Summary
Nikhef, the national institute for subatomic physics in the Netherlands, is offering a fully funded 4-year PhD position. The successful candidate will work to improve the modelling of high-energy hadronic interactions by confronting state-of-the-art models and event generators with complementary data from three world-class experiments: the Pierre Auger Observatory, KM3NeT, and FASER at the LHC.
Position Details
| Feature | Details |
| Designation | PhD Candidate |
| Research Area | Astroparticle physics, theoretical physics, cosmic rays, neutrino astronomy, and QCD/hadronic-interaction modelling |
| Employment Type | Full-time (1+3 years contract via NWO-I foundation) |
| Location | Amsterdam, Netherlands (with a 6-month physical presence in Nijmegen) |
| Application Deadline | Friday, August 14, 2026 |
| Preferred Start Date | October / November 2026 (negotiable) |
Research Area
The project bridges accelerator-based and astroparticle datasets within a common framework. By looking at ultra-high-energy cosmic-ray air showers (Auger), high-energy neutrinos (KM3NeT), and forward neutrino/hadron production (FASER at the LHC), the candidate will derive improved constraints on high-energy hadronic scattering, reducing the dominant source of uncertainty across all three fields.
Eligibility & Qualifications
- Applicants must hold an MSc degree in (astro-)particle physics, theoretical physics, or a closely related topic by the start of the appointment.
- Excellent software and programming skills, particularly in Python.
- Prior expertise or strong interest in topics relevant to hadronic interaction modeling and particle physics data analysis is highly encouraged.
Job Description
- Confront state-of-the-art event generators and models with experimental data spanning an exceptionally broad range of neutrino energies and sources.
- Spend 5 to 6 months fully embedded within each of the three experimental groups (totaling 16 months per experiment over the 4-year duration).
- Participate in monthly meetings of the new “Platform on extreme scattering modelling” for supervision and community integration.
- Benefit from a competitive salary package under the NWO-I foundation, which includes extra months’ salary payments in May and December.
How to Apply
Qualified applicants can apply directly through the Nikhef Job Portal.
Please be prepared to provide:
- A comprehensive Curriculum Vitae (CV).
- A motivation letter.
- The email addresses of at least two referents who are willing to submit letters of recommendation on your behalf.
For further informal inquiries, you can reach out to Prof. Dr. Charles Timmermans (charles.timmermans@ru.nl) or Prof. Dr. Juan Rojo (j.rojo@nikhef.nl).
