At the University of Jyväskylä, everyone can find their place in the human-centred environment of 2,500 experts and 14,500 students. Our goal is to create wisdom and wellbeing for us all. It is essential that each member of the community thrives and has opportunities to develop and grow. We cherish openness of thinking as well as the balance between research and education. Our naturally beautiful campus is located at the heart of the city of Jyväskylä. JYU is the third largest employer in Central Finland.

The main areas of research at the Department of Physics are nuclear and accelerator-based physics, particle physics, and materials physics. In nuclear and accelerator-based physics the research areas are nuclear structure, especially the physics of exotic nuclei, nuclear models, double beta decay, ion source physics, and applied accelerator-based research. In particle
physics the research areas are ultrarelativistic heavy ion collision physics, neutrino physics, and particle cosmology. In materials physics the research areas are nanophysics and quantum technologies, non-equilibrium physics, superconductivity, low temperature physics, computational materials physics and physics of complex materials. Experimental research at the Department is conducted in the Accelerator Laboratory, the multidisciplinary Nanoscience Center (NSC), Tomography Laboratory and in foreign research centers such as CERN and GSI.

The Department of Physics is currently seeking to recruit staff to the position of

Early Stage Researcher (ESR)/ Doctoral Student beginning April 1st 2020 until March 31st 2023 in a project LISA MSCA ITN

Position

The chemical elements known as the actinides offer some of the most exciting and challenging opportunities for multidisciplinary science: fundamental nuclear structure research, atomic physics, chemistry and tests for Physics beyond the Standard Model. Elemental atomic spectra provide a unique window to fundamental nuclear properties, with laser spectroscopy sufficiently sensitive to probe isotopic shifts and hyperfine structure, giving access to measurements of nuclear shape, size, electromagnetic moments and spin.

Despite the long-standing interest in actinide elements, optical spectroscopy has been restricted primarily to studies of long-lived isotopes that can be bred in sufficient quantities in high-flux reactors. Actinide isotopes are not available at on-line isotope separator facilities and require production via fusion reactions or transfer reactions with radioactive targets. Only recently, with the emergence of state-of-the-art methodologies involving the application of lasers, highly sensitive spectroscopic techniques such as resonance laser ionization and novel target developments, does the opportunity arise to begin a systematic exploration of this region of the nuclear landscape.

Within this position, the candidate shall explore new approaches to the production of actinide isotopes at the IGISOL facility, combining high intensity beams of protons with novel “drop-on-demand” thin targets. Yields of short-lived exotic isotopes of thorium and uranium will be quantified and resonance ionization spectroscopy in a buffer gas cell will be implemented for medium-resolution spectroscopy. The candidate will also work with filaments containing ²³⁹Pu, exploiting them as alpha-recoil sources in order to produce and explore the actinide isomer of ^235mU with high-resolution collinear laser spectroscopy. This systematic approach will result in the extraction of fundamental ground state nuclear structure properties.

Secondment

This position includes secondments to:

• University of Mainz (Germany) for 2 single month periods, and
• GSI facility, Darmstadt (Germany) for 2 periods of 2 months.

Specific requirements

The duties and qualification requirements for the position of Doctoral Students are stipulated by the University of Jyväskylä Regulations and language skills guidelines. A good command of English is required. Doctoral Students are required to have a master’s degree and the right to postgraduate degree studies at the University of Jyväskylä.

Those applicants who do not yet have permission for doctoral studies at the University of Jyväskylä must apply for it along with their application to the ESR position, so that the decisions can be made simultaneously.

For a PhD position at the Department of Physics, knowledge of nuclear physics is required. Knowledge of atomic and last physics is an added value.

Offer

• Institute and location:  The IGISOL group of the Accelerator Laboratory of the University of Jyväskylä (JYFL-ACCLAB), located in Jyväskylä, Finland.
• Duration of employment:  36 Months + 12 Months
• Salary: The salary for the first three years is based on the Marie Curie Program regulations and consists of living, mobility and possible family allowance (the total amount for the living and mobility allowance: approx. 3500 € per month, and for the family allowance: approx. 416 € per month, all amounts are subject to deductions and taxes). The salary for the fourth year is based on the regulations of the University of Jyväskylä.
• Social security coverage / Pension schemes:  Finnish Social Security and Employee Pension System.
• Total working time system:  General collective agreement for universities (Regulations on total working time of teaching and research staff)
• Possibility to take part in JYU Staff training courses and Academic Sports
• JYU Occupational Health Care

Appointee is subject to a six-month trial period. 

The application should include:

1) Motivation letter (ca 1 page statement of research interests and reasons for applying to the program and the project)

2) Curriculum vitae (max. 5 pages) See example: http://www.tenk.fi/en/template-researchers-curriculum-vitae

3) The names and e-mail addresses of two referees

4) A certificate of Master’s degree and grades of Master’s level studies (Copies of degree certificates/diplomas)

5) Proof of proficiency in English

For additional information, contact Professor Iain Moore, iain.d.moore@jyu.fi , Office Tel: +358 40 805 4103, Mobile Tel: +358 40 589 1929

The closing date for the first round of applications is 16 February 2020.