Junior Researcher (PhD holder)

Department: LISBON

Research Field: Physics

Researcher Profile: Recognised Researcher (R2)

Positions: Postdoc Positions

Application Deadline: 18 Sep 2026 - 17:00 (Europe/Lisbon)

Country: Portugal

Type of Contract: Temporary

Job Status: Full-time

Hours Per Week: 35

Offer Starting Date: 1 Oct 2026

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?: European Union / Next Generation EU

Reference Number: ERC-PT A-Projects

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?: No

Offer Description

LIP – Laboratório de Instrumentação e Física Experimental de Partículas opens an international call for the recruitment of a Junior Researcher (PhD holder) for participation in the ERC-PT A-Projects “Unveiling the Time Dynamics of Quantum Chromodynamics in the Quark-Gluon Plasma”, funded by the measure RE-C06-i06 – “Ciência Mais Capacitação” of the PRR.

Work plan:

• The project aims to investigate the space-time structure of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) radiation in high-energy collisions, with particular emphasis on the evolution of jets in the Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP) produced in ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions. A central goal is to develop and validate formation-time-based methods that connect the internal structure of jets to the space-time evolution of the QGP, building upon the formation-time and jet-reclustering techniques previously developed within the project. The work under this contract will focus on:
• Development and validation of formation-time-based jet reconstruction methods, including the study of different definitions and reconstruction strategies and their relation to the underlying parton-shower evolution;
• Application of formation-time-sensitive observables to Monte Carlo simulations of proton-proton and heavy-ion collisions, quantifying their sensitivity to different stages of jet evolution and to medium-induced modifications;
• Development of jet-substructure observables with controlled sensitivity to different formation-time scales, including energy-correlation and reclustering-based observables, with the aim of establishing experimentally accessible probes of the space-time evolution of QCD radiation;
• Phenomenological studies connecting reconstructed formation times to the evolution of the QGP, assessing their robustness against theoretical and modelling uncertainties and their potential application to experimental measurements at the LHC.

The work will be carried out at LIP – Lisbon, within the Phenomenology group activities, under the supervision of Dr. Liliana Apolinário.

Legislation: The contract will be established in accordance with Decree-Law nº 57/2016 of August 29, amended by Law nº 57/2017 of July 19, which regulates the employment of PhD holders to promote scientific and technological employment.

Duration: The foreseen duration of the contract is one year.

Applicants should submit the following documents in PDF format:

• Motivation letter (in English);
• Research Statement (in English);
• Curriculum Vitae (in English);
• PhD certificate.
• 1 Recommendation letter

Where to apply

E-mail: lisboa.candidaturas@lip.pt

Requirements

Research Field: Physics

Education Level: PhD or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

• Research field: Theoretical Physics (Quantum Chromodynamics)
• Experience with computational tools and numerical analysis methods relevant to phenomenological studies;
• Experience with Monte Carlo event generators; experience with the JEWEL event generator will be considered an asset;
• Ability to conduct research independently and to work collaboratively within an international research environment;

Specific Requirements

Research experience in theoretical and/or phenomenological high-energy physics, with particular relevance to:

• Heavy-ion collision phenomenology, particularly jet physics and jet quenching;
• Vacuum and medium-modified parton showers;
• Jet-substructure observables and jet-reclustering techniques;
• Energy-energy correlation observables and their phenomenological applications.

Languages: ENGLISH

Level: Excellent

Research Field: Physics

Years of Research Experience: 4 - 10

Additional Information

Benefits

Monthly remuneration to be paid is the level 33 of the Single Salary Table, i.e. 2.408, Euros.

Eligibility criteria

Any national, foreign, or stateless candidates who hold an academic or professional curriculum whose profile is suited for the activity to be performed can submit their applications. All candidates who formalize their applications in an improper way or fail to prove the requirements imposed by this tender are excluded from admission. In case of doubt, the panel is entitled to request any candidate to present further documentation supporting his/her statements. False statements provided by the candidates shall be punished by law. In the event of the degree was awarded by a foreign higher education institution, the degree must comply with the provisions of the Decree-Law nº. 66/2018, of 16 august (https://www.dges.gov.pt/en/pagina/degree-and-diploma-recognition?plid=1536). The selected candidate must provide the recognition of the degree when signing the contract.

Selection process

Evaluation:

Evaluation criteria:

• Curriculum Vitae (40%);
• Research statement and adequacy of the scientific profile to the proposed work plan (60%).

Members of the Jury:

Effective

• Doutor José Guilherme Milhano
• Doutora Liliana Apolinário
• Doutor João Pires

Alternates

• Doutor Andrey Sadofyev
• Doutor Nuno Castro

Advertising / notification of results:

The results of the evaluation will be communicated by email; in case of disagreement, the candidates have a period of 10 working days to contest the decision, as provided for in the Code of Administrative Procedure in a preliminary hearing. At the end of this period, the arguments presented will be analysed by the jury committee, who will simultaneously communicate the final decision to all the candidates who submitted allegations. The final results of the shortlisted applicants will be communicated by e‐mail. In case of disagreement, the candidates have a period of 15 working days to contest the decision.

Additional comments

Non-discrimination and equal access policy: LIP actively promotes a non-discrimination and equal access policy, wherefore no candidate can be privileged, benefited, impaired or deprived of any rights whatsoever, or be exempt of any duties based on their ancestry, age, sex, sexual preference, marital status, family and economic conditions, instruction, origin or social conditions, genetic heritage, reduced work capacity, disability, chronic illness, nationality, ethnic origin or race, origin territory, language, religion, political or ideological convictions and union membership.

Website for additional job details: https://www.lip.pt/?section=about&page=recruitment

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available: 1

Company/Institute: LIP - Laboratório de Instrumentação e Física Experimental de Partículas

Country: Portugal

State/Province: LISBON

City: LISBON

Contact

City: LISBON

Website: http://www.lip.pt

Street: Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, nº 2

Postal Code: 1649-003

E-Mail: natalia@lip.pt