Research Assistant Professor

A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation's top public universities. Known for its beautiful campus, world-class medical care, commitment to the arts and top athletic programs, Carolina is an ideal place to teach, work and learn.

One of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks for numerous retail, restaurant and performing arts discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates on select campus events. UNC-Chapel Hill offers full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package, paid leave, and a variety of health, life and retirement plans and additional programs that support a healthy work/life balance.

Our primary mission is providing instruction of the highest quality in physics and astronomy to undergraduate and graduate students at UNC-CH. Training in physics is fundamental among the natural sciences because it provides understanding of the forces governing the structure of matter, from subatomic particles to the large-scale structure of the universe.

Our departmental instructional mission spans all segments of the student community. Over 60% of all college graduates from UNC-CH have taken a course in our department. Among them: undergraduate liberal arts majors who should master the power of quantitative reasoning; undergraduates seeking a degree in another of the natural sciences, who need physics as a foundation for their advanced scientific training; the small number of undergraduates who major in physics, to whom we provide broad and rigorous training. Our graduate education and research advances frontiers of knowledge at the two extremes of space and time, from the very small) the realm of particle physics) to the very large (the realm of astronomy, while expanding the boundaries of knowledge in the many subfields spanning length scales between. Forefront physics and astronomy research requires access to well-equipped laboratories and extensive computing capabilities; it also must be supported by comprehensive and accessible library collections. Again, in research at this advanced level, the bridging aspect of physics provides basic interdisciplinary insight for many other sciences.

This instructional mission is supported by a strong managerial, administrative, and technical staff. Duties of these employees range from budget planning and management for the numerous research grants held by faculty in the department to maintaining course and student records. These activities are usually accomplished in a standard 40- hour week schedule.

This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to forefront research in experimental nuclear physics. The successful candidate will join a vibrant research environment on the UNC Chapel Hill campus, collaborating closely with scientists, engineers, technicians, and students at UNC and Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory ( TUNL).

The group is seeking a scientist who would primarily focus on the search for neutrinoless double-beta decay in 76Ge as part of the LEGEND Collaboration. The UNC group is a leading contributor to the LEGEND collaboration, with major roles in detector development and characterization, electronics readout and data acquisition, and software and analysis development activities. The UNC group is also leading the development and validation of novel machine learning methods for LEGEND simulations and analysis. We have been heavily involved in constructing, commissioning, and operating the first phase, LEGEND-200, which started physics data taking in 2023. We are likewise strongly engaged in developing LEGEND-1000, a next-generation ton-scale experiment, with UNC serving as lead institution for a multi-institution NSF Major Research and Facilities Construction proposal. A successful candidate for this position would take on leadership roles in both LEGEND-200 analysis efforts and LEGEND-1000 design and construction tasks. We are especially interested in candidates who would, as part of their research program, develop machine learning methods for LEGEND simulations and analysis.The specific research portfolio for the role is flexible, within UNC s areas of involvement in the LEGEND program.

The candidate is also encouraged to engage with other TUNL experiments to initiate new technical proposals that enhance the lab s research portfolio and attract external funding for neutrinoless double-beta decay. Mentorship and training of staff, students, and postdocs are integral and essential components of the role.

Our UNC group is an integral part of the Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory ( TUNL) (https://www.tunl.duke.edu/), a Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Physics Center of Excellence, which provides substantial technical and scientific resources related to our activities. We are also affiliated with the Institute for Cosmology, Subatomic Matter, and Symmetries (CoSMS) (https://cosms.unc.edu/) that offers a stimulating environment for discussions on a broad range of fundamental physics and astronomy topics. This research professor will have the opportunity to work with diverse student populations at the undergraduate and graduate levels. This position also provides the opportunity to work closely with postdoctoral fellows, our scientific and engineering staff, as well as TUNL and CoSMS colleagues. Our professional engineering and technical teams provide world-class expertise in instrumentation, prototyping, detector development, and experiment execution.

Duties and Responsibilities

Manage design and construction of elements of the LEGEND-1000 experiment.

Plan, schedule, procure, and coordinate multiple experimental and analysis projects.

Contribute to analysis sub-group efforts for LEGEND-200 and make scientific contributions to searches for neutrinoless double-beta decay and other BSM physics signatures.

Manage operations the group s laboratory space, including a class-1000 cleanroom.

Engage with other TUNL experiments as opportunities arise and to initiate new technical proposals that enhance the lab s research portfolio and attract external funding.

Develop technical proposals and make presentations to potential customers/grant sponsors.

Mentorship and training of both staff and students are integral and essential components of the role.

PhD in experimental nuclear, particle, particle astrophysics, or related field.
Minimum of two years of postdoctoral experience or equivalent.

Experience with radiation detectors
Experience with vacuum systems and cryogenics
Experience with data acquisition systems
Experience with digital signal processing
Experience with simulations and/or data analysis using Python or Julia.

Please provide a 3-page Research Statement, as well as ensuring that email addresses are accurately provided for three-letters of reference to be submitted.

If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the University's Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost office at (919)-962-1091 or send an email to facultyrecruitment@unc.edu.

Please note: The Executive Vice Chancellor & Provost office will not be able to provide specific updates regarding position or application status.

If you have any questions about the job requirements or the hiring department notify the Department Contact.

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.