The Institut de Física d’Altes Energies (IFAE) is a public consortium of the Generalitat de Catalunya, the Autonomous Government of Catalonia, and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB, a public university) whose main objective is to carry out research and to contribute to the development of high energy physics from a theoretical, experimental and technological point of view. IFAE has the status of a “University Institute" attached to the UAB and its premises are within the campus of the University. IFAE is also part of the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), an institution of scientific cooperation of seven top research centers committed to creating a collaborative environment of multidisciplinary scientific excellence by fostering collaboration among members of its diverse scientific community.
The IFAE ATLAS Pixel Group plays a leading role in the detector upgrade program of the ATLAS experiment at CERN, in preparation for the High-Luminosity phase of the Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC). The group is deeply involved in the design, construction, and qualification of two major subsystems: the High Granularity Timing Detector (HGTD) and the Inner Tracker (ITk) Pixel Detector.
In close collaboration with the nearby Instituto de Microelectrónica de Barcelona (IMB-CNM, CSIC), the group develops state-of-the-art silicon detectors for precise tracking and timing under the extreme radiation and occupancy conditions of the HL-LHC. Our activities cover a broad range of technologies, including radiation-hard 3D pixel sensors, ultra-fast sensors with internal charge multiplication (LGADs), and Depleted Monolithic Active Pixel Sensors (DMAPS)—some of which are designed and prototyped at IFAE.
Beyond the ATLAS experiment, the group explores applications of these advanced semiconductor detectors in other scientific and technological domains, such as synchrotron radiation imaging and medical instrumentation contributing to cross-disciplinary innovation in detector technology.
IFAE also has a very strong group working on data analysis, with a broad research program that includes precision measurements of the top quark (e.g., four-top-quark production) and the Higgs boson (e.g., top-Higgs Yukawa coupling), and searches for new phenomena beyond the Standard Model (e.g., supersymmetry, vector-like fermions, leptoquarks, additional light or heavy Higgs bosons).
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PhD (completed or very near completion) in Physics, Electronic Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
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Experience with silicon detector R&D, semiconductor test techniques, or readout electronics is strongly preferred.
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Good programming skills (Python and/or C/C++); familiarity with Linux environments.
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Experience with laboratory DAQ, detector development and/or simulations is a plus.
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Good command of English (written and spoken); ability to work in an international collaboration and to travel for experiments and meetings.
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The evaluation criteria and their weighting for the submitted applications will be the following:
Criteri 1: Scientific and technical contributions
40
Criteri 2: Mobility, English skills and internationality
10
Criteri 3: Suitability of the candidate’s profile to the tasks to be performed
50
The selected candidate is expected to join the IFAE as soon as possible.
The postdoctoral researcher will:
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Lead and contribute to the construction, electrical qualification, and performance characterization of ITk and/or HGTD timing detector modules working in the state-of-the-art micro-electronics clean rooms of IFAE.
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Contribute to the development and optimization of module assembly and production techniques, including quality control and performance validation in the laboratory.
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Participate in the testing and characterization of detector modules in laboratory setups (electrical tests, radioactive source scans, laser measurements) and, when required, at test facilities such as CERN or DESY.
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Supervise and support students and technical staff involved in the detector construction activities.
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Optionally contribute to ATLAS physics analyses or to R&D for applications beyond HEP (synchrotron instrumentation, medical imaging), according to the candidate’s interests.
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Full-time Contract (40 h/week)
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Indefinit Contract Actividades Cientifico-Técnicas (ACT)
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The position will correspond to a Postdoctoral Junior
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Contract for 2 years with possibility of extension based on performance and available funds.
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Salary will be proportional to experience and qualifications within the corresponding category range.
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Flexible working hours; a trial/probation period of 6 months according to institutional rules.
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The position foresees travel to external laboratories (CERN, DESY, etc.), collaboration meetings, workshops and conferences.
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The selected candidate is expected to join the IFAE as soon as possible.
Applicants should include the following documents in PDF format:
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Cover letter describing research interests and suitability for the position.
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Curriculum vitae (including list of up to 10 most relevant publications).
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A short research statement (max 2 pages) describing proposed contributions and expected impact.
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Contact details for two/three referees who can provide letters of recommendation (the selection committee may request letters as part of the process).
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Personal ID number (DNI/NIE or passport) in order to proceed to the verification of absence of conflict of interest required by Recovery and Resilience Mechanism of the Spanish Government.
Send applications to: Dr. Stefano Terzo ([email protected] ), Prof. Sebastián Grinstein ([email protected] ) and HR ([email protected] ) with the subject line: IFAE2026-14_ATLAS-Upgrade_SO_Postdoc
Applications implying consent to IFAE’s data-privacy/legal notice. Selection will be by a Selection Committee. Shortlisted candidates may be interviewed (online) if necessary. IFAE follows equal-opportunity policies and particularly encourages applications from under-represented groups.
Sending CVs to the above addresses implies consent to the IFAE’s legal warning on data privacy.
The application must contain a personal identification number (DNI, NIE or passport) in order to proceed to the verification of absence of conflict of interest required by Recovery and Resilience Mechanism of the Spanish Government.
IFAE is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity in the workplace and social integration of people with a disability. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates. People from groups that are typically underrepresented in the labour market in general and in Science and Engineering in particular, such as women, minorities, or people with a disability, are particularly encouraged to apply.
A Selection Committee will evaluate the received applications. If more than one candidate seems equally suitable for the position, the Selection Committee will arrange an on-line interview with each one of them as part of the Selection process.
In compliance with article 121 of the Spanish Public Sector Legal Regime Act, staff with a pre-existing relationship with the Consortium administration (Generalitat de Catalunya and Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona) will have priority in the awarding of the position.
You may contact Prof Sebastian Grinstein ([email protected] ) or Dr. Stefano Terzo ([email protected] ) for any questions related to this job opening.
The position may also be funded by additional sources:
