4-years PhD Position (JAE-PRE CSIC at IFCA)The Experimental Particle Physics group at the Instituto de Fisica de Cantabria (IFCA, Santander, Spain) invites applications for one PhD position starting in 2024 in the Dark Matter group.The Dark Matter group develops instruments with exquisite sensitivity and background rejection capabilities for dark matter and neutrino experiments. The group is working with low-threshold, single-quanta skipper CCDs to directly detect dark matter. With the start of construction in 2024, our main focus is DAMIC-M, which will observe light dark matter-electron scattering for the first time or set world-leading limits in the sub-GeV mass regime. In parallel, we will also be involved in sensor R&D for the larger, lower background OSCURA experiment to be constructed in 2028 at SNOLAB. There are opportunities for PhD fellows to lead various efforts within the projects, including CCD testing, underground detector construction, calibration studies, and physics analyses.The Experimental Particle Physics Group also has close connections with the Observational Cosmology group and the successful candidate will be encouraged to explore topics in Dark Matter phenomenology.We welcome highly motivated applicants with a solid astroparticle physics background and good computing skills, The main task of the PhD student will be to set up a new processing algorithm of the raw data from the DAMIC-M detector taking into account the principles of the image reconstruction algorithm. The operation of the CCDs, as well as the use of the image reconstruction algorithm, will also be important tasks. They will make it possible to produce the images on which the optimization of the processing of raw data will be based. At the same time, Monte Carlo simulation of some of the most prominent backgrounds (neutron, muon, etc.) must be cross-check and consolidate the results obtained from real data. The candidate will explore topics in Dark Matter phenomenology in collaboration with the Cosmology group. A continuous exchange between physicists and signal processing specialists will be fundamental for the co-design of data processing. The candidate will have several short stays to other institutions from the collaboration (University of Chicago, University of Washington, Modane Underground Laboratory (France), CERN, Fermilab, etc.).Profile: Requirements: A master's Degree in Physics or similar. A motivated candidate with interests in both experimental and phenomenological physics.Program call announcement: https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-2022-15162Funding Body: JAE-PRE grant via CSICStarting Date, duration: 1st September 2024, grant for four years (It can be discussed).PhD director: Dr. N ´uria Castell ´o-Mor (******)PhD Co-director: Dr. Bradley Kavanagh (******)#J-18808-Ljbffr
