Post-Doctoral Position in Neutrino Astrophysics with KM3NeT (ARCA/ORCA) - Postdoc at Strasbourg, IPHC

IPHC is a pluridisciplinary institute, with around 120 researchers, 90 engineers and technicians, 90 PhD students, working in the areas of subatomic physics (70 physicists), chemistry and biology. In particular, the Department of Subatomic Researches (DRS) is involved, e.g., in nuclear studies, particle physics with existing (LHC) or planned facilities (ILC), but also neutrino physics (Double Chooz, JUNO) and astrophysics (ANTARES, KM3NeT). The Neutrino team is currently composed of 7 physicists and 2 PhD students, among which 4 physicists and 1 student are involved in GeV-PeV Neutrino Astronomy with participation to the analyses of the ANTARES neutrino telescope [http://antares.in2p3.fr] data and the preparation of KM3NeT. In particular, IPHC is leading the joint effort of searches for coincident emission of gravitational waves and high energy neutrinos using data from ANTARES and the LIGO/Virgo interferometers, which recently led to the neutrino follow-up of GW170817 observed by Virgo/LIGO [Search for High-energy Neutrinos from Binary Neutron Star Merger GW170817 with ANTARES, IceCube, and the Pierre Auger Observatory].

ORCA (Oscillations Research with Cosmics in the Abyss) is the low-energy branch of KM3NeT, the next generation underwater Cherenkov neutrino detector in the Mediterranean. Its primary goal is to determine the Neutrino Mass Hierarchy using matter oscillation effects with GeV atmospheric neutrinos, but its potential for GeV neutrino astrophysics have yet to be fully studied. Seven of the final 115 lines that will compose ORCA will be operational within the next year. The completion of ORCA, deployed on the french KM3NeT site offshore Toulon, could occur as soon as 2020. 

ARCA (Astroparticle Research with Cosmics in the Abyss) is the high-energy branch of KM3NeT. It will be composed of 2 blocks of 115 lines each, deployed on the italian KM3NeT site, offshore Sicily, to reach a detection volume of 1 cubic kilometer. Its main objective is the determination of the sources of high-energy neutrinos, in the TeV-PeV range. During the first phase of the experiment, 30 of the final 230 lines will be operating, with a detection volume of about 0.1 cubic kilometer, before the operation of the full ARCA telescope in the next few years.

The successful candidate, funded through the H2020 european program, will participate to the development of multi-messenger analyses within ORCA and/or ARCA, and to the analysis of data recorded with the first deployed Detection Units.

The position will remain open until suitable candidates are found. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply before March 1^st, 2018. Applications should be sent by email (with subject “KM3NeT – H2020 postdoc position”) to Thierry PRADIER ; they should include a CV, a letter of motivation and the names of 3 referees.