Experimental Physics: Fully funded, 3.5-year PhD Studentship in Antihydrogen Physics with the A[...]

Swansea University; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading research institution in the UK seeks a PhD researcher to explore antihydrogen experiments using laser-cooled beryllium ions at CERN. The successful candidate will join a vibrant international team focused on groundbreaking physics research. This role offers full funding for tuition fees and a stipend at the UKRI rate, alongside an overseas allowance. Ideal applicants should hold a strong academic background in relevant fields. Applications are open to both UK and international students.

Benefits

Full tuition coverage

Annual stipend

Research expenses funding

Qualifications

• Applicants for PhD must hold an undergraduate degree at 2.1 level or a master’s degree with a minimum overall grade at ‘Merit’.

Responsibilities

• Focus on using laser-cooled beryllium ions to improve antihydrogen experiments.
• Join an international team at CERN and contribute to physics research.

Job description

Organisation/Company Swansea University Department Central Research Field Physics Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Country United Kingdom Application Deadline 2 Feb 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/London) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 35 Offer Starting Date 1 Oct 2026 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

This project aims to use laser-cooled beryllium ions to improve antihydrogen experiments in the ALPHA apparatus at CERN. The ALPHA collaboration is world-leading in studies of antihydrogen as a probe of matter and antimatter symmetry. Antihydrogen is made by merging cold antiprotons and positrons in a Penning-Malmberg trap. The antihydrogen atoms are trapped in a magnetic‑minimum trap where they can be exposed to both microwave and laser fields to probe their energy structure, or to carefully tailored magnetic fields to reveal their behaviour due to gravity. Laser‑cooled beryllium ions trapped in the ALPHA apparatus have become crucial to antihydrogen physics. The ions are used to sympathetically cool positrons for antihydrogen production and thereby make colder antihydrogen, thus increasing the trapping rate and improving the statistics and capabilities of the experiment. We can also use cold beryllium ions as an absolute in‑situ AC and DC magnetometer to increase our knowledge of the magnetic trapping fields and to probe the strength of the microwave fields used for inducing hyperfine transitions. The successful candidate will focus on one or more of the above aspects and take them to their full potential. This studentship is based at the ALPHA experiment at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland.

The ALPHA collaboration consists of around 60 researchers with around 20 permanently based at CERN, where the experiment is located. The student will join this international team of experts as part of the substantial Swansea team at CERN.

Note for international and European applicants: details of how your qualification compares to the published academic entry requirements can be found on our Country Specific Entry Requirements page.

Specific Requirements

UK and International students

EPSRC DLAstudentships are available to home and international students. Up to 30% of our cohort can comprise international students. Once the limit has been reached, we are unable to make offers to international students. We are still accepting applications from international applicants. International students will not be charged the fee difference between the UK and international rates. Applicants should satisfy the UKRI eligibility requirements.

Please note that the programme requires some applicants to hold ATAS clearance. Further details on ATAS scheme eligibility are available on the UK Government website.

ATAS clearance IS NOT required to be held as part of the scholarship application process. Successful award winners (as appropriate) are provided with details as to how to apply for ATAS clearance in tandem with a scholarship course offer.

PhD: Applicants for PhD must hold an undergraduate degree at 2.1 level or a master’s degree with a minimum overall grade at ‘Merit’ (or Non‑UK equivalent as defined by Swansea University).

Additional Information

This scholarship covers the full cost of tuition fees and an annual stipend at UKRI rate (currently £20,780 for 2025/26) plus an overseas allowance of £10,000 p.a. for 3.5 years.

Additional research expenses of up to £1,000 per year will also be available.

Selection process

Please see our website for further information