Nikhef, the national institute for subatomic physics in The Netherlands, is looking for a PhD student in experimental particle physics (eEDM).

Your task will be to develop a data-acquisition system that will control an experiment that aims to detect the permanent electric dipole moment of the electron (eEDM) and enable it to run over extended time without attendance. Detection of an eEDM would be a clear and unambiguous signal of physics beyond the Standard Model. We have started an ambitious project to measure the eEDM, using a Stark decelerated and laser cooled beam of BaF molecules (see arXiv:1804.10012). Currently, 6 PhD students are testing and optimising various parts of the machine. You will help to combine the separate parts and develop software that will control the machine, in particular you will implement a triggering sequence that will switch between the different states of the machine to record the eEDM and perform checks against various systematic effects. You will perform your daily work at VSI Groningen but are expected to spend a significant part of your time at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam.

The successful candidate has a master in physics with knowledge of atomic and molecular physics and/or particle physics. Strong software skills are desirable.

Fixed-term contract: 4 years.

The candidate will be employed by the NWO-I-foundation and will obtain the status of junior scientist. He/she will receive a 4 year contract. Your gross monthly starting salary will be € 2.291,-, increasing to € 2.937,- in the fourth year. The conditions of employment of the NWO-I-foundation are excellent and can be found on www.nwo-i.nl.

Nikhef

Nikhef is the national institute for subatomic physics in The Netherlands. At Nikhef, approximately 175 physicists and 75 technical staff members work together in an open and international scientific environment. Together, they perform theoretical and experimental research in the fields of particle and astroparticle physics. The Nikhef institute is a collaboration between five major Dutch universities and the Dutch Foundation for Scientific Research (NWO).

Nikhef participates in large research collaborations, including the ATLAS, LHCb and ALICE experiments at CERN, the KM3NeT neutrino telescope in the Mediterranean, the VIRGO interferometer in Pisa, the Xenon1T dark matter experiment in Gran Sasso, the Pierre Auger cosmic ray observatory in Argentina and the eEDM research programme in Groningen. Nikhef also hosts a group in theoretical physics, and groups for Physics Data Processing and detector R&D, all with good connections to the experimental programs.