Postdoctoral Research Assistant in Optical Communications Security Closing date: Jul 06, 2026

Postdoctoral Research Assistant in Optical Communications Security

Salary: £39,424 - £47,779 per annum

Closing date: 06 July 2026

We are seeking a full‑time Post Doctoral Researcher to join the Communications research group at the Department of Engineering Science (central Oxford). The post is funded by a University Challenge Seed Fund grant and is fixed‑term to 29 February 2028.

Project Overview

The Secure Encryption Key Exchange (SEKE) project is aimed at developing an eavesdropper detection system based on noise statistics for optical communication links. This builds on a similar system demonstrator for RF links.

Key Responsibilities and Duties

• Develop professional technical documents and reports as deliverables.
• Prepare research outputs for presentation and demonstrations.
• Manage research and laboratory administration with guidance where required.
• Develop an optical fibre link SEKE demonstrator: specifying and ordering components, building a robust testing system with a model eavesdropper, extending the system to a free‑space link, and performing demonstration measurements and tests.
• Document the work appropriately, including operating instructions, scientific publications, and patents if required.

Qualifications

• Hold or be close to obtaining a PhD in a subject relevant to communications engineering.
• Track record of work in leading journals relevant to the field.
• Practical experience of optical fibre communications technology and communications theory.
• Familiarity with code development for Software Defined Radio systems and suitable programming environments (e.g., Python, APIs, automation frameworks, Jupyter).
• Experience in program development and experimentation with testbeds for communication systems.
• Prepared to engage with non‑conventional approaches to system design.
• Highly developed written and oral communication skills in English, excellent presentation, organisational and problem‑solving skills.
• Self‑motivated to achieve research objectives and able to work effectively and independently as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Contact

Chris Stevens