Nikhef is the national institute for subatomic physics in the Netherlands. At Nikhef, approximately 220 physicists and 80 technical staff work together in an open and international scientific environment. Together they perform theoretical and experimental research in the fields of particle and astroparticle physics. Nikhef is a partnership between six major Dutch universities and NWO-I Foundation, the Institutes Organization of the Dutch Research Council (NWO).

Among the research collaborations Nikhef participates in are the ALICE, ATLAS and LHCb experiments at CERN, the KM3NeT neutrino telescope in the Mediterranean, the Virgo gravitational waves interferometer in Pisa, the Xenon-nT dark matter experiment in Gran Sasso, the Pierre Auger cosmic ray observatory in Argentina, and the eEDM research programme in Groningen. There are also scientific groups on Theory, Physics Data Processing and Detector R&D. Nikhef avails over excellently equipped technical departments in mechanics, electronics and computing.

The Nikhef ATLAS group consists of a total of 15 scientific staff, typically 5 postdocs and 15 PhD students. As a founding member of the ATLAS collaboration, the group has a long-term involvement in detector construction (the semiconductor tracker, barrel muon chambers, readout, alignment, and data acquisition). For the phase-2 upgrade (2026-2028), we will instrument and commission one of the end-caps of a new all-silicon inner tracking system (ITk) in Amsterdam, commission the High Granularity Timing Detector (HGTD), and develop the new universal readout system (FELIX) for ATLAS detector systems. The group also has a strong record in track reconstruction, flavour tagging algorithm development as well as physics data analysis, with a focus on Higgs boson physics, top quark physics, and searches for new physics signatures.

What are you going to do?
You will search for new physics beyond the Standard Model, by investigating the electroweak symmetry breaking mechanism through a precise characterisation of properties of diboson interactions. The focus will be on the high-energy tails of the distributions, which are more sensitive to effects from new physics. You will study the reconstruction and identification of angular properties of hadronic decays from very energetic weak bosons using machine learning techniques. You are also going to contribute to detector construction and/or operations.

You will be embedded in the Nikhef ATLAS group, and become a member of the international ATLAS collaboration. The working language is English. In addition to opportunities to give presentations at national and international conferences, you can visit ATLAS collaboration meetings at CERN, including the possibility for a long stay at CERN for a period of up to 1 year. You will be enrolled in the national research school for subatomic physics that offers multiple summer schools as well as a continuing advanced education program in particle physics. Nikhef hosts an LHC Tier-1 data processing centre and offers substantial additional computing resources for end-user data analysis and simulation to support these positions.

Your profile

Your experience and profile

• MSc degree in high-energy physics or a closely related field (complete or close to completion)
• Strong interest in data analysis
• Good software skills (Python, C++)

Experience with ROOT, machine learning algorithms and software (PyTorch, TensorFlow) is desirable but not required.

Our offer
A temporary contract for 38 hours per week for the duration of 4 years (the initial contract will be for a period of 18 months and after satisfactory evaluation it will be extended for a total duration of 4 years). The preferred starting date is to be discussed, but preferably in the first half of 2025. This should lead to a dissertation (PhD thesis). We will draft an educational plan that includes attendance of courses and (international) meetings. We also expect you to assist in teaching undergraduates and master students.

The gross monthly salary, based on 38 hours per week and dependent on relevant experience, ranges between € 2,872 to € 3,670 (scale P). This does not include 8% holiday allowance and 8,3% year-end allowance. The UFO profile name profile and level is applicable. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The Collective Labour Agreement of Universities of the Netherlands is applicable.

Besides the salary and a vibrant and challenging environment at Science Park we offer you multiple fringe benefits:

• 232 holiday hours per year (based on fulltime) and extra holidays between Christmas and 1 January;
• multiple courses to follow from our Teaching and Learning Centre;
• a complete educational program for PhD students;
• multiple courses on topics such as leadership for academic staff;
• multiple courses on topics such as time management, handling stress and an online learning platform with 100+ different courses;
• 7 weeks birth leave (partner leave) with 100% salary;
• partly paid parental leave;
• the possibility to set up a workplace at home;
• a pension at ABP for which UvA pays two third part of the contribution;
• the possibility to follow courses to learn Dutch;
• help with housing for a studio or small apartment when you’re moving from abroad.

Are you curious to read more about our extensive package of secondary employment benefits, take a look here.

About us
The University of Amsterdam is the Netherlands' largest university, offering the widest range of academic programmes. At the UvA, 30,000 students, 6,000 staff members and 3,000 PhD candidates study and work in a diverse range of fields, connected by a culture of curiosity.

The Faculty of Science has a student body of around 8,000, as well as 1,800 members of staff working in education, research or support services. Researchers and students at the Faculty of Science are fascinated by every aspect of how the world works, be it elementary particles, the birth of the universe or the functioning of the brain.

The Institute of Physics is located in the centre of the Amsterdam Science Park. The IoP – as part of the Faculty of Science – is housed in a modern building with excellent labs and technical facilities. Surrounded by several national research institutes and with our partners at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the institute is part of a strong physics centre of international standing. One of the institutes that the IoP has very close ties to is Nikhef, the national institute for subatomic physics in The Netherlands. The present vacancy is fully embedded in the ATLAS group of Nikhef.

Want to know more about our organisation? Read more about working at the University of Amsterdam.

Any questions?
Do you have any questions or do you require additional information? Please contact:

• Dr Flavia de Almeida Dias, Associate Professor, flavia.dias@cern.ch

Job application
If you feel the profile fits you, and you are interested in the job, we look forward to receiving your application. You can apply online via the Nikhef link (please see application instructions in bold below). We accept applications until and including 20 October 2024.

Applications should include the following information (all files besides your cv should be submitted in one single pdf file):

• a detailed CV including the months (not just years) when referring to your education and work experience;
• a letter of motivation;
• the names and email addresses of two references who can provide letters of recommendation.

APPLICATIONS ONLY VIA NIKHEF WEBSITE USING THIS LINK
Only complete applications received within the response period via the link below will be considered.

The interviews will be held in the course of the month of November.

The UvA is an equal-opportunity employer. We prioritize diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for everyone. We value a spirit of enquiry and perseverance, provide the space to keep asking questions, and promote a culture of curiosity and creativity.

No agencies please