PhD (ESR) in Atmospheric Research on the CLOUD experiment at CERN

SUMMARY: Applications are invited from highly-motivated individuals wishing to carry out a PhD thesis on atmospheric research conducted at the CLOUD facility at CERN, with special focus on ion processes and their effects on aerosols and clouds, and on advanced Linux-based data acquisition systems. The successful applicant will be supervised by Prof. Jasper Kirkby at CERN. You will be based at CERN, Geneva, and enrolled as a PhD student either at Goethe University Frankfurt or at the University of Lisbon. 

APPLICATION: Applications should be sent by email before the 8 July 2022 deadline to Jasper Kirkby <[email protected] > with the subject line "CLOUD-DOC ESR application" and the following attachments: a curriculum vitae, a copy of the last (highest) qualification and a letter of reference.

POSITION: This 3-year PhD student (Early Stage Researcher, ESR-R1) position is at the European Centre for Nuclear Physics, CERN, Geneva, Switzerland. It is part of the EU Horizon Europe Marie Curie International Training Network CLOUD-DOC, which is a multi-site network of ten ESRs at ten partner institutions across Europe plus two ESRs supported by matching funds from national funding agencies. The research will be carried out at the CLOUD facility at CERN. CLOUD is investigating, under controlled atmospheric conditions in the laboratory, the formation and growth of aerosol particles, and the chemistry and microphysics of liquid and ice clouds. The central theme of CLOUD-DOC is new particle formation in cold regions of the atmosphere: the upper troposphere and polar regions. A unique focus of CLOUD is to evaluate the influence of galactic cosmic rays.

EXPERIENCE AND REQUIREMENTS: a Bachelors or Masters degree in Physics, Engineering Physics, Chemistry or Computer Science, or a closely-related science. Advanced computational skills and good experimental skills. Linux, C++, SQL and Python programming, data acquisition systems, databases, readout of diverse instruments, data processing, and data analysis. Highly organised person with independent, self-driven work ethic. Good communication skills, good team skills and good spoken and written English.

PROJECTS: You will focus on the role of ions in polar and upper tropospheric regions both for new particle formation and for direct effects on cloud microphysics. As well as using the CERN pion beam to simulate upper tropospheric ionisation rates, you will develop a new electrospray generator of multiply charged aerosol, CHARGE2 (CHarged AeRosol GEnerator). Together with the Neutral and Air Ion Spectrometer (NAIS) and Cluster Ion Counter (CIC), you will use CHARGE2 to investigate the effects of charge on aerosol and cloud microphysics. You will also be responsible for developing and operating the Data Acquisition (DAQ) system for the CLOUD facility and for the integration, readout and monitoring of the analysing instruments and control systems during measurement campaigns at CERN. You will be fully integrated within the overall CLOUD research programme, and be a co-author or lead author on CLOUD publications. In addition to close involvement with the CLOUD experimental facility at CERN, you will have the opportunity for secondments to partner institutes.

ENVIRONMENT: CERN is the world's largest laboratory for particle physics. Around 10,000 users from more than 100 countries come to CERN for their research, creating one of the most stimulating and rewarding environments for young reseachers in Europe. Many are working at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the world's most powerful collider and largest research instrument. When you're part of CLOUD at CERN, you will join a research team that values science, technology, creativity and quality. We encourage new ideas from young scientists. You will work with a supportive team from 20 institutes in Europe and the United States that includes enthusiastic young scientists as well as some of the world's top experimental and theoretical researchers in aerosol nucleation and growth. You will carry out research at the cutting-edge CLOUD facility that addresses one of the most challenging problems in atmospheric science: to understand how aerosols and clouds are affecting climate change.