum Information Theory team led by Professor Caslav Brukner. Your work will focus on research at the interface of quantum foundations, quantum information theory, and space-time physics.

Our research addresses key questions such as the quantum-to-classical transition through coarse-grained measurements, operational reconstructions of quantum theory, indefinite causal structures, extended Wigner’s friend scenarios, and quantum reference frames.

The team is embedded within the Quantum Optics, Quantum Nanophysics, and Quantum Information group at the Faculty of Physics (University of Vienna), and is also affiliated with the Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information (IQOQI) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. We are a member of the Vienna Center for Quantum Science and Technology (VCQ), one of Europe’s largest hubs for quantum science, and of the Austrian Cluster of Excellence quantA, which supports cutting-edge research in quantum sciences and fosters future innovation. As a doctoral candidate, you will be part of the Vienna Doctoral School in Physics (VDSP), a vibrant community of over 100 quantum scientists on site and around 300 researchers in Vienna.

The Brukner group currently consists of an international team of 9 young researchers (Master, PhD, and Postdoc levels). For more information, please visit: ?url=www.quantumfoundations.org&module=jobs&id=46618" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> ?url=www.quantumfoundations.org&module=jobs&id=46618" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.quantumfoundations.org

Your future tasks:

You will actively participate in research, teaching & administration. This means:
o You are involved in a well-funded research project with the research topics in quantum foundations and space-time physics.
o You will present your research plan to the faculty and complete a dissertation agreement within 12-18 months. This will be reviewed and adapted on an annual basis.
o You will work on your dissertation and towards its completion in time. We expect a large degree of independence paired with a high level of social awareness as the goal will only be achieved in a team.
o You will contribute to teaching (lab courses, exercise classes) within the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement.
o You will fill some administrative tasks, contributing to the success and self-organization of the group for research, teaching and administration.
o You will continuously stay informed about the state of the art in your field.
o You contribute to outreach by publications, conference presentations and public activities.

• We expect the candidate to pursue their PhD thesis at the intersection of theoretical quantum foundations and space-time physics. The thesis is anticipated to focus on the relationship between geometry and quantum theory. A key objective will be the conceptual and mathematical understanding of the original Penrose spin network, with a view toward foundational notions such as geometry, subsystems, probability, and related concepts.

This is part of your personality:

o You have completed your Master’s degree or Diploma in physics.
o You have experience in academic writing.
o You possess methodological competence in modern theoretical concepts and mathematical tools in quantum information, general relativity, and quantum foundations.
o You demonstrate didactic competence and a positive attitude towards interaction with students.

• You are open to participating in outreach activities.
• You have good IT user skills.
• You show social competence and the ability to work effectively in a team.
  o You have an excellent command of written and spoken English.

What we offer:

Inspiring working atmosphere: You are a part of an international academic team in a healthy and fair working environment.
Potential for development: Success in life depends on what you make of it, but if you are ambitious and successful, there are plenty of opportunities to connect you to all relevant top research groups in the world.
Internal further training & Coaching: The Vienna Doctoral School as well as the department of human resources offer plenty of opportunities to grow your skills in over 600 courses to choose from - free of charge.
Fair salary: The basic salary of EUR 2.786,10 (30h, 14x p.a.) increases if we can credit professional experience. The employment duration is 4 years. Initially limited to 1.5 years, the employment relationship is automatically extended to 4 years if the employer does not terminate it within the first 12 months by submitting a non-extension declaration.
Equal opportunities for everyone: We look forward to diverse personalities in the team!

It is that easy to apply:

o Your scientific curriculum vitae.
o A summary of your previous academic and research achievements. Tell us what you’re proud of.
o A short statement on your research interests for the future. Tell us what you dream about, scientifically (motivation letter).
o Two letters of recommendation (directly send to: caslav.brukner @ univie.ac.at).
o Your Bachelor’s and Master’s degree: an excellent academic degree is a good entrance statement for this position.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Caslav Brukner

We look forward to new personalities in our team!
The University of Vienna has an anti-discriminatory employment policy and attaches great importance to equal opportunities, the advancement of women and diversity . We lay special emphasis on increasing the number of women in senior and in academic positions among the academic and general university staff and therefore expressly encourage qualified women to apply. Given equal qualifications, preference will be given to female candidates.

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07/31/2025