Nikhef currently has an opening for a
PhD student in experimental particle physics
(ATLAS and Theoretical physics)

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 excellent theoretical and experimental research in the fields of particle- and astroparticle physics. The Nikhef theory group conducts research in a broad range of these fields, in particular on precision predictions for collider physics. Among the experimental research collaborations Nikhef participates in are the ATLAS, LHCb and ALICE experiments at CERN, the KM3NeT neutrino telescope in the Mediterranean, the VIRGO inferometer in Pisa and the Pierre Auger cosmic rays observatory in Argentina. Nikhef itself is a collaboration between 5 major Dutch universities and the Nikhef research institute.

The Research Group
The Nikhef ATLAS group consists of groups in Amsterdam and Nijmegen, for a total of 15 staff, and typically 5 postdocs and 20 PhD students. We have constructed part of the semiconductor tracker (SCT), part of the barrel muon chambers, and elements of muon chamber readout, alignment, slow control, trigger and data acquisition.  Our group has responsibilities in data acquisition (FELIX) and trigger, construction of the new inner tracker (ITk), the readout and alignment of muon chambers, as well as muon reconstruction software, and we have been active in several analyses in Higgs, SUSY, exotic and top-quark physics.

The Project
We have a vacancy for a PhD student in a joint project of the Nikhef ATLAS group and theory group. The project is dedicated to the study of the Wtb vertex and is led by dr. M. Vreeswijk (ATLAS) and prof. dr. E. Laenen (theory). The objective is to exploit the spin of the top quark to search for signs of new physics affecting the interaction of the W-boson with the top and bottom quarks.

The project will start with an examination of various polarisation observables  suggested by theory, notably Standard Model Effective Field Theory with higher order QCD corrections included. Several theoretical approaches and relevant observables will be assessed, in collaboration with other experts  in the field. 

The next stage focusses on the experimental challenges to extract parameters  from measurements with the ATLAS detector in single top produced at the LHC.   For the interpretation of the measurements, experiment meets theory again, also to provide contributions to a global fit on the Wtb-vertex parameters.

Requirements
We are looking for a candidate with an (almost) completed master degree  in high-energy physics, or a closely related field. The successfull candidate  has interest in data analysis as well as affinity with  theoretical aspects of top quark production. Programming skills will
be important for this project. The candidate is expected  to start in summer or early fall of 2019.

Offer

The appointment will be on a temporary basis for a period of 4 years (initial appointment will be for a period of 18 months and after satisfactory evaluation it can be extended for a total duration of 4 years) and should lead to a dissertation (PhD thesis). An educational plan will be drafted that includes attendance of courses and (international) meetings. The PhD candidate is also expected to assist in teaching of undergraduates.

Based on a full-time appointment (38 hours per week) the gross monthly salary will range from €2,191 in the first year to €2,801 in the last year. The Collective Employment Agreement (CAO) of the Dutch Universities is applicable. The conditions of employment of the University of Amsterdam can be found at www.uva.nl/en/about-the-uva/working-at-the-uva/terms-of-employment. 

The educational program of the Dutch research school for subatomic physics offers annual graduate schools for PhD students, as well as frequent series of lectures on advanced topics in particle physics.

Information and application
Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply by clicking the 'Apply Now' button below. Please be prepared to upload a curriculum vitae including a brief description of your research interest, and have the email addresses of at least two referents ready, who are willing to send a letter of recommendation on your behalf. Further information on this position can be obtained from Dr Marcel Vreeswijk (h73@nikhef.nl). The opening closes on 15 January 2019. Later applications might be considered as well until the position is filled.