Applied Physicist

**Job Description** Your responsibilities**

In 2024, CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC) achieved beam energies of 420 MJ per beam—exceeding the design value by over 15%. Following Long Shutdown 3 (LS3), scheduled from mid-2026 to mid-2030, this will increase further to over 700 MJ per beam. At these unprecedented energy levels, even partial uncontrolled beam losses could lead to severe consequences, including potential damage to critical accelerator equipment.
- Performing beam dynamics simulations to analyse failure scenarios, evaluate their criticality, characterise the time evolution of beam losses, and propose robust mitigation strategies.
- Conducting sensitivity studies to identify key parameters in beam optics and associated accelerator systems that could influence failure modes and outcomes.
- Carrying out beam experiments in the LHC and the Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) to validate simulation results and deepen understanding of the dynamics of failure cases.
- Taking a leading role in a high-intensity beam impact experiment at CERN's High-Radiation to Materials (HiRadMat) facility, scheduled for October 2025. This includes designing and setting up the experiment, executing it to assess the damage thresholds of radiation-aged superconducting sample coils at cryogenic temperatures, and analysing the results through critical current measurements, thermo-mechanical simulations, and microscopic investigations.

This opportunity offers a unique chance to work at the forefront of accelerator physics and engineering, contributing directly to the safe operation of the most powerful particle accelerator in the world.

This role includes team supervision responsibilities.

**Your profile**

**Skills**:

- Data analysis tools in Python
- Beam optics and beam dynamics
- Beam tracking codes (MAD-X, Xsuite)
- Experience in analysis of beam-based measurements
- Beam matter interactions
- FLUKA or equivalent would be an asset
- Fluent in English, the ability to work in French would be an advantage.

Eligibility criteria:

- You are a national of a CERN Member or Associate Member State.
- You have a professional background in Applied physics, Engineering (or a related field) and have either:

- a **Master's degree with 2 to 6 years** of post-graduation professional experience;
- or a **PhD with no more than 3 years** of post-graduation professional experience.
- You have never had a CERN fellow or graduate contract before.

**Additional Information**
Job closing date**:17th of February, 2025 at 23:59 CET.**

Contract duration: 24 months, with a possible extension up to 36 months maximum.

Working hours: 40 hours per week

Target start date: 01-March-2025

This position involves:

- Work in Radiation Areas.

Job reference: TE-MPE-CB-2025-8-GRAP

Field of work: Applied Physics

**What we offer**
- A monthly stipend ranging between **6287** and 6911** Swiss Francs per month (net of tax)**.
- Coverage by CERN's comprehensive **health scheme** (for yourself, your spouse and children), and membership of the CERN **Pension Fund**.
- Depending on your individual circumstances: installation grant; family, child and infant allowances; payment of travel expenses at the beginning and end of contract.
- ** 30 days of paid leave per year**.
- On-the-job and formal training at CERN as well as in-house language courses for English and/or French.

**About us**

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