PhD position at University of Hamburg

Institution: Cluster of Excellence „Quantum Universe“ (mathematics, particle physics, astrophysics, cosmology), Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences, Department of Mathematics/Physics

Salary level: EGR. 13 TV-L

Start date: 01.06.2022 or later, the initial fixed term is three years. (This is a fixed-term contract in accordance with Section 2 of the academic fixed-term labor contract act [Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz, WissZeitVG]).

Application deadline: 27.03.2022

Scope of work: part-time

Weekly hours: 66,67 % of standard work hours per week

Responsibilities

Research associates will be expected primarily to teach and conduct research. The research associate will also have the opportunity to pursue further academic qualifications, in particular a doctoral dissertation. At least one-third of set working hours will be made available for the research associate’s own academic work.

Specific Duties

The Cluster of Excellence “Quantum Universe” performs research to understand mass and gravity at the interface between quantum physics and cosmology. The research team includes leading scientists from mathematics, particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology at Universität Hamburg and DESY.

The nature of dark matter, which makes up more than 80% of the total matter in the Universe, is one of the most pressing questions in fundamental particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology. Axions and axion-like particles (ALPs) are promising dark matter candidates which could produce specific observational signatures in astrophysical observations at gamma-ray energies. The successful candidate will join international research collaborations and search for axion/ALP signatures, traces for intergalactic magnetic fields, and particle cascades, by analyzing data from state-of-the-art gamma-ray observatories such as H.E.S.S. and the Fermi Large Area Telescope. They will have the opportunity to propose new observations with the H.E.S.S. telescopes, and participate in sensitivity studies for the future Cherenkov Telescope Array. The candidate is expected to investigate novel ideas and analysis tools to search for these dark matter candidates.

Doctoral research associates will become members of the Quantum Universe Research School (QURS), which provides academic and soft skills training, as well as career planning support. In addition, they will receive individual budgets to facilitate the attendance of summer schools and conferences, and to support other educational measures. Additional travel money for project-specific duties will be provided by the hosting research groups. Doctoral research associates may participate in the organization of the Cluster via an early career council.

Teaching duties currently comprise 2.5 teaching hours per week.

Requirements

A university degree in a relevant field.

• Experience in scientific computing and programming
• Excellent command of the English language
• Strong initiative and engagement in an international team environment

Additionally, outstanding candidates will have experience in data analysis of gamma-ray observatories such as imaging Cherenkov Telescopes or the Fermi Large Area Telescope.