The Nikhef Theory group in Amsterdam invites applications for a Postdoctoral Position on QCD and Proton Structure with LHC Neutrinos under the ERC Advanced Grant project UNICORN (“Unlocking the Strong Interactions with Collider Neutrinos”).
Overview & Job Details
| Designation | Postdoctoral Researcher |
| Research Area | Theoretical Particle Physics, Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD), Proton Structure, Collider Neutrinos |
| Institution | Nikhef Theory Group / VU Amsterdam (Department of Physics and Astronomy) |
| Location | Science Park 105, 1098 XG Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Contract Type | Full-time (38–40 hours/week), 2-year contract with possible extension to a 3rd year |
| Salary | €3,706 to €5,760 gross per month (Scale 10, UNL Collective Labour Agreement) |
| Application Deadline | 31 January 2027 |
Job Description
For more than fifteen years, the intense flux of high-energy neutrinos produced in the forward direction at the LHC went undetected, until observations in 2023 by the FASER and SND@LHC experiments launched the “collider neutrino” era. The ERC Advanced Grant UNICORN project builds the theoretical framework required to model the production and scattering of these neutrinos by uniting state-of-the-art QCD calculations, Monte Carlo simulations, and machine learning.
Supervised by Prof. Dr. Juan Rojo within the Nikhef Theory group, the postdoctoral researcher will focus on:
- Data-driven extraction of LHC forward neutrino fluxes.
- Charm production at the LHC as high-resolution probes of small-x QCD.
- Neutrino and muon deep-inelastic scattering (DIS) structure functions at TeV energies and integration into the NNPDF global analysis of proton structure.
- Development of modern event generators for neutrino and muon DIS with data-driven tunes, integrated with Neural Simulation-Based Inference to extract unbinned observables from FASER data.
- Collaborating closely with the FASER experiment, including research visits to CERN.
Remuneration & Benefits
- Gross monthly salary ranging from €3,706 to €5,760 (Scale 10).
- 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
- 232 holiday hours per year for a 38-hour week (plus 96 extra hours for a 40-hour schedule).
- Comprehensive pension scheme (ABP) and commuting expense contributions.
- Customizable personalized benefits package.
Eligibility & Qualifications
- Applicants must hold, or expect to obtain before the start date, a PhD in theoretical or particle physics (or a closely related discipline).
- Excellent software and programming skills, particularly in Python.
- Demonstrated expertise in relevant domains (QCD, neutrino scattering, Monte Carlo event generators, machine learning, or PDF fitting).
How to Apply
Interested candidates should apply directly via the Nikhef recruitment portal. Please ensure you prepare:
- A detailed Curriculum Vitae (CV).
- A letter of motivation.
- Contact details (email addresses) of at least three referees who can provide reference letters upon request (requested only for shortlisted candidates).
For informal inquiries regarding the role, contact Prof. Dr. Juan Rojo at j.rojo@nikhef.nl.
Application Link: Apply Online at Nikhef Job Portal
