Open Position Post-doctoral research positions for the IFAE Gamma-ray group within the framework of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan – Funded by the European Union – Next Generation and ACME

About IFAE

The Institut de Física d’Altes Energies (IFAE) is a public consortium of the Generalitat de Catalunya (the Autonomous Government of Catalonia, Spain) and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB, a public university) whose main objective is to carry out research and to contribute to the development of high energy physics from a theoretical, experimental and technological point of view. IFAE has the status of a “University Institute" attached to the UAB and its premises are within the campus of the University.

About the Gamma-ray group

The IFAE Gamma-ray group has a vast expertise in technical and scientific aspects of gamma-ray astronomy, participating with a leading role in the MAGIC telescopes and the CTA observatory projects. Since 2020, the group has also been involved in the High Energy cosmic-Radiation Detection (HERD) project for the construction of a next-generation cosmic ray detector in the Chinese Space Station (CSS).
The gamma-ray astrophysics group at IFAE has a leading role in the construction and commissioning of the four large-size telescopes (LSTs) of CTA-North, coordinating the design and integration of the LST cameras. Regular operations with four LSTs are foreseen to start in 2026. 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. Our group also designed and built the camera of the first MAGIC telescope together with a significant part of the data acquisition electronics for both MAGIC telescopes and is responsible for the science data center of the MAGIC collaboration. We are also very active on science exploitation, having led and leading several of the highest-impact results by MAGIC and the first scientific results produced with LST data. Recently, IFAE has joined the newly funded EU project “Astrophysics Centre for Multimessenger Studies in Europe (ACME)”, whose purpose is to create “expertise centres” to facilitate the access both to multimessenger data and to the tools for their analysis and interpretation. Within the context of ACME, IFAE aims not only at providing access to more than two decades of MAGIC archival observations, but also to develop open-source tools for their analysis and interpretation.
In addition, our group is developing trigger and data-acquisition electronics for the Fiber Tracker and the Plastic Scintillator veto subdetectors of HERD, with potential applications in other future space gamma-ray detectors, as well as assessing the capabilities for gamma-ray astronomy for future space missions. HERD has been proposed by China, Italy, Switzerland, and Spain and will start operating at around 2027, for at least 10 years. HERD main scientific goals are the search for signatures of dark matter particles; the determination of the physical mechanisms producing the knee structure in the cosmic ray spectrum; and providing continuous, wide field-of-view monitoring of the high-energy gamma-ray sky above 100 MeV.

Required skills and evaluation criteria

The successful candidate will be expected to have:

• A PhD or equivalent degree in physics, required to be considered for this position.
• Strong programming skills (C++, root and Python), and previous experience in data analysis and/or instrumentation in astro-particle physics, are also required.
• Previous experience in data analysis and/or instrumentation in gamma-ray astronomy will be positively valued.
• Previous experience in management and standardization of scientific data will be positively valued.
• The candidate needs to possess excellent English oral and written communication skills.

The evaluation criteria and their weighting for the submitted applications will be the following:

• Scientific excellence based on the CV: 50 points
• Previous experience: 50 points.

What will be your role?

The successful candidate will participate in the following activities:

• Development and characterization of the trigger and data-acquisition electronics for HERD and other future gamma-ray astronomy missions.
• Development of methods and tools for the public access to MAGIC observations and data in the context of the EU ACME project. Data analysis for the Gamma-ray ground-based and/or satellite projects.

Offered contract:

• One full-time (40h/week) position. Flexible schedule.
• Contract: Indefinido Actividades Científico-Técnicas
• Duration: 24 months (with a possible extension for 12 additional months based upon mutual satisfaction).
• Salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications, within the corresponding category range.
• Work with interesting experimental science. Opportunity to gain experience learning first-hand in instrumentation and data management and analysis in gamma-ray astronomy. Personal growth, innovation, and learning every day.

Application and Selection process:

Applications should be submitted to Dr. Javier Rico (jrico@ifae.es ) and rrhh@ifae.es stating the job reference (2024/51_GAMMA-RAY_Postdoc) as the subject of the message. The mail should include a brief motivation letter and an updated CV. Applicants should arrangement for at least two letters of reference to be sent by the referees directly to the address above.

Sending CVs to the above addresses implies consent to the IFAE’s legal warning on data privacy.

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.

A Selection Committee will evaluate the received applications. If more than one candidate seems equally suitable for the position, the Selection Committee will arrange an on-line interview with each one of them as part of the Selection process.

In compliance with article 121 of the Spanish Public Sector Legal Regime Act, staff with a pre-existing relationship with the Consortium administration (Generalitat de Catalunya and Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona) will have priority in the awarding of the position.

You may contact Dr. Javier Rico (jrico@ifae.es ) for any questions related to this job opening.

Funding Statement