Research Officer in Antihydrogen Physics
| Posting date: | 11 September 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £39,355 to £45,413 per year |
| Additional salary information: | together with USS pension benefits |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 18 September 2025 |
| Location: | Swansea, Wales |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | Swansea University |
| Job type: | Contract |
| Job reference: | SU01207 |
Summary
The group is a leading member of the ALPHA collaboration with responsibility for positrons, antihydrogen synthesis, laser-spectroscopy and frequency metrology. Recent research highlights include the first laser spectroscopy of the 1s-2s transition in antihydrogen as a test of matter-antimatter symmetry, the first application of laser cooling to antimatter and observation of antimatter under the influence of gravity. The group has improved methods for antihydrogen synthesis such that the number of antiatoms has increased tenfold and reduced the uncertainty of frequency fluctuations in the experiment by a factor of one thousand. As a result, tests of fundamental symmetry with antihydrogen will become significantly more precise, allowing further exploration of the energy spectrum as well as direct comparisons with hydrogen.
The successful candidate will be working at CERN with both the Swansea team and the ALPHA collaboration on the next generation of antihydrogen experiments. Responsibilities will include excited state laser spectroscopy of antihydrogen and investigation of non-destructive detection techniques of antimatter fluorescence. This will take place in an exciting multi-disciplinary experiment in an international context, where there is ample freedom for the successful candidate to have a significant impact on the future of antihydrogen physics.
The successful candidate will have a PhD in physics. Experience in the synthesis, laser cooling, and spectroscopy of antihydrogen will be essential. Experience in developing Penning traps, low-noise electronics, deep UV photodetection and cryogenics are further essential criteria.
The position will be based fully at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland.
The successful candidate will be working at CERN with both the Swansea team and the ALPHA collaboration on the next generation of antihydrogen experiments. Responsibilities will include excited state laser spectroscopy of antihydrogen and investigation of non-destructive detection techniques of antimatter fluorescence. This will take place in an exciting multi-disciplinary experiment in an international context, where there is ample freedom for the successful candidate to have a significant impact on the future of antihydrogen physics.
The successful candidate will have a PhD in physics. Experience in the synthesis, laser cooling, and spectroscopy of antihydrogen will be essential. Experience in developing Penning traps, low-noise electronics, deep UV photodetection and cryogenics are further essential criteria.
The position will be based fully at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland.