The organization
Nikhef is the national institute for subatomic physics in the Netherlands. At Nikhef, approximately 220 physicists and 80 technical staff work together in an open and international scientific environment. Together they perform theoretical and experimental research in the fields of particle and astroparticle physics. Nikhef is a partnership between six major Dutch universities and the NWO-I Foundation, the Institutes Organization of the Dutch Research Council (NWO).
Nikhef participates in a wide range of research collaborations, including the ALICE, ATLAS and LHCb experiments at CERN, the KM3NeT neutrino telescope in the Mediterranean, the Virgo gravitational waves interferometer in Pisa, the Xenon-nT dark matter experiment in Gran Sasso, the Pierre Auger cosmic ray observatory in Argentina, and the eEDM research programme in Groningen. Nikhef furthermore has scientific groups on theoretical particle physics, physics data processing, and detector R&D, and has excellently equipped technical departments in mechanics, electronics, and computing. Nikhef hosts a LHC Tier-1 data processing center and offers substantial additional computing resources for end-user data analysis and simulation.
The group
The Nikhef Theory group in Amsterdam is currently composed by 7 staff members, 8 postdocs and 12 PhD candidates. The group has a strong expertise in effective field theories, higher-order calculations in quantum chromodynamics, event generators, machine learning in particle physics, proton structure determinations, high-energy neutrino scattering, flavour physics, beyond the standard model physics, and cosmology, among other topics. The group also has strong connections with other national and international groups in theoretical high energy physics, as well as frequent interactions with the experimental groups at Nikhef.
The position
The two PhD positions will be embedded in the group of Prof. Dr. Juan Rojo.
The first PhD position focuses on the physics of high-energy neutrino scattering at the LHC far-forward experiment FASER, as well as its possible upgrades within the proposed Forward Physics Facility (FPF). This position is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation project Fingerprinting Neutrinos and Feebly Interacting Particles with FASER at the LHC with co-PI Prof. Anna Sfyrla (Universite de Geneve). The goals of the project, relevant for this position, are expanding on neutrino measurements with the electronic FASER detector with Run-3 data, and integrating them with the FASERν emulsion ones within a theory-driven framework, developing new Monte Carlo event generators tailored to the physics of TeV neutrinos, and constraining proton structure, forward hadron production, and small-x QCD phenomena by combining the Run-3 neutrino measurements within a global theory analysis. The applicant will work together with the other project team members, including through working visits to CERN.
The second PhD position will focus on two complementary topics. First, the determination of the quark and gluon structure of the proton using machine learning techniques in the framework of the NNPDF Collaboration. Second, the exploration of the potential for New Physics indirect searches within the Standard Model Effective Field Theory framework at the LHC and future colliders, an effort which will be embedded in the SMEFiT Collaboration. The applicant will work together with the other members of the NNPDF and SMEFiT collaboration, including through working visits to CERN and other research institutes.
Our research community is friendly and supportive. Nikhef is committed to being an inclusive and diverse organisation. Applications from women and people belonging to minority and underrepresented groups are especially welcomed.
Offer
The candidates will be employed by the NWO-I foundation for a period of 4 years and will obtain the status of PhD candidate. They will receive a competitive salary. The conditions of employment are excellent and include extra months’’salary payment in May and December. The conditions of employment of the NWO-I foundation can be found at https://www.nwo-i.nl/en/employees/
Requirements
Excellent software and programming skills, in particular in Python, as well as prior expertise in the topics relevant for these positions are specially encouraged. Applicants should have a MSc degree in theoretical or particle physics (or a closely related topic) by the time they start their appointment at Nikhef or shortly thereafter.
Further information and application
Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply by clicking the 'apply now' button below. Please be prepared to upload a curriculum vitae and a motivation letter and have the email addresses of at least two referents ready, who are willing to send a letter of recommendation on your behalf. The deadline for applications is Friday March 14th, 2025. The starting date will be set on mutual agreement, with September 2025 being preferred. For further information, feel free to contact Prof. Dr. Juan Rojo (j.rojo@nikhef.nl).
All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply