University assistant predoctoral/PhD Candidate

At the University of Vienna almost 11,000 personalities work together towards answering the big questions of the future. Around 7,700  of them do research and teaching, around 3,000 work in administration and organisation. We are looking for a/an

University assistant predoctoral/PhD Candidate

51 Faculty of Physics

Job vacancy starting: 11/15/2026 | Working hours: 30.00  | Classification CBA: §48 VwGr. B1 Grundstufe (praedoc)

Limited contract until: 11/14/2030

Job ID:  6310

“How does a quantum object gravitate?”, “How far can we push massive objects into the quantum regime?”, “How well can we measure gravity of microscopic systems?”. Such questions and their implications for the foundations of physics are the driving force behind our research. You will be part of our team and develop new ideas, technologies and experiments to provide new insights on macroscopic quantum physics, on gravity at small scales and, in the long run, on the phenomenology of the gravity-quantum interface in table-top experiments.

Your personal sphere of influence

As a university assistant (praedoc) on this 4-year position, you will be part of the Experimental Quantum Physics and Gravity Group, led by Prof. Markus Aspelmeyer, and you will be exploring fundamentals and applications of macroscopic quantum coherence in levitated solidstate platforms. Our team is part of the Quantum Science group of the Faculty of Physics. We are a member of the Vienna Center for Quantum Science and Technology (VCQ), one of the largest quantum hubs in Europe, and of the Austrian Cluster of Excellence (quantA), advancing basic research in quantum sciences, aiming to expand the frontiers of knowledge and thus being the engine for future innovations. You will also benefit from being a fellow of the Vienna Doctoral School in Physics (VDSP), being part of a thriving community with more than 100 quantum scientists on site and about 300 quantum researchers in Vienna. The main research activities of the Aspelmeyer group include quantum optical control of levitated solid-state objects, the exploration of their quantum properties for fundamental questions and novel quantum technology platforms, as well as precision measurements of ultra-weak gravitational forces. On the quantum side, we explore the extreme regime of motional quantum states of solids and their interactions to understand how to maximize mass, delocalization, and coherence time in quantum experiments. On the gravity side, we explore the extreme regime of gravitational phenomena of miniature source masses to understand how to isolate gravity from all other interactions on a microscopic scale. Our main motivation is to explore the interface between quantum physics and gravity with new experimental platforms.

Your future tasks

You will actively participate in research, teaching & administration. This means:

• You are involved in a specific and well-funded research project, here focused on exploring fundamentals and applications of quantum control in levitated solid-state platforms.
• 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.
• 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.
• You will contribute to teaching (lab courses, exercise classes) within the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement.
• You will fill some administrative tasks, contributing to the success and self-organization of the group for research, teaching and administration.
• You will continuously stay informed about the state of the art in your field.
• You will contribute to outreach by publications, conference presentations and public activities.

This is part of your personality

• You have completed your Master's degree or Diploma in physics and written your Master's thesis in the field of experimental quantum optics, AMO physics, quantum optomechanics, advanced optics or quantum control.
• You have experience in academic writing (highly desirable).
• You have a solid background in experimental quantum optics, opto-mechanics and optical or diamagnetic levitation.
• You have experience with the usual tools for advanced experiments: homodyne and heterodyne detection, programming.
• 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. Good public transport connections: Your workplace in the center of beautiful Vienna is easily accessible by public transport. 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 2,832.08 (30h p.w., 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

• Your scientific curriculum vitae and a motivation letter.
• A summary of your previous academic and research achievements. Tell us what you're proud of.
• A short statement on your research interests for the future. Tell us what you dream about, scientifically.
• Your Bachelor's and Master's degree: an excellent academic degree is a good entrance statement for this position.
• Abstract of your Master's thesis.

If you have any content questions, please contact

Markus Aspelmeyer

markus.aspelmeyer@univie.ac.at

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 place particular emphasis on enhancing women’s representation among the academic and general university staff, particularly in leadership roles, and therefore expressly encourage qualified women to apply. Given equal qualifications, preference will be given to female candidates.

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Application deadline:  10/29/2026

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