Applied Physicist - Collective Effects (BE-ABP-CEI-2026-53-GRAP)

As an Applied Physicist, you will contribute to the High-Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) project, which aims at a six-fold increase of the integrated luminosity of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Your task will be to assess limitations and find mitigations for collective effects in the machine, in particular from beam-induced impedance.

Your responsibilities

• Assess limitations and identify mitigations for impedance effects in view of the HL-LHC beam parameters.
• Improve the current forecasting model and assessment tool for the impedance effect and mitigating strategies.
• Elaborate new methods to enhance the accuracy and precision of beam-based impedance measurements, in both the short- and long-range wake regime. Improve models or measurement techniques to overcome the shortcomings of past measurements.
• Perform multibunch simulations using the state-of-the-art codes such as Xsuite/Xwakes, and DELPHI/e-DELPHI.
• Improve (and document) existing codes when needed, such as Xwakes, the LHC impedance model, and/or Vlasov solvers.

Your profile

• Knowledge of Accelerator and beam physics.
• Knowledge of collective effects (e.g. impedance effects).
• Knowledge of electromagnetism and electrodynamics.
• Experience developing software (ideally in Python).
• Experience with measurements (bench and/or beam-based).
• Experience in scientific writing.

Skills

• Python programming.
• Problem-solving skills.
• Good communication skills.
• Spoken and written English, with a commitment to learn French.

Eligibility criteria:

• You are a national of a CERN Member or Associate Member State.
• You have a professional background in Physics, Engineering (or a related field) and have either:
  • a Master's degree with 2 to 6 years of post-graduation professional experience;
  • or a PhD with no more than 3 years of post-graduation professional experience.
• You have never had a CERN fellow or graduate contract before.