Do you enjoy working as a postdoc on improving selection criteria for two-Higgs production in complex final states? We are delighted to offer one PD position at Nikhef, where you will work for the UvA.
Postdoc position in the ATLAS group
- Faculty of Science
- 14176
- PhD
- €3.378 - €5.331
- 38 hours
- Closes on10-06-2025
Do you enjoy working as a postdoc on improving selection criteria for two-Higgs production in complex final states? We are delighted to offer one PD position at Nikhef, where you will work for the UvA.
Postdoc position in the ATLAS group
- Faculty of Science
- 14176
- PhD
- €3.378 - €5.331
- 38 hours
- Closes on10-06-2025
Working at the UvA
Join Us!
We are looking for a postdoctoral candidate with an (almost) completed PhD degree in high-energy physics. After the discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012, one of the crucial future challenges for the LHC is to probe its most enigmatic property, the Higgs potential, which can manifest itself in LHC collisions through the production of Higgs boson pairs. These decays, which are 1000 times more rare than single Higgs production according to the Standard Model have not yet been observed. Observation of two-Higgs production is one the most important milestone for the LHC physics program, and will help constrain our knowledge of the Higgs potential, which has shaped the universe at its time of creation, and may hold strong clues about the existence of new physics beyond the Standard Model.
Working at the UvA
Join Us!
We are looking for a postdoctoral candidate with an (almost) completed PhD degree in high-energy physics. After the discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012, one of the crucial future challenges for the LHC is to probe its most enigmatic property, the Higgs potential, which can manifest itself in LHC collisions through the production of Higgs boson pairs. These decays, which are 1000 times more rare than single Higgs production according to the Standard Model have not yet been observed. Observation of two-Higgs production is one the most important milestone for the LHC physics program, and will help constrain our knowledge of the Higgs potential, which has shaped the universe at its time of creation, and may hold strong clues about the existence of new physics beyond the Standard Model.
All about this vacancy
This is what you will do
This postdoc position will focus on improving selection criteria for two-Higgs production in complex final states, notably HH>bbbb,HH>bbtt decays as well as ttHH production. Emphasis is on the deployment of state-of-the-art machine learning methods where possible, including GNNs, transformer models, both for classification and (mass) regression purposes. The PD role will include coordinating the work of a cohort of PhD students working on di-Higgs analyses, with a focus on advancing object selection, reconstruction, and analysis techniques to significantly boost sensitivity.
A key objective is to foster shared development of methodologies across analyses, ensuring alignment and synergy with parallel efforts, particularly those implying machine learning. This postdoc position is co-supervised by dr. Flavia de Almeida Dias and dr. Clara Nellist. The position is based at Nikhef and the candidate is employed by the University of Amsterdam.
The position offered here is part of a NWO-funded physics program “The potential of the Higgs boson”, which will ultimately comprise 7 PhD positions and 2 postdoc positions in the Nikhef ATLAS group in the period 2025-2030 all focused on the Higgs boson potential, complemented by 9 Nikhef staff scientists that offer supervision, networking opportunities and a specialized training program in data analysis techniques and Higgs boson physics.
What we ask of you
- PhD in high-energy physics;
- Strong track record in data analysis;
- Good software skills;
- several years of research experience in experimental particle physics, and significant experience with the application of machine learning algorithms in data selection in particle physics.
This is what we offer you
We offer a temporary employment contract for 38 hours per week for a period of 36 months, with a probationary period of two months. The preferred starting date is to be discussed. The gross monthly salary, based on 38 hours per week and dependent on relevant experience, ranges between € 3,458 to € 5,486 (scale 10). This does not include 8% holiday allowance and 8,3% year-end allowance. The UFO profile Postdoctoral Researcher is applicable. The Collective Labour Agreement of Universities of the Netherlands is applicable.
All about this vacancy
This is what you will do
This postdoc position will focus on improving selection criteria for two-Higgs production in complex final states, notably HH>bbbb,HH>bbtt decays as well as ttHH production. Emphasis is on the deployment of state-of-the-art machine learning methods where possible, including GNNs, transformer models, both for classification and (mass) regression purposes. The PD role will include coordinating the work of a cohort of PhD students working on di-Higgs analyses, with a focus on advancing object selection, reconstruction, and analysis techniques to significantly boost sensitivity.
A key objective is to foster shared development of methodologies across analyses, ensuring alignment and synergy with parallel efforts, particularly those implying machine learning. This postdoc position is co-supervised by dr. Flavia de Almeida Dias and dr. Clara Nellist. The position is based at Nikhef and the candidate is employed by the University of Amsterdam.
The position offered here is part of a NWO-funded physics program “The potential of the Higgs boson”, which will ultimately comprise 7 PhD positions and 2 postdoc positions in the Nikhef ATLAS group in the period 2025-2030 all focused on the Higgs boson potential, complemented by 9 Nikhef staff scientists that offer supervision, networking opportunities and a specialized training program in data analysis techniques and Higgs boson physics.
What we ask of you
- PhD in high-energy physics;
- Strong track record in data analysis;
- Good software skills;
- several years of research experience in experimental particle physics, and significant experience with the application of machine learning algorithms in data selection in particle physics.
This is what we offer you
We offer a temporary employment contract for 38 hours per week for a period of 36 months, with a probationary period of two months. The preferred starting date is to be discussed. The gross monthly salary, based on 38 hours per week and dependent on relevant experience, ranges between € 3,458 to € 5,486 (scale 10). This does not include 8% holiday allowance and 8,3% year-end allowance. The UFO profile Postdoctoral Researcher is applicable. The Collective Labour Agreement of Universities of the Netherlands is applicable.
Your place at the UvA
You will work in this team
The Faculty of Science has a student body of around 8,000, as well as 1,800 members of staff working in education, research or support services. Researchers and students at the Faculty of Science are fascinated by every aspect of how the world works, be it elementary particles, the birth of the universe or the functioning of the brain.
Nikhef is the national institute for subatomic physics in the Netherlands. At Nikhef, approximately 250 physicists and 80 technical staff work together in an open and international scientific environment. Together they perform theoretical and experimental research in the fields of particle and astroparticle physics. Nikhef is a partnership between six major Dutch universities and NWO-I Foundation, the Institutes Organization of the Dutch Research Council (NWO).
Among the research collaborations Nikhef participates in are the ALICE, ATLAS and LHCb experiments at CERN, the KM3NeT neutrino telescope in the Mediterranean, the Virgo gravitational waves interferometer in Pisa, the Xenon-nT dark matter experiment in Gran Sasso, the Pierre Auger cosmic ray observatory in Argentina, and the eEDM research programme in Groningen. There are also scientific groups on Theory, Physics Data Processing and Detector R&D. Nikhef avails over excellently equipped technical departments in mechanics, electronics and computing.
The Nikhef ATLAS group consists of a total of 15 scientific staff, typically 5 postdocs and 15 PhD students. As a founding member of the ATLAS collaboration, the group has a long-term involvement in detector construction (the semiconductor tracker, barrel muon chambers, readout, alignment, and data acquisition). For the phase-2 upgrade (2027-2030), we will instrument and commission one of the end-caps of a new all-silicon inner tracking system (ITk) in Amsterdam, commission the High Granularity Timing Detector (HGTD), and develop the new universal readout system (FELIX) for ATLAS detector systems. The group also has a strong record in track reconstruction, flavour tagging algorithm development as well as physics data analysis, with a focus on Higgs boson physics, top quark physics, and searches for new physics signatures.
Want to know more about our organisation? Read more about working at the University of Amsterdam.
More about the UvA
The University of Amsterdam is ambitious, creative and committed. An inspiration to students since 1632, a vanguard player in international science and a partner in innovation.
The University of Amsterdam is the largest university in the Netherlands, with the broadest range of courses on offer. An intellectual hub with 42,000 students, 6,000 staff and 3,000 PhD students. Connected by a culture of curiosity.
Your place at the UvA
This is where you will be working
You will work in this team
The Faculty of Science has a student body of around 8,000, as well as 1,800 members of staff working in education, research or support services. Researchers and students at the Faculty of Science are fascinated by every aspect of how the world works, be it elementary particles, the birth of the universe or the functioning of the brain.
Nikhef is the national institute for subatomic physics in the Netherlands. At Nikhef, approximately 250 physicists and 80 technical staff work together in an open and international scientific environment. Together they perform theoretical and experimental research in the fields of particle and astroparticle physics. Nikhef is a partnership between six major Dutch universities and NWO-I Foundation, the Institutes Organization of the Dutch Research Council (NWO).
Among the research collaborations Nikhef participates in are the ALICE, ATLAS and LHCb experiments at CERN, the KM3NeT neutrino telescope in the Mediterranean, the Virgo gravitational waves interferometer in Pisa, the Xenon-nT dark matter experiment in Gran Sasso, the Pierre Auger cosmic ray observatory in Argentina, and the eEDM research programme in Groningen. There are also scientific groups on Theory, Physics Data Processing and Detector R&D. Nikhef avails over excellently equipped technical departments in mechanics, electronics and computing.
The Nikhef ATLAS group consists of a total of 15 scientific staff, typically 5 postdocs and 15 PhD students. As a founding member of the ATLAS collaboration, the group has a long-term involvement in detector construction (the semiconductor tracker, barrel muon chambers, readout, alignment, and data acquisition). For the phase-2 upgrade (2027-2030), we will instrument and commission one of the end-caps of a new all-silicon inner tracking system (ITk) in Amsterdam, commission the High Granularity Timing Detector (HGTD), and develop the new universal readout system (FELIX) for ATLAS detector systems. The group also has a strong record in track reconstruction, flavour tagging algorithm development as well as physics data analysis, with a focus on Higgs boson physics, top quark physics, and searches for new physics signatures.
Want to know more about our organisation? Read more about working at the University of Amsterdam.
More about the UvA
The University of Amsterdam is ambitious, creative and committed. An inspiration to students since 1632, a vanguard player in international science and a partner in innovation.
The University of Amsterdam is the largest university in the Netherlands, with the broadest range of courses on offer. An intellectual hub with 42,000 students, 6,000 staff and 3,000 PhD students. Connected by a culture of curiosity.
Important to know
Your application & contact
If you feel the profile fits you, and you are interested in the job, we look forward to receiving your application. You can apply online at Nikhef via this link. Nikhef accepts applications until and including 10 June 2025.
If you have any questions or do you require additional information? Please contact:
- Prof Wouter Verkerke, [email protected]
Applications should include the following information (all files besides your cv should be submitted in one single pdf file):
- a detailed CV including the months (not just years) when referring to your education and work experience;
- a letter of motivation;
- a list of publications;
- the names and email addresses of three references who can provide letters of recommendation.
A knowledge security check can be part of the selection procedure.
(for details: national knowledge security guidelines)
Interviews with selected candidates are foreseen in the week of July 1st.
WE ARE COLLECTION APPLICATIONS THROUGH THE APPLICATION FORMAT AT NIKHEF VIA THIS LINK. PLEASE APPLY THROUGH THAT FORM AND DO NOT USE THE ‘APPLY’ BUTTON ON THIS PAGE.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
As an employer, the UvA maintains an equal opportunities policy. We value diversity and are fully committed to being a place where everyone feels at home. We nurture inquisitive minds and perseverance and allow room for persistent questioning. With us, curiosity and creativity are the prevailing culture.
Important to know
Your application & contact
If you feel the profile fits you, and you are interested in the job, we look forward to receiving your application. You can apply online at Nikhef via this link. Nikhef accepts applications until and including 10 June 2025.
If you have any questions or do you require additional information? Please contact:
- Prof Wouter Verkerke, [email protected]
Applications should include the following information (all files besides your cv should be submitted in one single pdf file):
- a detailed CV including the months (not just years) when referring to your education and work experience;
- a letter of motivation;
- a list of publications;
- the names and email addresses of three references who can provide letters of recommendation.
A knowledge security check can be part of the selection procedure.
(for details: national knowledge security guidelines)
Interviews with selected candidates are foreseen in the week of July 1st.
WE ARE COLLECTION APPLICATIONS THROUGH THE APPLICATION FORMAT AT NIKHEF VIA THIS LINK. PLEASE APPLY THROUGH THAT FORM AND DO NOT USE THE ‘APPLY’ BUTTON ON THIS PAGE.
As an employer, the UvA maintains an equal opportunities policy. We value diversity and are fully committed to being a place where everyone feels at home. We nurture inquisitive minds and perseverance and allow room for persistent questioning. With us, curiosity and creativity are the prevailing culture.
Other interesting vacancies for you
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Other interesting vacancies for you
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