The Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) is one of the most dynamic university campuses in Europe and ranks among the top 20 universities worldwide. The EPFL employs 6,000 people supporting the three main missions of the institutions: education, research and innovation. The EPFL campus offers an exceptional working environment at the heart of a community of 16,000 people, including over 10,000 students and 3,500 researchers from 120 different countries.
The EPFL Laboratory of Particle Accelerator Physics (LPAP) is looking for a PhD student to strengthen our interdisciplinary team focusing on the development of a robust optics configuration and beam-beam collision scheme of the Future Circular Colliders (FCC).
Description
In the context of a challenging project “Beam-beam and coherent stability studies for the Future Circular Collider FCC-ee” funded by the Swiss Accelerator Research and Technology institute (CHART), our laboratory aims at maximizing the number of collisions, and consequently the precision of particle physics measurements in the FCC-ee by studying stabilising mechanisms in collision.
High energy colliders feature high intensity and high density particle beams. In this regime, multiple phenomena lead to strong beam instabilities that require dedicated stabilization techniques. Due to its strongly non-linear nature, the electromagnetic interaction of the two beams on each other, so-called beam-beam force, generates a large frequency spread in the oscillation frequency of the particles in the beam and, thus, leads to Landau damping of beam instabilities. Mastering this mechanism is key in pushing the collider performance to its limit while maintaining the beam stability, yet today it is mostly addressed with numerical simulations. The student will combine analytical developments based on the Vlasov equation together with numerical tracking simulations in order to gain further insight into the phenomenon and potentially devise novel methods to improve the beam stability in existing and future colliders. The study will be extended also to cover the interplay of beam-beam interactions impact to the stability when space charge and/or the machine impedance is present.
We offer
The Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) is one of the most dynamic university campuses in Europe and ranks among the top 20 universities worldwide. The EPFL employs 6,000 people supporting the three main missions of the institutions: education, research and innovation. The EPFL campus offers an exceptional working environment at the heart of a community of 16,000 people, including over 10,000 students and 3,500 researchers from 120 different countries.
The EPFL Laboratory of Particle Accelerator Physics (LPAP) is looking for a PhD student to strengthen our interdisciplinary team focusing on the development of a robust optics configuration and beam-beam collision scheme of the Future Circular Colliders (FCC).
Description
In the context of a challenging project “Luminosity and betatron coupling effects in high energy colliders” funded by the Swiss Accelerator Research and Technology institute (CHART), our laboratory aims to investigate both local and global coupling effects in particle colliders, with particular attention to their interplay with beam-beam interactions. These effects can significantly influence luminosity and overall machine performance, especially in next-generation, high-luminosity machines such as the HL-LHC and FCC-ee.
A detailed study will be conducted to understand how transverse coupling interacts with beam-beam dynamics and how this interplay affects luminosity, beam stability, and the luminous region. The goal is to develop a deeper understanding of these complex interactions in order to propose strategies that enhance luminosity performance while maintaining beam stability. In the case of the HL-LHC, the focus will be on optimizing performance for precision measurements, whereas for the FCC-ee, the study will emphasize how coupling and beam-beam effects shape the luminous region.
This work will also address correction strategies, including the development and implementation of dedicated correction knobs. Where feasible, experimental studies of local and global coupling—particularly at the LHC and potentially at SuperKEKB—will be included to validate the theoretical and simulation-based findings.
We offer
Description
LPAP is looking for a highly motivated post-doc researcher. APPLY NOW !
The Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) is one of the most dynamic university campuses in Europe and ranks among the top 20 universities worldwide. The EPFL employs 6,000 people supporting the three main missions of the institutions: education, research and innovation. The EPFL campus offers an exceptional working environment at the heart of a community of 16,000 people, including over 10,000 students and 3,500 researchers from 120 different countries.
Postdoctoral Researcher in accelerator design for the FCC-ee.
Your Mission:
The EPFL Laboratory of Particle Accelerator Physics (LPAP) is looking for a Postdoctoral Researcher to strengthen our interdisciplinary team focusing on the development of a robust optics configuration and beam-beam collision scheme of the Future Circular Colliders (FCC). The aim of this project, together with 3 PhD projects, is to advance the study and simulation of beam dynamics for the Future Circular Collider – Electron-positron (FCC-ee), focusing on both theoretical developments and the implementation of advanced numerical tools for accelerator design and performance optimization.
In the context of a challenging project “General Accelerator Design at the FCC-ee: optics, tuning knobs and collective effects studies” funded by the Swiss Accelerator Research and Technology institute (CHART), our laboratory aims to develop a robust and optimized design for the next generation lepton collider FCC-ee. This research program focus on optimizing the FCC-ee lattice design, particularly for beam-beam interactions and collective effects. This includes refining optics configurations, introducing new tuning knobs, and developing correction schemes to improve luminosity, improve lifetimes and dynamics aperture as figure of merit for the optimization. The project will begin with a comprehensive analysis of the existing FCC-ee lattice options, identifying errors sensitive to collective phenomena such as beam-beam forces and machine imperfections. Using this information, alternative lattice optics configurations will be developed, aimed at reducing nonlinearities and stabilizing beam performance, especially in high-intensity regimes. New correction schemes and tuning knobs will be created to allow for real-time adjustments of lattice parameters during operation, providing flexibility to operators, ensuring optimal performance and a robust design. These correction schemes will help address the dynamic nature of the machine and adapt to varying beam conditions. Where necessary, correction schemes will be proposed to reduce the impacts in the presence of beam-beam effects and suppress resonances. By developing a more robust and adaptive lattice design, this study aims to ensure long-term stability and maximize collider performance for high-precision measurements. Several aspects can be studied and the priority will depend on the developments but they can be covering the following topics:
- Develop optics tools to optimize and improve beam lifetimes, luminosity and dynamic aperture in the presence of beam-beam interactions.
- Alternative Optics development for High Temperature Superconductors based nested magnets technology
- Support the study of an Energy Recovery Linac based collider option
- Explore correction schemes developed for polarization optimization
Depending on the candidate the project can be tailored to one or another of the above aspects of optics design. The post-doc will also support parallel developments from the PHD students of the team to ensure a robust flow of the particle dynamics and provide tolerances to the project design.
Main Duties and responsibilities include:
- Coordinate collaborative research activities in the context of developing a robust optics with beam-beam and realistic lattice included for the FCC-ee community
- Contribute to an optimized design of FCC-ee in terms of physics reach and performance, also proposing alternative solutions
- Participate in the supervision of PHD students
- Participate in the writing of articles and other documents related to research activities
- Participate in the teaching activities of the section, assistance of exercises, experiments and semester projects.
Your profile:
- Applicants should have completed their Ph.D studies.
- We expect a strong scientific background and proven track record in accelerator physics, physics-based simulations, numerical optimization and computational design.
- Experience with modular and collaborative scientific software design and with existing accelerator related software packages, for example BMAD, Lifetrack , MADX, XSUITE, SAD, GEANT4 and collective effects.
- Excellent communication skills in English and good team spirit.
We offer:
- Be part of a dynamic team committed to advance the research in the area of beam dynamics, computational design and modelling of future accelerators.
- Interdisciplinary and international environment. The project is developed in close collaboration with the FCC-ee beam physics teams.
- Post-doc positions are initially offered for 12 months and can be extended for up to 4 years.
- Very competitive employment conditions: EPFL
Start date:
As soon as possible
Term of employment:
Fixed-term (CDD)
Duration:
1 year renewable up to 4 years.
Contact:
For questions about the position please contact [email protected] and/or [email protected].
Useful links for openings in
Accelerator Physics