Postdoctoral fellow in Experimental Particle Physics on the ATLAS Experiment and ACTS Track Reconstruction

The ATLAS Group at Lund University seeks a skilled and motivated post-doctoral fellow with to join our research team.

Subject description

Half of the working time is available for a research line within ATLAS of the candidate’s choosing. The successful candidate should expect to spend roughtly the other half of their time on track reconstruction. ATLAS expects to move track reconstruction entirely to the ACTS (A Common Tracking Software) framework to cope with the intense environment of the HL-LHC. The candidate could expect to help co-supervise PhD students on ATLAS and have the opportunity to supervise masters and bachelors projects. The research activities are located at the Department of Physics at Lund University, with regular travel to CERN, ACTS Collaboration workshops, and conferences expected.

The Lund ATLAS group currently has six faculty members (Vincent Hedberg, Hannah Herde, Else Lytken, Ruth Pöttgen, Oxana Smirnova, and Torsten Åkesson) and three PhD students. Our active research areas include physics data analysis, reconstruction and combined performance, instrumentation development, and high-performance computing. More information is available on the Division of Particle and Nuclear Physics website, https://www.particle-nuclear.lu.se/.

Work duties

The main duties involved in a post-doctoral position is to conduct research. Teaching may also be included, but up to no more than 20% of working hours. The position shall include the opportunity for three weeks of training in higher education teaching and learning.

• ATLAS research line: Pursue an ATLAS research line of the candidate’s choosing.
• Track reconstruction research: Conduct research in the field of track reconstruction for the ATLAS Experiment using the ACTS framework, focusing on the development and implementation of innovative algorithms and techniques to accurately reconstruct particle trajectories in HL-LHC conditions.
• Collaboration and teamwork: Work collaboratively within international research environments.
• Communication: Clear and thoughtful communication, both within the scientific community and with the public.
• Mentorship and training: Provide guidance and mentorship for junior researchers, fostering a collaborative and knowledge-sharing environment.
• Documentation and reporting: Maintain detailed records of research activities, prepare documentation for future users, and follow ATLAS and ACTS requirements for contributing to documentation of algorithms and analysis techniques developed during the research.
• Possibility to seek external research funding for conference travel or small projects.
• Administration related to work duties listed above.

Qualification requirements

Appointment to a post-doctoral position requires that the applicant has a PhD, or an international degree deemed equivalent to a PhD, within the subject of the position, completed no more than three years before the date of employment decision. Under special circumstances, the doctoral degree can have been completed earlier.

Candidates who expect to defend their dissertations within the next six months are invited to apply. The candidate must have completed their doctoral degree before the position may begin.

Requirements:

• Prior experience with analysis and detector work in particle physics or similar.
• Collaborative skills in order to work in a large, international collaboration.
• Strong programming skills in C++ and Python.
• Scholarly proficiency, for example demonstrated through published papers and/or the quality of their PhD dissertation.
• Very good oral and written proficiency in English.

Highly desirable qualifications:

• Prior experience with ACTS and/or track reconstruction/combined performance.
• Experience supervising or guiding junior researchers in their projects.

Assessment criteria and other qualifications

This is a career development position primarily focused on research. The position is intended as an initial step in a career, and the assessment of the applicants will primarily be based on their research qualifications and potential as researchers.

Particular emphasis will be placed on research skills within the subject.

For appointments to a post-doctoral position, the following shall form the assessment criteria:

• A good ability to develop and conduct high quality research.
• Teaching skills.

Additional assessment criteria:

• Relevance and viability of past and future research interests.
• Experience with large-scale data analysis Proficiency in programming languages such as C++ and Python and working within large software frameworks.
  • Experience with ACTS and/or track reconstruction explicitly is considered a merit.
• Experience working in an international collaboration.
• Interest and experience guiding others, particularly students, in their projects.

Evaluation of the applicants will take their experience, knowledge, and other personal qualities into consideration.

Consideration will also be given to good collaborative skills, drive and independence, and how the applicant’s experience and skills complement and strengthen ongoing research within the department, and how they stand to contribute to its future development.

Terms of employment

This is a full-time, fixed-term employment of two years with the possibility of a one-year extension. The period of employment is determined in accordance with the agreement “Avtal om tidsbegränsad anställning som postdoktor” (“Agreement on fixed-term employment as a post-doctoral fellow”) between Lund University, SACO-S and OFR/S, dated 1st February 2022.

Instructions on how to apply

Applications shall be written in English and be compiled into a PDF-file containing:

1. A cover letter describing your interest in this position
2. A statement of your current and future research interests (up to three pages)
3. A CV with copies of PhD and exam certificates. The candidate may supply a written statement with their expected defence date.
4. A list of up to 10 relevant publications, annotated with the candidate’s contributions
5. A list with contact information for three references
   1. Letters of recommendation are not requested at this time
   2. References will be contacted if a candidate is invited to interview and with the candidate’s knowledge
6. Any other documents the applicant wishes to submit for review

For questions, including salary, contact: Hannah Herde, hannah.herde@fysik.lu.se
All applications will be reviewed as they arrive.