Postdoctoral Scholar in Experimental Collider Physics

About this position

• The University of Chicago ATLAS group invites applications for one or
• more Postdoctoral Scholar positions spanning the full breadth of our
• program on the ATLAS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. We
• are a strong, well-resourced group with deep and long-standing
• involvement in ATLAS, and we are eager to welcome outstanding new
• colleagues. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with
• starting dates as early as September 1, 2026, and continuing through
• August 31, 2027. We anticipate up to two hires over this window.
• The successful candidate will have the opportunity to contribute
• across a research program that extends from hardware and detector
• operations through to physics measurements and searches, with AI/ML
• opportunities woven throughout. Depending on interests and expertise,
• work may include:

• Detector and trigger systems, including operations, commissioning, and upgrades of the TileCal hadronic calorimeter, real-time trigger systems, and ITk, the new all-silicon Inner Tracker for the ATLAS Phase-II upgrade, including construction, integration, and performance studies.

• Combined Performance, including object (jets, tracks) reconstruction, heavy-flavor (b-/c-jet) and boosted object tagging, electron/photon identification, and trigger menu optimization.

• Physics analysis, including precision measurements of the Higgs boson and searches for physics beyond the Standard Model.

• Machine learning, including modern ML-based approaches to object identification and reconstruction, spanning real-time (trigger-level) and offline applications.

• We welcome candidates who wish to specialize deeply in one of these
• areas as well as those who want to work across the
• hardware–software–physics spectrum. The group will work with each hire
• to shape a research portfolio that matches their strengths and career
• goals.
• Applications and candidates must meet the following requirements:

• A PhD in physics, applied physics, or a closely related field, completed by the time of appointment (up to August 31, 2027).

• To be eligible for a postdoctoral appointment, candidates must be within seven years of the award of their PhD for the duration of the appointment.

• A record of research accomplishments appropriate to career stage, and the ability to work both independently and as part of a large collaboration.

• The ideal candidate will have experience in collider physics or
• closely allied fields of experimental particle physics, with preferred
• skills and experience including:

• Particle physics instrumentation and detector hardware or operations familiarity, trigger and data acquisition systems, calorimetry or silicon tracking, object reconstruction and performance, heavy-flavor tagging, or LHC physics analysis.

• Familiarity with modern machine learning methods and their application to reconstruction, identification, or real-time processing.

• Strong software development skills (e.g., C++, Python) and experience with large-scale data analysis.

• Willingness to spend extended periods at CERN as required by the research program.

• Compensation and Benefits
• The annual salary range for this position is $63,480–$93,640. The
• final salary offered will depend on the candidate's qualifications,
• experience, and career stage, consistent with University policy. This
• position is eligible for the University of Chicago's comprehensive
• postdoctoral benefits package, which includes medical, dental, and
• vision insurance, retirement benefits, paid time off, and other
• benefits; details are available at the University of Chicago Office of
• Postdoctoral Affairs:
• https://intranet.uchicago.edu/human-resources/services/benefits/benefits-for-postdocs
• Application Instructions Applications should be submitted via the
• Academic Jobs Online portal. Please include the following materials:

• A cover letter

• A curriculum vitae

• A publication list

• A statement of research interests

• Three (3) letters of recommendation, submitted directly by the referees

• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning September
• 1st, 2026 and continuing until all positions are filled, through
• September 1, 2027. Candidates are encouraged to apply early. Questions
• about the position should be directed to David.W.Miller@uchicago.edu.
• Please title your email with “[ATLAS Postdoc Application]” to help
• with email filtering.
• The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does
• not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual
• orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, national or ethnic
• origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a
• disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other
• protected classes under the law. For additional information please see
• the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination. Job seekers in need of a
• reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should
• call 773-834-3988 or email equalopportunity@uchicago.edu with their
• request.