PhD in Electron Sources for Next-Gen Accelerators

ETH Zurich; Zürich; On-site; CHF 54,000 - 66,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Enrollment in ETH Doctoral Programme

On-site infrastructure

On-the-job training

Job summary

ETH Zurich invites applications for a Doctoral Position in High Intensity Electron Sources for Future Accelerators. The PhD will be based at PSI Villigen with teaching assistant duties at ETH Zurich.

The project advances beam-shaping techniques for FCC and SwissFEL applications, combining beam physics, laser tech and RF development in a highly interdisciplinary setting. Successful candidates hold a Master’s in a related field, show strong interest in accelerator physics, and possess analytical,

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in physics, accelerator science, electrical engineering, photonics, or related field.
• Strong interest in accelerator physics and experimental work; beam dynamics, lasers/optics, numerical modelling advantageous.
• Analytical, independent and collaborative working style.
• Proficiency in English; German is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Commission a new electron source test stand and demonstrate pulse-to-pulse modulation of bunch charge, beam size, and laser pulse energy relevant to the FCC-ee electron source concept.
• Compare laser-shaping techniques through beam measurements, build a prototype for photocathode operation, and investigate ML/AI-based optimization to improve performance.
• Study photocathode and laser performance, including the lifetime of semiconductor photocathodes at bunch charges of up to 5 nC.
• Measure gains in beam brightness from photocathode laser shaping and RF compression for SwissFEL upgrades.

Skills

Accelerator physics

Beam dynamics

Lasers/ optics

Scientific programming

Education

Master’s degree in physics / accelerator science / electrical engineering / photonics

Job description

ETH Zurich invites applications for a Doctoral Position in High Intensity Electron Sources for Future Accelerators. The PhD will be based at PSI Villigen with teaching assistant duties at ETH Zurich.

The project advances beam-shaping techniques for FCC and SwissFEL applications, combining beam physics, laser tech and RF development in a highly interdisciplinary setting. Successful candidates hold a Master’s in a related field, show strong interest in accelerator physics, and possess analytical,