Summary
The Nikhef Theory group in Amsterdam is offering a postdoctoral position to work on the ERC Advanced Grant project UNICORN (“Unlocking the Strong Interactions with Collider Neutrinos”). This project aims to establish a theoretical framework for modeling the production and scattering of high-energy neutrinos at the LHC, utilizing state-of-the-art QCD calculations, Monte Carlo simulations, and machine learning.
Designation
Postdoctoral Researcher
Research Area
Theoretical Particle Physics, Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD), Proton Structure, and Collider Neutrinos.
Location
Amsterdam, Netherlands (Nikhef and VU Amsterdam)
Eligibility/Qualification
- Applicants must hold, or expect to obtain before the starting date, a PhD in theoretical or particle physics (or a closely related field).
- Excellent software and programming skills, particularly in Python.
- Prior expertise in topics relevant to QCD, proton structure, or neutrino scattering is highly encouraged.
Job Description
The postdoctoral researcher will be embedded in the Nikhef Theory group and supervised by Prof. Dr. Juan Rojo. The research program addresses several interconnected directions:
- Data-driven extraction of LHC forward neutrino fluxes.
- Studying charm production at the LHC as high-resolution probes of small-x QCD.
- Analyzing neutrino and muon deep-inelastic scattering (DIS) structure functions at TeV energies for inclusion in the NNPDF global analysis.
- Developing state-of-the-art event generators for neutrino and muon DIS with data-driven tunes.
- Integrating Neural Simulation-Based Inference techniques to extract unbinned observables from FASER data.
The successful candidate will also join the FASER collaboration, including working visits to CERN.
Offer
- Salary: Scale 10 of the UNL collective labour agreement, ranging from €3,706 to €5,760 gross per month for full-time employment.
- Contract: 2 years, with a possible extension to a third year subject to available funds.
- Benefits: 8% holiday allowance, 8.3% end-of-year bonus, solid pension scheme (ABP), and contribution to commuting expenses.
How to Apply
Qualified applicants should apply via the Nikhef job portal. You will be required to upload a curriculum vitae and a motivation letter. Additionally, please have the email addresses of three referents ready who are willing to send a letter of recommendation on your behalf (letters will only be requested for short-listed candidates).
Last Date for Apply
January 31, 2027 (Applications will be reviewed until the position is filled).
Apply Link
