The LHC Physics Center (LPC) at Fermilab (https://lpc.fnal.gov/) seeks applications for CMS LPC Distinguished Researchers (DR), in both the Senior and Junior category. The preferred starting date for the position is January 2022, with some flexibility between November 2021 and March 2022. These dates might be adjusted in individual cases, at the discretion of the LPC coordinators, depending on the Fermilab site access restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are looking for CMS members from across the collaboration with a Ph.D. in particle physics and an established track record of expertise in specific areas of high energy physics. A typical Senior DR will have had experience organizing and leading a group of physicists within CMS or another HEP experiment, or has demonstrated the potential to do so. The Junior DR program provides an outstanding opportunity for young scientists to develop an independent research program. DRs will have access to the resources available at the LPC to make major contributions to CMS in the areas of physics analysis, object identification development, detector operations, or detector instrumentation development.

The LPC serves primarily as a resource and physics analysis hub for several hundred physicists at US institutions in the CMS collaboration. The center offers a vibrant community of CMS scientists from US and overseas institutions, that play leading roles in analysis of data, in the definition and refinement of physics objects, in detector commissioning and operations, and in the design and development of the detector upgrade. The LPC is also a major hub for Machine Learning developments for particle physics. There is close and frequent collaboration with the Fermilab theory community. The LPC provides outstanding computing resources and software support personnel. The proximity of the CMS Tier-1 and the CMS Remote Operations Center at Fermilab allows critical real time connections to the experiment. Fermilab technical facilities support detector instrumentation developments. The LPC also offers educational workshops and tutorials in analysis techniques, software development and organizes conferences and seminar series. The DRs are an integral part of the organization and are leading activities at the LPC. For a full range of LPC activities please refer to: https://lpc.fnal.gov

Applications consist of a CV, a cover letter, a research proposal, and a plan for residency at (or travel to) the LPC. Junior DR applications require, in addition, at least three letters of recommendation. The research plan should highlight the impact which the proposal is expected to have on CMS. Successful applications have connected the plan with activities already taking place at the LPC, or have laid out a clear plan to start a new program that will enhance the LPC contributions to CMS. The plan should also contain a section that clearly explains how your research proposal would change if access to the LPC and other Fermilab facilities (e.g. Sidet, test-beam, etc) remains restricted.

The cover letter should clearly state 1) start and end dates, 2) plan for residency at the LPC, and 3) current salary and fringe. The LPC program does not pay for indirect cost charges.

The deadline for applications and supporting letters is Friday, July 23, 2021. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered. Applications will be handled online at https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/18657

Successful candidates will ordinarily be resident at the LPC for 50% or more of their time as DR. Visiting post docs and faculty will receive up to 50% remuneration with the remainder provided by the home institution. The remuneration will be limited to salary and fringe benefits; university overhead will not be paid. DRs also receive a modest travel budget to enable regular trips to CERN, the LPC, and to conferences to present work. Each position is tenable for a minimum of six months and a maximum of one year, in the first instance. Renewal is possible but requires a new proposal. The maximum amount of time as CMS LPC DR is two years.

Questions about the CMS LPC Distinguished Researchers program may be directed to the LPC coordinators:

Kevin Black and Sergo Jindariani

(kblack@hep.wisc.edu, sergo@fnal.gov)