Open Position PhD Student Position for Neutrinos Group

About IFAE

The Institut de Física d’Altes Energies (IFAE) is a public consortium of the Generalitat de Catalunya, the Autonomous Government of Catalonia, 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. IFAE is an internationally recognized center for fundamental research in Particle Physics, Astroparticle Physics, and Cosmology. IFAE offers an international, dynamic, and competitive environment for the training of young researchers. IFAE has been accredited three times with the “Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence” distinction, most recently for the 2025-2029 period.

About the Neutrino group

Long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiments provide a unique window into CP violation in the leptonic sector. The current world-leading experiment, T2K in Japan, published the first constraints on the CP violation phase in 2020. Since then, T2K has upgraded both its near detector, ND280, and its neutrino beam, significantly enhancing its physics reach. T2K will continue running until its successor, Hyper-Kamiokande (HK), begins operation in May 2028. ND280 will remain central to this effort, playing a key role in achieving HK’s ambitious physics program, such as measuring the delta CP phase.

The IFAE Neutrino Group has been deeply involved in both T2K and HK, with a strong focus on ND280. The group contributed to the construction of the original ND280 (2005–2009) and its recent upgrade (2020–2024). Over the years, several PhD students and Postdoctoral Researchers from IFAE have contributed to the analysis of T2K ND280 data over the years, and today the group holds major responsibilities in preparing ND280 for HK, as well as ensuring its full physics exploitation in the HK era

Required skills and evaluation criteria

The successful candidate is expected to have:

• Master’s in Physics or satisfy the requirements to be admitted in the Physics PhD program of the UAB (https://www.uab.cat/en/phds/physics ) before the start of the grant
• Proficiency in the English language
• Pro-active attitude and good communication skills
• Research experience in particle physics or related research fields during the Master studies will be considered positively.

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

• Scientific excellence based on the CV and recommendation letters, 30
• Adequacy and interest for the offered position, 20
• Previous experience in the field of Neutrino Physics, especially T2K/HK, 15
• Software skills (GEANT4, C++, event reconstruction), 20
• Previous exposure to international environment, 15

What will be your role?

Long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiments allow for measuring CP violation in the leptonic sector. The currently leading experiment is T2K, which is located in Japan, and published in 2020 the first constraints of the CP violation in neutrinos. T2K is currently upgrading its near detector as well as the neutrino beam, which will help to improve the results significantly. Hyper-Kamiokande is a next-generation neutrino oscillation experiment which will use the same near detector as T2K, but will have a 9 times larger far detector, which also has a rich non-beam physics programme. The successful candidate will work on the near detector, ND280, of Hyper-Kamiokande. ND280 is currently used in T2K as a near detector, and the candidate is supposed to participate in the data taking with ND280 and analysis/beam studies in T2K as preparation to transfer the expertise from T2K to HK. This is an essential task to ensure that the physics potential of HK can be fully exploited. An important task will also be to contribute to simulation studies and R&D work to optimize the performance of ND280 further in the framework of the HK ND280++ Upgrade efforts.

Offered contract:

• Full-time contract (40 hours/week).
• Predoctoral Contract
• The position will correspond to “Predoctoral Researcher (R1)” within the professional categories of the IFAE.
• Salary will be proportional to experience and qualifications within the corresponding category range.
• Work with interesting experimental science. Travelling to scientific singular infrastructures. Opportunity to gain experience learning first-hand. Personal growth, innovation, and learning every day.
• The selected candidate is expected to join the IFAE as soon as possible.

Application and Selection process:

Applications should be submitted to Dr. Thorsten Lux (thorsten.lux@ifae.es ) and rrhh@ifae.es stating the job reference (IFAE2025/31_NEUTRINOS_SO_PhDStudent) as the subject of the message. The mail should include an up-to-date CV, a motivation letter and a full list of university grades, and arrange to have two letters of reference sent to the above e-mail addresses.

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

The application must contain a personal identification number (DNI, NIE or passport) in order to proceed to the verification of absence of conflict of interest required by Recovery and Resilience Mechanism of the Spanish Government.

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. Thorsten Lux (thorsten.lux@ifae.es ) for any questions related to this job opening.

Funding Statement

Esta plaza está financiada en el marco de la acreditación Severo Ochoa de IFAE CEX2024-001441-S (2025–2028), concedida por el MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033.