Nikhef, the national institute for subatomic physics in The Netherlands, is looking for 

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 six 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 Nikhef ATLAS group consists of groups in Amsterdam and Nijmegen, for a total of 15 staff, and typically 5 postdocs and 20 PhD students. As a founding member of the ATLAS collaboration, the group has a long-term involvement in both detector construction (the semiconductor tracker, barrel muon chambers, readout, alignment, and data acquisition) as well as operations (trigger and muon tracking reconstruction). For the phase-2 upgrade (2025-2027), we will assemble and commission one of the end-caps of  an new all-silicon inner tracking system (ITk) in Amsterdam and develop a new universal readout system (FELIX) for all ATLAS detector systems. 

The group also has a strong record in physics data analysis, with strong focus on Higgs boson physics, top quark physics and searches for new physics signatures.Nikhef also hosts an ATLAS Tier-1 data processing center, and offers substantial additional computing resources for end-user data analysis and simulation.

You will investigate the breaking of electroweak symmetry and the origin of particle masses trough a precision studies of properties of the Higgs boson particle. Since its discovery in 2012, the ever-increasing samples of Higgs bosons produced at the LHC provide an opportunity to precisely study these key roles of the Higgs boson. With data taking starting again in 2022, the LHC is expected to more than double its data set by the end of 2024. 

You will join the ATLAS experiment and our local Higgs analysis experts that focuses on three major topics: the Higgs as the origin of mass of fermions, Higgs self-couplings, and studies of Higgs properties that are extra sensitive to potential contributions from new fundamental physics.  For this round we are looking for PhD students to focus on one two topics:

- The Higgs coupling to 2nd generation fermions. Higgs interactions with muons have not yet been established, yet are crucial for our understanding as Higgs as general mechanism for fermion masses. You will search for this rare clean signature , which involves among others an excellent understanding of the ATLAS tracking detectors.

- The consistency of all Higgs couplings with theoretical predictions. Recent advances in Standard Model Effective Field theory allow to perform highly sensitive consistency tests of all Higgs measurements to date to look for any physically meaningful patterns of deviations that could arise from new fundamental physics at high energy. In this project you will focus on advanced statistical modeling and data analysis techniques.  

The positions offered here are part of a NWO-funded physics program “At the heart of the Higgs”, which will comprise 7 PhD positions and 3 postdoc positions at Nikhef in the period 2021-2026 all focused on Higgs boson physics, complemented by 9 Nikhef staff scientists. We offer excellent supervision, networking opportunities and a specialized training program in data analysis techniques, as well as state-of-the art computing facilities.  

We are looking for PhD candidates with an (almost) completed Master degree in high-energy physics or in a closely related field. The ideal candidate has a strong interest in data analysis, has good software skills (C++, Python, ROOT) and has (some) research experience in experimental particle physics.

A temporary fulltime contract for the duration of 4 years (the initial contract will be for a period of 18 months and after satisfactory evaluation it will be extended for a total duration of 4 years). This should lead to a dissertation (PhD thesis). We will draft an educational plan that includes attendance of courses and (international) meetings. We also expect you to assist in teaching undergraduates and master students. You will be enrolled in the national research school for subatomic physics that offers multiple summer schools as well as a continuing advanced education program in particles physics. During the doctoral programme there is the possibility to stay at CERN for a period of 1 year. 

You will be employed at either the NWO-I-foundation or the University of Amsterdam, depending on your research topic and supervisor. The salary, depending on relevant experience before the beginning of the employment contract, will be € 2,395 to € 3,061 (scale P) gross per month when employed by the University of Amsterdam or € 2,346 to € 3,007 gross per month when employed by NWO-I. This is based on a fulltime contract. This is exclusive 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The conditions of employment of the NWO-I-foundation and the University of Amsterdam are both excellent, and further details can be found on www.nwo-i.nl and here, respectively

Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply visiting https://www.nikhef.nl/en/vacancies/, selecting the vacancy entitled 'PhD students in experimental particle physics (ATLAS, Higgs)' and clicking the 'apply now' at the bottom of that page. Please be prepared to upload a curriculum vitae and have the email address of at least two referees ready who is willing to send a letter of recommendation on your behalf.

The deadline for applications is June 20th 2021. Further information on these positions can be obtained prof. dr. Wouter Verkerke (verkerke@nikhef.nl)

The UvA’s Faculty of Science has a student body of around 6,500, as well as 1,600 members of staff working in education, research or support services. Researchers and students at the Faculty of Science are fascinated by every aspect of how the world works, be it elementary particles, the birth of the universe or the functioning of the brain.

The Institute of Physics (IoP) is located in the center of the Amsterdam Science Park. The IoP – as part of the Faculty of Science – is housed in a modern building with excellent labs and technical facilities. Surrounded by several national research institutes and with our partners at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the institute is part of a strong physics center of international standing. One of the institutes that the IoP has very close ties to is Nikhef, the national institute for subatomic physics in The Netherlands. The present vacancy is fully embedded in the ATLAS group of Nikhef.

All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply.