PhD Student (f/m/d) Photon yield measurements for treatment verification in proton therapy

Through cutting-edge research in the fields of ENERGY, HEALTH and MATTER, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) solves some of the pressing societal and industrial challenges of our time. Join our 1.500 employees from more than 50 nations at one of our six research sites and help us moving research to the next level!

At the Institute of Radiooncology – OncoRay scientists (f/m/d) specializing in medicine, physics, biology and IT work together to crucially improve the treatment of cancer by administering radiation therapy that is biologically-personalized and technically-optimized.

The Institute of Radiation Physics conducts research for states of matter under extreme conditions and in very small dimensions.

The departments Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Physics are looking for a PhD student (f/m/d) shared between both institutes and working on the topic of "Photon yield measurements for treatment verification in proton therapy". The position will be available from 1 October 2023 and is limited to three years.

Your tasks:

• Experimental determination of the photon yield for reactions relevant to proton therapy
• Measurement of the emission spectrum of prompt gamma rays for typical phantoms with high resolution and precision
• Modeling of the investigated reactions with particle transport codes
• Optimization of the implemented algorithms for the statistical de-excitation processes of stimulated nuclei

Your profile:

• Very good degree in physics or an equivalent natural science
• Good knowledge in the fields of nuclear physics, the interaction of radiation and matter and particle transport codes
• Enjoy experimenting as well as the analysis and modeling of nuclear and medical-physical experiments

Advantages are:

• Extensive programming skills (e.g. Root, Geant4, Fluka, MCNP)
• Enjoy analyzing complex data and solving physical problems
• Good communication skills and keen interest in multidisciplinary collaboration

Our offer:

• A vibrant research community in an open, diverse and international work environment
  
• Scientific excellence and extensive professional networking opportunities
• A structured PhD program with a comprehensive range of continuing education and networking opportunities - more information about the PhD program at the HZDR can be found here
• Salary and social benefits in accordance with the collective agreement for the public sector (TVöD-Bund) including 30 days of paid holiday leave, company pension scheme (VBL)
• We support a good work-life balance with the possibility of part-time employment, mobile working and flexible working hours
• Numerous company health management offerings
• Employee discounts with well-known providers via the platform Corporate Benefits
• An employer subsidy for the VVO job ticket

Kindly submit your completed application (including cover letter, CV, diplomas/transcripts, etc.) only via our Online-application-system.