The competition is open to persons who meet the conditions set out in Article 113 of the Act of 20 July 2018 - Law on higher education and science (Journal of Laws of 2018, item 1668) and the following qualification criteria:

1. required: a doctorate in physics or a closely related field,

2. required: a growing record of publications in atomic physics,

3. preferred: computer programming skills or electronic engineering skills

4. preferred: research experience in ultra-cold physics or experience in study of fundamental physics by atomic physics

Project leader: Michał Zawada

Project title: A next-generation worldwide quantum sensor network with optical atomic clocks

Project is carried out within the TEAM programme of the Foundation for Polish Science

Project description:

In our project we will establish, with our scientific partners, the first earth-scale quantum sensor network based on optical atomic clocks with the coordination and research centre located at KL FAMO in Torun. The network of such detectors can be used as a state-of-the-art global sensor in a wide range of sectors from applications in geodesy, satellite navigation and environmental monitoring, including monitoring changes in ocean currents, oil and gas surveying, monitoring environmental changes such as melting of the polar ice caps and volcanic processes that take place before an eruption, to basic science and metrology. Although such network is naturally suited for a number of utilitarian purposes, in this project we will demonstrate its operation for the case of much more challenging fundamental studies. We will use it as an Earth-scale observatory for detecting dark matter in the form of topological defects and oscillating scalar fields and test existing hypotheses of new fields beyond the Standard Model at an unprecedented level of accuracy.

The postdoc position will be a part of:

Theme 1: Dark matter direct-detection experiments with the sensor network made of optical atomic clocks

Theme 2: Development of a new generation of optical sensors with enhanced detection limit for the variations in ? and other fundamental constant

Key responsibilities include:

1. Theme 1:

a. Development of a world-wide dispersed network of existing optical clocks

b. Participation in the dark matter observation

c. Publication of results in peer-reviewed journals sessions

2.Theme 2:

a. Development of new optical technologies for sensing the variations in the fine-structure constant

b. Development of new methodology for enhancing the sensitivity to variations in different fundamental constants

c. Publication of results in peer-reviewed journals

We offer:

o opportunity to work in interdisciplinary research department with strong support from astronomy and physics groups within the department,

o position in the professional and dynamically developing international and interdisciplinary team,

o possibilities of foreign internships, trainings, and conference trips,

o collaboration with the best research groups in the world in the field of dark matter detection with optical atomic clocks.

o no teaching duties

Remuneration/stipend amount/month: 9 500 PLN/month gross (full remuneration cost, including full social security and health insurance), approx. 5600/month net

Maximum period of contract/stipend agreement: 12-18 months

Position starts on: 1 October 2019

Documents required:

- Personal questionnaire for the person applying for employment

- Professional curriculum vitae

- Copy of higher education diploma

- Copy of doctorate certificate

- List of publications (including the publishing house/journal, year of publication, and page number)

- Declaration of consent to the processing of personal data contained in the job offer for the needs of the recruitment process, in accordance with the Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of The Council od 27 April 2016 (L119/1)

- Declaration under art. 113 ust. 1 ustawy Prawo o szkolnictwie wyższym (o niekaralności) (Art. Paragraph 113 (1) of the Higher Education Act (of no criminal record))

- Declaration that Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń will be my primary employer once I have won the contest

- At least one (max three) reference letter(s);

- A cover letter (addressed to Professor Andrzej Tretyn, Rector of the Nicolaus Copernicus University),

Forms to be downloaded: http://www.umk.pl/en/employment/forms/

Additional comments

Please submit the aforementioned documents to castle[at]fizyka.umk.pl with annotation "PostdocTEAM" in the subject field.

Application deadline: 1 September 2019.

Position starts on: 1 October 2019.

The university does not provide accommodation.

For more details about the position please visit (website/webpage address): http://www.fizyka.umk.pl/~castle