Connectionists: Computational Physicist and/or Scientific Application Developer positions - Princeton University

[Peter Elmer]

Associate Professional Specialists(s)/Professional Specialist(s) 
Computational Physicist and/or Scientific Application Developer
 
Position Summary:
 
Princeton University is seeking two Professional Specialists to
work with the High Energy Experiment group in the Physics Department.
High Energy Physics (HEP) focuses on understanding the elementary
particles that are the fundamental constituents of matter and their
interactions.  Obtaining scientific results from these high energy
physics experiments requires complex software and computing systems,
developed by international teams of researchers over the course of
decades. The scientific data sets obtained by these experiments are
among the largest in the world.
 
Successful candidates will play a leadership role in developing the
software and computing systems to meet the challenges of high energy
physics experiments. Successful candidates will be members of the
DIANA/HEP project team (http://diana-hep.org) and the CMS experiment
(http://cms.web.cern.ch) at the Large Hadron Collider at the European
Laboratory for Particle Physics (CERN) in Geneva, Switzerland. The
DIANA/HEP project aims to develop state-of-the-art data analysis
tools for experiments which acquire, reduce, and analyze petabytes
of data.  DIANA/HEP focuses on improving performance, increasing
interoperability between HEP software tools and the scientific
python software ecosystem and on the development of collaborative
tools. The CMS experiment, one of two general purpose detectors at
the LHC, is currently investigating upgrades to its computing system
to support an ambitious research plan extending through the 2020's.
 
Applicants from multiple backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Candidates from both a traditional HEP background (and a strong
software focus) as well as those from the machine learning, data
science and/or scientific python communities (with an interest in
HEP research topics) will be considered.  The position(s) will have
a functional title of "Computational Physicist" or "Scientific
Application Developer" depending on the specific background of the
successful candidate(s). Appointments will be made at either the
Associate Professional Specialist or Professional Specialist rank,
depending on the candidate's credentials.
 
These positions will likely be based at CERN, in Geneva, Switzerland,
or at Fermilab, near Chicago, subject to negotiation with the
principal investigator. Occasional travel to conferences and workshops
will be required. The initial appointment will be for one year,
with the possibility of renewal subject to satisfactory performance
and availability of funding.
 
For additional information, please contact Dr. Peter Elmer 
(Peter.Elmer at cern.ch).
 
Essential Qualifications:
  - Academic preparation:
     - Ph.D. in Experimental Particle Physics or a closely related field, or
     - Advanced degree in Computer Science with 5 years or more
       experience with scientific software applications
  - Strong programming skills, in particular with C++ and Python
  - Experience developing large-scale scientific software applications,
    in particular involving or contributing to one or more of the following:
      - Analysis of large datasets
      - Open source machine learning or data mining software toolkits,
        and/or the scientific python ecosystem
      - Monte Carlo detector simulations
      - Pattern recognition techniques relevant for high energy and
        nuclear physics detectors
  - Strong interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills.
 
Preferred Qualifications:
  - Ability to direct efforts of others within teams of various sizes
  - Experience working in large, international scientific or
    open-source software collaborations and delivering software in
    such contexts
 
To apply online please visit http://physics.princeton.edu/jobs and
submit a cover letter, CV and contact information for three references.
These positions are subject to the University’s background check
policy.
 
Princeton University is an equal opportunity employer and all
qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment
without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation,
gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected
veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.


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Peter Elmer     E-mail: Peter.Elmer at cern.ch      Phone: +41 (22) 767-4644
Address: CERN PH-UCM, Bldg. 32 2C-14      CH-1211  Geneva 23, Switzerland
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