Program Description

The LHC Physics Center (LPC) at Fermilab (https://lpc.fnal.gov/) seeks applications for CMS LPC Distinguished Researchers (DR), in both the Senior and Junior category. The preferred starting date for the position is January 2025, with some flexibility between November 2024 and March 2025. 

We are looking for CMS members from across the collaboration with a Ph.D. in particle physics and an established track record of expertise in specific areas of high energy physics. A typical Senior DR will have had experience organizing and leading a group of physicists within CMS or another HEP experiment, or has demonstrated the potential to do so. The Junior DR program provides an outstanding opportunity for young scientists to develop an independent research program. DRs will have access to the resources available at the LPC to make major contributions to CMS in the areas of physics analysis, object identification, software development, detector operations, or detector instrumentation development and construction. 

The LPC serves primarily as a resource and physics analysis hub for several hundred physicists at US institutions in the CMS collaboration. The center offers a vibrant community of CMS scientists from US and overseas institutions, that play leading roles in analysis of data, in the definition and refinement of physics objects, in detector commissioning and operations, and in the design and development of the detector upgrade. The LPC is also a major hub for Machine Learning developments for particle physics. There is close and frequent collaboration with the Fermilab theory community. The LPC provides outstanding computing resources and software support personnel. The proximity of the CMS Tier-1 and the CMS Remote Operations Center at Fermilab allows critical real time connections to the experiment. Fermilab technical facilities support detector instrumentation developments. The LPC also offers educational workshops and tutorials in analysis techniques and software development, and organizes conferences, workshops, and seminar series. The DRs are an integral part of the organization and are leading activities at the LPC. For a full range of LPC activities please refer to: https://lpc.fnal.gov.

Applications consist of a CV, a cover letter, a research proposal, and a plan for residency at (or travel to) the LPC. Junior DR applications require, in addition, at least three letters of recommendation. The research plan should highlight the impact which the proposal is expected to have on CMS. Successful applications have connected the plan with activities already taking place at the LPC, or have laid out a clear plan to start a new program that will enhance the LPC contributions to CMS. Applicants are also encouraged to discuss how they intend to help improve equity, diversity, and inclusion at the LPC. 

The cover letter should clearly state 1) start and end dates, 2) plan for residency at the LPC, and 3) current salary and fringe. The LPC program does not pay for indirect cost charges.

The deadline for applications and supporting letters is Friday, August 2, 2024 at 11:59 PM CDT. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered. Applications will be handled online at https://academicprogramsonline.org/ajo/programs/27771

Successful candidates will ordinarily be resident at the LPC for 50% or more of their time as DR. Visiting postdocs and faculty will receive up to 50% remuneration with the remainder provided by the home institution. The remuneration will be limited to salary and fringe benefits; university overhead will not be paid. DRs also receive a modest travel budget to enable regular trips to CERN, the LPC, and to conferences to present work. Each position is tenable for a minimum of six months and a maximum of one year, in the first instance. Renewal is possible but requires a new proposal. The maximum amount of time as a Junior LPC DR is two years. Senior LPC DRs may be awarded a maximum of twice in any eight-year period. 

Questions about the CMS LPC Distinguished Researchers program may be directed to the LPC coordinators:

Kevin Black and Bo Jayatilaka

(kblack@hep.wisc.edu, boj@fnal.gov)