PhD Studentship on the SBND Neutrino Experiment

Physics World; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 24,000; Full time

Job summary

A UK university seeks talented students for a PhD in Experimental Particle Physics beginning September 2026, featuring a tax-free bursary and paid tuition fees. The project involves analyzing neutrino data from the SBND experiment and contributing to the DUNE project's development. Candidates will have opportunities for interdisciplinary studies and potential travel support. Ideal for creative individuals passionate about cutting-edge physics.

Benefits

Tax-free bursary

Fully paid tuition fees

Financial support for travel

Qualifications

• Talented and creative students aiming for a PhD in Experimental Particle Physics.
• Interest in neutrino physics and related experiments.

Responsibilities

• Analyse new SBND data towards searches for Beyond the Standard Model signatures.
• Contribute to the installation of the DUNE experiment.

Job description

Applications are invited from talented and creative students for a PhD place in Experimental Particle Physics, to join the Sussex group working on the SBND experiment under the supervision of Dr Clark Griffith. A number of experiments have shown anomalies in neutrino oscillation results, hinting at a possible additional neutrino state beyond the three present in the Standard Model. The Short Baseline Neutrino (SBN) programme at Fermilab aims to settle the question of whether or not the anomalies are real or not, with a set of three large liquid argon TPC neutrino detectors: ICARUS, MicroBooNE, and the Short Baseline Near Detector (SBND). SBND began taking physics data recently and is poised to publish first results imminently. In this project you will have the opportunity to analyse new SBND data towards searches for Beyond the Standard Model signatures. The liquid argon detection technology used in SBND is also the basis for the DUNE experiment currently under construction. DUNE will make use of the world’s most intense neutrino beam generated at Fermilab, which will travel to a far detector 1300 km away in the Sanford Lab in South Dakota, which will use tens of kilotons of liquid argon as the detector medium. The analysis techniques used in SBND will also be applicable to DUNE and the project will also involve studying the physics reach of DUNE and contributing to the installation of this next generation experiment.

Funding is available for a September 2026 start which includes a tax‑free bursary (£20,780 per annum in 2025/26) and fully paid tuition fees for 3.5 years at the home‑student level (£5,006 per annum in 2025). Additional financial support is provided to cover short‑term and long‑term travel. Interviews of shortlisted candidates will be held in March initially and will continue until positions are filled. Applications from self‑funded students interested in our research are also welcome at any time of the year.

For more details about the project, please contact Dr W Clark Griffith: [e-mail].

For practical questions about applications and/or eligibility for funding, please contact [e-mail].

For academic questions please contact the coordinator of EPP PhD admissions, Dr Elisabeth Falk: [e-mail].

Applications: https://www.sussex.ac.uk/study/phd/apply

Please state in the Finance section of the online form that you are applying for STFC EPP studentships.