PhD Student in detector development

The Paul Scherrer Institute PSI is the largest research institute for natural and engineering sciences within Switzerland. We perform cutting-edge research in the fields of future technologies, energy and climate, health innovation and fundamentals of nature. By performing fundamental and applied research, we work on sustainable solutions for major challenges facing society, science and economy. PSI is committed to the training of future generations. Therefore, about one quarter of our staff are post-docs, post-graduates or apprentices. Altogether, PSI employs 2300 people.

PhD Student in detector development

Your tasks
Embedded in a cross-disciplinary English-speaking team, you help develop a charge-integrating hybrid pixel detector for soft X-ray applications. Your responsibilities include testing detector prototypes with fine-pitch Low-Gain Avalanche Diode (LGAD) sensors, interpreting data, and employing interpolation techniques and machine learning to improve the position resolution of the devices. You perform independent measurements in our X-ray lab at PSI and participate in collaborative experiments at international synchrotron and Free Electron Laser facilities such as SwissFEL, Swiss Light Source, European XFEL, and Diamond Light Source. You publish your research findings in scientific journals and present your work at international workshops and conferences. The host university for the PhD program is University of Fribourg under the academic supervision of Prof. Dr Luc Patthey.

Your profile

• You have a master’s degree in physics or a closely related field
• It is appreciated if you have already collected some previous experience in semiconductor detector development or X-ray science
• You have some programming or data analysis experience, ideally in C++ or Python, or are motivated to learn
• You are open minded, communicative, have a strong collaborative mindset and team spirit, and you enjoy working in a multidisciplinary, international environment with people from different backgrounds
• You have excellent communication and writing skills in English

We offer
Our institution is based on an interdisciplinary, innovative and dynamic collaboration. You will profit from a systematic training on the job, in addition to personal development possibilities and our pronounced vocational training culture. If you wish to optimally combine work and family life or other personal interests, we are able to support you with our modern employment conditions and the on-site infrastructure. 

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