The Large Hadron Collider, located in the CERN international research centre, investigates the fundamental nature of strong interaction using protons and heavy-ions accelerated to ultra-relativistic velocities. Heavy flavor (charm and beauty) quarks are produced early in the reaction, and they survive throughout the later stages. Thus, heavy-flavor is a perfect tool to gain a more fundamental understanding of the strong interaction. Heavy-flavor production in heavy-ion collisios reveals the properties of the Quark-Gluon Plasma, a hot and dense state of matter that had once filled the young Universe. Heavy-flavor yields in small colliding systems probe the non-perturbative regime of vacuum Quantum-Chromodynamics. The Run-II data taking period at the LHC brought increased luminosity and an upgraded ALICE detector system. It allows for an unprecedented precision in the measurement of heavy quarks.
The primary task of the PhD candidate is to evaluate the heavy-quark production yields and/or their correlations to light hadrons in Run-II collisions at the LHC, as well as to contribute to the preparations of ALICE for the Run-III data taking period. The novelty of the field will require development and application of new methods, however, it will also bring attention to the results within the scientific community.
Required language skills: English
MSc in physics or engineering physics, programming skills.
Knowledge in statistics, a nuclear or particle physics background, experience with linux and C++ are strongly recommended.