Staff Scientist
Job ID #: 11528 Location: Newport News, VA
Functional Area: Science Division: Exp Nuclear Physics
Position Type: Regular Education Required: Doctorate (Professional)
Experience Required: 6+ years Relocation Provided: Yes

Position Description

Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab), located in Newport News, VA, USA, is a world-class scientific laboratory centered around a high-intensity, continuous wave electron beam, which provides a unique capability for nuclear and particle physics research. The lab is managed for the Department of Energy by Jefferson Science Associates.

Jefferson Lab seeks to fill the position of experimental staff scientist in electromagnetic nuclear physics or particle physics. The upgrade of the Jefferson Lab beam energy from 6 to 12 GeV is ongoing with early beam commissioning imminent. In addition, a new experimental facility for high-intensity photon beam experiments, Hall D, is under construction, and both experimental Halls B and C see a major overhaul with the installation of CLAS12 and SHMS. In experimental Hall A, a combination of base equipment and future large installation experiments is foreseen. The initial physics program includes a research program of multi-dimensional images of the nucleon, detailed measurements of its valence quark structure, studies of the fundamental short-distance properties of atomic nuclei, and a research program to study the role of gluon self-interactions and the nature of confinement through hadron spectroscopy. Major pieces of equipment include tracking chambers, calorimeters, time-of-flight detectors and gas Cherenkov counters, centered around large superconducting magnet systems. Data acquisition
and trigger systems need to cope with the high luminosities and event sizes. The new Staff Scientist will assume a lead role in the data reconstruction and analysis software, hand in hand with Jefferson Lab's large and international user community, to enable expedient analysis of complex and large nuclear physics data sets, including archiving for general usage. The staff scientist is expected to be actively engaged in the Jefferson Lab scientific program and in initiating new research proposals for the facility. Some involvement in developing the science case for a potential future Electron Ion Collider is foreseen.

Position Requirements

A Ph.D. in experimental nuclear or particle physics with at least 6 years of experience in a nuclear or particle physics environment is required. The successful candidate should have demonstrated leadership in at least one research area of current interest and the ability to conceive original physics experiments with electromagnetic probes. A strong background in modern software design and expedient physics data processing and analysis from large and complex detector systems is required. Strong communication skills are required to interact with a large and diverse international user community.

For any further questions about this advertisement, please contact Dr. P. Rossi (rossi@jlab.org).

Applicants should email curriculum vitae by December 15, 2013 to: jobline@jlab.org (noting position title in subject line), and have a list of publications along with three letters of reference sent to: Human Resources Consultant, JSA/Jefferson Lab, 628 Hofstadter Road, Suite 2, Newport News, VA 23606.