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Studentship in High Energy Physics on the MCnet network

MCnet is an EU-funded Marie Curie Research Training Network, dedicated to developing, validating and tuning the next generation of Monte Carlo event generators for high energy particle physics and training future event generator authors and the event generator user base. MCnet will create a novel form of studentship:

We offer a joint PhD studentship at the Institute of Particle Physics Phenomenology (IPPP), University of Durham (UK) and the University College London (UCL), London (UK). This studentship will be a part of our Marie Curie Research and Training Network MCnet.

Research

The goal of all research carried out in the MCnet is the accurate Monte Carlo simulation of high energy collision events of elementary particles. Currently, the most prominent example will be the proton-proton collisions carried out at the forthcoming Large Hadron Collider (LHC) which is currently being completed at CERN (Geneva). Monte Carlo event generators are central to high-energy particle physics. They are used by almost all experimental collaborations to plan their experiments and to analyze their data, and by theorists to simulate the complex final states of the fundamental interactions that may signal the presence of new physics. MCnet includes all the authors of current general purpose event generators.

The successful applicant will carry out research in the field of matching higher order perturbative calculations with parton shower simulations and in the tuning of the event generators. The applicant will thus be involved in the ongoing development of the simulation program Sherpa and of the CEDAR project.

Appointment

The appointment will start in October 2007 at the IPPP, working on Sherpa. There, the focus will be on the implementation of higher-order QCD corrections into the event generator SHERPA. In the second half of the appointment, the work will be primarily concerned with the development and coding of methods for the tuning and validation of event generators against LEP, Tevatron and early LHC data. This part will mainly take place at UCL. The Studentships are subject to the usual conditions of Marie Curie fellowships. Applications are encouraged from women, nationals of New Member States and residents of Less Favoured Regions.

Applicants

We are seeking applicants with a strong interest in High-Energy Particle Phenomenology. They should have excellent qualifications in theoretical physics and a strong background in scientific computing, preferably with good working experience in object-oriented programming. The applicants should have completed a degree equivalent to a Diploma or Master by the time of the appointment. According to the Marie Curie Mobility rules the applicants must not have spent 2 out of the last 3 years in the UK. For more details, cf. the RTN Handbook.

Applications

Instructions on how to apply for a studentship at Durham can be found at here. Electronic copies of the application form and a template form for referees can be downloaded from this link.

Further information

For further information and informal inquiries please contact Frank Krauss (frank.krauss@durham.ac.uk) or Jon Butterworth (J.Butterworth@ucl.ac.uk). The Universities of Durham and the University College London are commited to providing equality of opportunity.

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Last modified: SG, 14 Mar 2007