PhD scholarship in CMS - Student at University of Antwerp, Belgium

The Particle Physics research group of the University of Antwerpen has an open position for a PhD student.  Our flagship experiments include the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN and the SoLi∂ reactor neutrino experiment at the Belgian BR2 research reactor of the SCK-CEN in Mol, Belgium.  

Within CMS we contributed to the construction and commissioning of the silicon strip tracker and of the CASTOR calorimeter.  Presently, The Antwerp CMS group is active in the field of Quantum Chromodynamics and in the study of the Brout-Englert-Higgs mechanism, as well as in R&D for the future upgrade of the CMS silicon strip tracker.  Among other topics, the group has worked on Standard Model scalar searches in the WW leptonic and bb decay channels, leading to a strong contribution to the discovery of the Standard Model scalar at 125 GeV, as well as the measurement of Vector Boson scattering. With the present opening, we wish to extend our activities in the field of searches for physics beyond the standard model of particle physics and more specifically to searches for supersymmetric particles in decay final states involving leptons.

The successful applicant will work on the analysis of LHC Run 2 data and will also be involved in the construction of the silicon strip tracker for the CMS upgrade to which all Belgian institutes in CMS contribute.  

Your profile

You have obtained a master degree in Physics or Physical Engineering with outstanding grades or will obtain it by the time of the selection procedure. 

You have a great interest in experimental elementary particle physics and related instrumentation.

You are proficient in object-oriented programming (preferable C++ and/or Python) and have a high degree of independence with the Linux operating system and related scripting.

You are willing to collaborate with international partners, spend significant fractions of your time at the CERN laboratory in Geneva and participate in international workshops and conferences.

Any instrumentation hardware experience will be positively taken into consideration during the evaluation.

We offer

A PhD scholarship for one year, renewable for a total of up to four years after positive evaluation. This scholarship is free of state income taxes, but includes contributions to the national healthcare and pension system paid by the employer. Your initial gross salary will amount to minimally 2080EUR per month, subject to small annual corrections.

Important computing facilities and a supporting research environment are available to the candidates.  The successful candidate will be based in Antwerp, but should also be prepared to travel regularly to CERN. The PhD scholarship is expected to lead to a PhD degree at the University of Antwerp.

How to apply

You can apply for the position by sending your motivation letter and academic CV, including two reference letters, via electronic mail jointly to Prof. Pierre Van Mechelen and Dr. Xavier Janssen, Universiteit Antwerpen, Groeoenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerpen:
 

Pierre Van Mechelen: pierre.vanmechelen@uantwerpen.be
Xavier Janssen: xavier.janssen@uantwerpen.be
 

Applications should be submitted before July 31st, 2017.  An initial screening of the candidates will happen over the summer and you might be invited for an interview (or an interview by videoconference if needed).  The position is expected to start in September or October 2017.