The organization
Nikhef is the national institute for subatomic physics in the Netherlands. At Nikhef, approximately 220 physicists and 75 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 theory, 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 ALICE Group
The Nikhef ALICE group comprises 7 scientific staff members, typically 2 postdocs, and 10 PhD students. As a founding member of the ALICE collaboration, the group has a long-standing involvement in detector construction, specifically the inner silicon strip tracker (ITS1) and the Monolithic Active Pixel Sensors (MAPS) inner tracker (ITS2). Currently the group participates in the design and construction of the next upgrade of the ITS with ultra-thin MAPS and for ALICE3.
The position
The successful candidate will contribute to and lead the group’s efforts in research and development of tracking algorithms for the high-luminosity era. This includes incorporating timing information in tracking, known as 4D tracking, and significantly contributing to this domain within the ALICE collaboration. Additionally, the candidate will supervise PhD students and postdocs on both tracking and physics- or detector-related topics, and actively participate in securing funding. Nikhef, in collaboration with its university partners, offers access to excellent students who play a vital role in the scientific life of the ALICE group and provides teaching opportunities for interested candidates.
Requirements
Applicants should have a PhD in physics or a closely related field, a demonstrated record of outstanding research in particle physics, and substantial contributions to tracking algorithm development or performance studies at collider experiments. Proficient communication and presentation skills, both verbal and written, are expected. Expertise in novel technologies that may contribute to long-term tracking development in ALICE, such as 4D tracking or AI algorithms, is considered an advantage.
Offer
The successful candidate will be offered an employment contract for one year, with the explicit intention of changing this to a permanent position afterwards upon mutual satisfaction. Our new colleague will be employed by the Dutch foundation for scientific research NWO-I and based at Nikhef in Amsterdam. The conditions of employment are excellent and include extra months' salary payment in May and December and good travel arrangements. More information about the NWO-I foundation can be found here. The date on which the appointment is to begin will be determined by mutual agreement.
On top of being an employer, the Nikhef institute offers new colleagues the opportunity to become a member of a community with a long-standing tradition of being a welcoming home for talented scientists. We welcome candidates who want to be part of this community, who are willing to contribute to this atmosphere and who want to actively participate in extracurricular activities. Nikhef hosts active committees that organize a variety of intellectual, scientific and social activities. Nikhef staff members are encouraged to contribute to these activities.
Application
Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply using the template below. Please be prepared to upload a curriculum vitae, a motivation letter and the email addresses of three referees who are willing to send a letter of recommendation on your behalf. The deadline for applications is 15 October 2024. Selected candidates will be invited for an interview in Amsterdam in November 2024. Further information on this position can be obtained from prof. dr. R.J.M. Snellings (Raimond.Snellings@nikhef.nl)
Nikhef is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace, and strongly encourages candidates from under-represented minorities to apply.