Open Position PhD Position for the Gamma-ray Group

The High Energy Physics Institute in Barcelona (IFAE) announces the opening of 4-year PhD student position in the Gamma-ray group. IFAE is a worldwide-recognized center for fundamental research in Particle Physics, Astroparticle Physics and Cosmology, and provides an international, dynamic, and competitive environment for training of young researchers.

About the Gamma-ray Group:

The gamma-ray astrophysics group at IFAE has been having a leading role in the construction and commissioning of the first of the four large-size telescopes (LSTs) of CTA-North. In particular, IFAE has led the coordination, design and integration of the LST cameras. The LSTs are 23-m diameter dish telescopes, the first of them already in operation at the Observatorio el Roque de los Muchachos (ORM). The construction of the other three LSTs has also started. IFAE also coordinates the development of the analysis software for the LST, and is a contributor to the Data Processing and Preservation System work package of CTA, in the areas of calibration and event reconstruction pipelines. IFAE is also one of the founding members of the MAGIC collaboration, which successfully operates the twin MAGIC gamma-ray telescopes at the ORM since 2003. IFAE designed and built the camera of the first MAGIC telescope together with a significant part of the data acquisition electronics for both MAGIC telescopes. Our group is also responsible for the science data center of the MAGIC collaboration, located at the neighboring Port d’Informació Cientiífica (PIC). We are also very active on science exploitation, participating in all MAGIC physics working groups and leading several of the first scientific results produced with LST data.

What we offer:

The successful candidate will enjoy a predoctoral grant part of the predoctoral actions integrated in the framework of Proyectos de Generación de Conocimiento 2022, funded by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Agencia Estatal de Investigación, FEDER and FSE (project PID2022-139117NB-C41). The program covers the pre-doctoral contract for a period of up to 48 months to carry out the thesis. The candidate will develop a PhD thesis on astroparticle physics data analysis as well as instrumentation or software development.

Requirements to apply:

Candidates must be enrolled or admitted to a doctoral program at a Spanish university, for the 2023/2024 academic year, o hold a degree that allows admission to the official doctoral programme on the date the contract is formalized. The start date of the contract will be before the end of 2023.

Application submission:

Interested candidates should submit the application to blanch@ifae.es with the reference IFAE2023/15_GammaRay before September 30st 2023 The application should include a CV, University and master scores, a letter of motivation and two reference letters. Sending CVs to the above address implies consent to the IFAE’s legal warning on data privacy.

Evaluation process:

The process of evaluation and selection guarantees the principles of competition, publicity and transparency. The recruitment of fellows consists in an open selection and the evaluation of candidates will be carried out according to the criteria of the call: Criteria 1: Academic and / or scientific-technical trajectory of the candidate (up to 50 points): 1.1 Scientific-technical contributions (up to 45 points): The academic record and other curricular merits of the candidate. Sub criterion 1.2 Mobility and internationalization (up to 5 points): The relevance and impact on the candidate’s research career stays in national and international centers and / or in the industrial sector. Criteria 2: Adequacy of the candidate to the research activities to be carried out (up to 50 points). More information about the evaluation criteria in the Article 12 of the official call (here )

A Selection Committee will evaluate the received applications.

IFAE is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity in the workplace and social integration of people with a disability. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates. People from groups that are typically underrepresented in the labour market in general and in Science and Engineering in particular, such as women, minorities, or people with a disability, are particularly encouraged to apply.

You may contact Oscar Blanch (blanch@ifae.es ) for any questions related to this job opening.