The Sub-department of Particle Physics at the University of Oxford is seeking a suitably qualified postdoctoral research assistant to work on the TORCH (Time Of internally Reflected CHerenkov light) project, proposed for the LHCb Phase-2 Upgrade. TORCH is a novel time-of-flight detector which images Cherenkov photons, emitted from the passage of a charged particle and internally reflected inside a 1 cm thick quartz radiator, onto an array of customised Micro-Channel Plate (MCP) photon detectors. A large-scale TORCH module utilizing 10 MCPs, designed to achieve a timing resolution of 15 ps per charged-particle track, will be constructed and then commissioned in a CERN beam-line. The successful candidate will work on the readout and data acquisition system for the MCP detectors and will participate fully in test-beam running and data analysis in order to qualify the TORCH timing resolution and spatial precision. He/she will also develop the TORCH pattern recognition and event reconstruction code. As TORCH is a candidate technology for the low-momentum particle identification of the Phase-2 upgrade of the LHCb experiment, synergetic work on LHCb may also be required.

The full-time contract will be fixed-term for 2 years. The intended start date is January 2018 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The successful candidate will hold a PhD in particle physics or a directly related field. Experience in particle or nuclear physics experimentation and the analysis of data are essential. Experience with fast electronics, photon detectors and/or reconstruction code is desirable.

The candidate will be based in Oxford, with visits to CERN whenever needed. When based in Oxford, teaching duties of up to three hours per week during University term time may be required.

Applications for this vacancy are to be made online. Please read the “Person Specification and Job Description” before preparing your application. You will be required to upload a curriculum vita, a description of research experience and interests, and the names and addresses of three referees as part of your online application. In addition you should arrange for the three letters of reference to be sent to: sue.geddes@physics.ox.ac.uk by the closing date. Applications are acknowledged but not reference letters.

Informal enquiries about this post may be made to Professor Neville Harnew (neville.harnew@physics.ox.ac.uk).

Only applications received promptly by 12.00 noon on 4 December 2017 can be considered.

Please note that the University of Oxford's retirement policy has changed. With effect from 1 October 2017, all employees at Grade 8 and above have a retirement age of the 30 September before the 69th birthday. All employees at Grades 1-7 do not have a set retirement age. Further details are available here: www.ox.ac.uk/about/jobs/preemploymentscreening.