Stanford University / SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

Position ID:Stanford University / SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory-RA [#22576, 5106]
Position Title: Research Associate-Neutrino Physics (nEXO)
Position Location:Menlo Park, California 94025, United States [map] sort by distance
Subject Area: Physics / Neutrino physics
Appl Deadline: finished (2022/09/01, finished 2023/06/05)
Position Description:    

*** this position has been closed and new applications are no longer accepted. ***

SLAC Research Associate Positions in Neutrino Physics (nEXO)

The SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is seeking applicants for an experimental Research Associate position to work in the area of Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay (0νββ) searches. SLAC was a leading collaborator on the 100 kg-scale EXO-200 experiment (that completed data taking in 2018) using a liquid xenon (LXe) Time Projection Chambers (TPC), an effort that has produced the most accurate measurement of any two-neutrino double-beta decay half life and some of the most sensitive limits on the as-yet-unseen neutrinoless process.

Now SLAC is a member of a more ambitious experimental collaboration, nEXO, which hopes to deploy a TPC with a capacity of 5 tons of LXe and with 100 times greater sensitivity to the 0νββ half life. We have leveraged SLAC experience from EXO-200 in all aspects of the nEXO project R&D – TPC design, xenon systems design, cryogenic systems design, electronics, DAQ, online and offline software, and data analysis, and will continue to do so, with the goal of covering the search the phase space allowed by the “inverse neutrino mass hierarchy”. This program has been elevated to “Project” level by DOE Nuclear Physics.

In particular, the following are the present areas of SLAC engagement in this new project:

• Control/mitigation of backgrounds due to radon. A xenon distillation system prototype to remove radon is under construction at SLAC. A radon emanation qualification cleanroom setup is in operation.

• TPC charge detection instrumentation and electronics. An ASIC for charge detection has been designed at SLAC, as well as a charge detection “tile” to be tested together on the Stanford campus. A small LXe test cell is available at SLAC that has been used for electronics thermal testing.

• TPC HV delivery systems and field cage conceptual designs were created at SLAC, have now progressed to the design stage at PNNL, with more R&D and testing opportunities at SLAC.
 
• The SLAC Xenon Purity Monitor system (XPM) is a resource for the entire collaboration for certifying materials wetted by LXe, and for testing purification procedures and for general purifier R&D.

• SLAC is a leading contributor to DAQ systems design for both charge and light detection.

• TPC support systems including refrigeration/HFE handling, xenon handling, control systems is a SLAC strength and the group will be expected to contribute significantly to this effort.

• Simulation software and management is an area with opportunities for leadership contribution from SLAC.

The term of this position is for two years, with extensions being possible subject to review.

For further information about this position, please contact Dr. P.C. Rowson (rowson@slac.stanford.edu).

Qualifications

This is a highly competitive position as part of the general research associate program at SLAC, requiring a background of demonstrated excellence in research and a PhD in experimental physics, preferably particle or nuclear physics. The successful candidate should have experience both in hardware and data analysis.

Application Materials Required:
Submit the following items online at this website to complete your application:
And anything else requested in the position description.

Further Info:
https://erp-hprdext.erp.slac.stanford.edu/psc/hprdext/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM_FL.HRS_CG_SEARCH_FL.GBL?Page=HRS_APP_SCHJOB_FL&Action=U
email address
 
2575 Sand Hill Road MS 11
Menlo Park, CA 94025