doctoral student XENON, XLZD et XeLab (M/F)

European Commission; France; Sur place; EUR 40 000 - 60 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

A prominent research laboratory in France is seeking a PhD student to work on projects related to dark matter detection. The role involves operating a TPC detector, conducting data analysis, and designing electrode prototypes. Applicants should have a Master's in Physics and a strong motivation for experimental physics. Opportunities for collaboration on leading experiments like XENONnT will also be available.

Qualifications

• Experience in experimental particle physics is a plus.
• Familiarity with data analysis tools is necessary.
• Strong motivation to develop expertise in dark matter detection.

Responsabilités

• Operate and manage the small-scale TPC at LPNHE.
• Conduct data collection and analysis for the XENONnT experiment.
• Design and prototype novel electrode systems.

Connaissances

Experimental physics

Data analysis

Electrode design

Formation

Master's degree in Physics

Description du poste

Organisation/Company CNRS Department Laboratoire Physique Nucléaire et Hautes Energies Research Field Physics Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Country France Application Deadline 23 Aug 2025 - 23:59 (UTC) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 35 Offer Starting Date 1 Oct 2025 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Shedding light on the nature of dark matter is one of the main priority of modern particle and astroparticle physics today.
Direct detection experiments aim to investigate particle dark matter models where this mysterious particle, travelling through our galaxy, might scatter off targets of ultra-sensitive, low-background detectors in Earth. One of the leading technologies today are the dual-phase liquid xenon Time Projection Chambers (TPC).
The size of the detectors that are currently operating is so large that new challenges need to be addressed :
1) the presence of isolated electrons or small electron clusters, challenging our capability to detect light dark matter, and
2) the difficulty of increasing the electrons extraction fraction at 100% with the current electrodes technology.
Both issues are currently under study in XENONnT, and we expect that for the next-generation XLZD detector, they would be even more problematic. With this project, we aim to tackle those two challenges, both for XENONnT and for XLZD.
From the hardware side, we are developing novel electrodes that will be tested in our small-scale TPC installed at LPNHE, named XeLab. XeLab is currently under commissioning and its TPC will be ready by January 2025.
The PhD student will be required to operate a real detector on a human scale and develop his/her expertise in the field of direct detection of dark matter.
The student will take part in data collection, data analysis and the design of several electrode prototypes, and will present the results at XLZD meetings.
He/she will also have the opportunity to join XENONnT, one of the most sensitive dark matter experiments to date, and will be in charge of data analysis with the ultimate aim of searching for light dark matter candidates, participating in the experiment's data taking and working in parallel on the design of the next-generation XLZD experiment.
The thesis work will take place in the XENON team at the Laboratoire de Physique Nucléaire et de Hautes Energies (LPNHE) in Paris. Some travel will be required to the Gran Sasso National Laboratory (LNGS) in Italy.

Improving the discovery potential of XENONnT and XLZD on detecting dark matter with the study of their electrodes