Dark Matter Summer Placement

at  Science and Technology Facilities Council STFC

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FACILITIES COUNCIL

Salary: £22,096
Hours: Full time
Contract Type: Fixed Term
Location: Science and Technology Facilities Council, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Harwell, Oxfordshire
The Particle Physics Department (PPD) at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) and Boulby Underground Laboratory, of Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), is one of the largest Particle Physics groups in the UK. We work with people across the world to understand and discover the fundamental building blocks of the Universe. We design, construct and operate some of the most sensitive scientific instruments in the world, collaborating with partners in academia, industry and international laboratories such as CERN. We currently work with the ATLAS, CMS, LHCb, DUNE, Hyper-K, T2K, MICE, Lux-Zeplin, DEAP-3600, CERN DRDs, Electron Ion Collider and AION collaborations.

SUMMARY OF KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Particle Physics Department (PPD) at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) of Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), is one of the largest Particle Physics groups in the UK! We design, construct and operate some of the most sensitive scientific instruments in the world, collaborating with partners in academia, industry and international laboratories such as CERN!
We currently work with the ATLAS. CMS. LHCb. DUNE. Hyper-K, T2K. MICE. Lux-Zeplin. DEAP. 3800, CERN RD50, Electron lon Collider and AION collaborations. The Dark Matter group at RAL is involved in the construction and exploitation of the LUX-ZEPLIN double phase LXe detector at Homestake in the US. We are also involved in the R&D programme for the future G3 Liquid Xenon Dark Matter project.
One of the R&D elements is to simulate and measure the so called Migdal Effect which detection will significantly improve the detector sensitivity to low mass WIMP searches. The success of the future experiment depends on a careful understanding of this effect.This placement will focus on the modelling of the MIGDAL’s Time Projection Chamber and in particular various geometries of its stack of the Gas Electron Multipliers.
The work will involve end-to-end simulations creating images of highly ionising nuclear recoils and their induced signals on the charge collecting electrodes.

OTHER TASKS WILL INCLUDE:

• Perform simulations as instructed.
• Attend scheduled meetings.
• Report findings to the research team and to collaborators.
• Document research findings in a clear and accessible manner.
  We plan for this placement to be based on site, but with hybrid working patterns also considered.