Open Position Postdoctoral Position for the Neutrino group

About IFAE

The Institut de Física d’Altes Energies (IFAE) is a public consortium of Generalitat de Catalunya, the Autonomous Government of Catalonia, and Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB, a public university) whose main goal 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 UAB and its premises are within the campus of the university.

About 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

What will be your role?

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.

Required skills and evaluation criteria

The successful candidate is expected to have:

• A PhD in Experimental Particle Physics or nuclear physics or equivalent.
• Experience in GEANT4 simulations and data analysis will be highly favourable
• Positively will be considered experience in instrumentation and detector R&D.
• The candidate is expected to do international travel and stays for research purposes in addition to collaboration meetings and conferences.

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

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

Offered contract:

• Full-time Contract (40 h/week)
• Contract: “Indefinido Actividades Científico Técnicas”
• Contract duration: 1 year
• The position will correspond to a Postdoctoral position.
• Salary will be proportional to experience and qualifications within the corresponding category range.
• Work with interesting experimental science. Opportunity to gain first-hand learning experience. 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 Thorsten Lux (Thorsten.Lux@ifae.es ) and rrhh@ifae.es stating the job reference (2025/36_Neutrinos_Postdoc) as the subject of the message. The mail should include a cover letter and an updated CV. Sending CVs to the above address implies consent to the IFAE’s legal warning on data privacy.

You may contact Thorsten Lux (Thorsten.Lux@ifae.es ) for any questions related to this job opening. 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.

Funding Statement