PhD Opportunities in the Astronomy Detectors Group at IFAE

Job Reference: IFAE2024/29_ATHENA_EUCLID_PHD Students

Opening date:   02/08/2024

Closing date:     15/09/2024

The High Energy Physics Institute (IFAE) in Barcelona announces the opening of up to two PhD Student Positions in the detector Characterization Group. IFAE is a worldwide-recognized center for fundamental research in Particle Physics, Astroparticle Physics and Cosmology, as well as for developing state-of-the-art instrumentation under the framework of several international scientific collaborations and medical physics applications. IFAE provides an international, dynamic, and competitive environment for training of young researchers.

The IFAE has a long record of instrumentation development and has contributed to the construction, assembly, installation and commissioning in experiments at CERN, KEK, several telescopes at El Roque de los Muchachos, Chile and USA observatories, and the Euclid Space Mission. It has specialized cutting-edge laboratories for the characterization of CMOS, CCD and FPA devices and for newly developed detectors in the Infra-Red (IR) spectrum.

The successful candidates will contribute to the characterization of a novel IR detector devoted to ground and space-based astronomy, being developed at the frontier of the Very Long Wave Infra Red (VLWIR) detector technology within the framework of a European collaboration (CEA-Leti, Lynred, among others) and/or the characterization of a Near and Short-Wave Infra Red (NIR-SWIR) detector for the European Space Agency (ESA) mission, Arrakihs.  A solid background in semiconductors and photonics is desirable and a hands-on approach for design, integration, and testing tasks is required. The candidate will be deeply involved in developing setups, engaging with cryogenics, vacuum technology, optomechanical devices, and custom readout electronics. Electro-optical detector characterization requires proficient programming skills (Python, MATLAB, etc.) and statistical knowledge to handle noisy and pattern-corrupted images effectively. Hence, a background in digital image processing is highly valued.

Interested candidates must have a master’s degree in physics on the date of the contract start and provide a letter of interest, a CV and arrange for two letters of reference to be sent by e-mail to hhrr@ifae.es.

Evaluation criteria will consider the previous experience (50%), the Scientific excellence based on the CV (30%) and the Motivation (20%).

IFAE is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity in the workplace, and we welcome application from all qualified candidates. Women are particularly encouraged to apply.

The application deadline is September 15th, 2024. However, applications will be accepted until the opening is filled.

For further information please contact Cristobal Padilla (Cristobal.Padilla@ifae.es) and Jorge Jiménez (jjimenez@ifae.es) 

General information about IFAE is available at http://www.ifae.es