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

The Nikhef organisation

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.

The position

The KM3NeT Collaboration is constructing a neutrino telescope in the Mediterranean Sea. Arrays of light-sensitive elements record the Cherenkov light produced by fast travelling charged particles in the sea water, these particles could originate from interactions of neutrinos. The energy and direction of the original neutrinos can be reconstructed from the amount of Cherenkov photons and their time-of-arrival in the detectors. The densely-instrumented KM3NeT/ORCA building block will focus on the measurement of neutrino oscillations, whereas the sparsely-instrumented KM3NeT/ARCA block will measure cosmic neutrinos and search for their sources.

The KM3NeT group at Nikhef has an opening for a PhD student. The successful candidate will work on the reconstruction of muon tracks in the detector, and thereby on the optimization of the measurement of muon neutrinos. The results will be applied to the data of the first KM3NeT/ORCA detection units, with the aim to make a measurement of neutrino oscillation parameters and of the properties of the background of cosmic ray muons. The candidate is also expected to help in the construction of further detector elements at Nikhef. 

Further information on this position can be obtained from prof.dr. Paul de Jong, h26@nikhef.nl 

Requirements
An MSc in Physics or an equivalent degree is required to be considered for this position. Strong  software skills are desirable. The candidate needs to possess excellent English communication skills.

Offer
You will be employed by the University of Amsterdam. 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). We will draft an educational plan that includes attendance of courses and (international) meetings. You are also expected to assist in university teaching as a teaching assistant.

Based on a full-time appointment (38 hours per week) the gross monthly salary will range from €2,325 in the first year to €2,972 in the last year. The Collective Labour Agreement (Cao) of Dutch Universities is applicable. Favourable tax agreement may apply to non-Dutch applicants.

To apply, please click the 'Apply now' button below. The closing date of the vacancy is April 15th, 2019. 

The UvA is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We value a spirit of enquiry and endurance, provide the space to keep asking questions and cherish a diverse atmosphere of curiosity and creativity.