Doctoral contrat (M/F) HESS & CTAO project at LPNHE Paris

Job Description

Thesis Subject

The Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO) is the future ground-based observatory for very-high-energy astrophysics (20 GeV– 300 TeV), born from a global collaboration and currently under construction at two sites: La Palma in Spain for the Northern Hemisphere, and the Atacama Desert in Chile for the Southern Hemisphere. The PhD thesis will focus on the development of tools for indirect dark matter searches using Gammapy, the scientific software chosen by CTAO for future data analysis. Building on the existing Gammapy framework for gamma-ray source analysis, these tools must also be capable of processing data from multiple gamma-ray observatories—such as H.E.S.S., VERITAS, MAGIC, LST-1, ASTRI, HAWC, SWGO, and Fermi-LAT—for dark matter research. From a phenomenological and theoretical perspective, special attention will be given to particle physics aspects, particularly regarding the predicted flux expectations for high-mass dark matter and the distribution of dark matter in observed astrophysical objects, as modeled by astrophysical simulations.

The LPNHE group is also involved in the construction of NectarCAM, the cameras that will equip the medium-sized telescopes of CTAO at the Northern site. The thesis will additionally cover the validation testing of these cameras and their analysis, as well as the on-site commissioning of the first cameras starting in 2026.

Your Work Environment

This thesis will be hosted at LPNHE and co-supervised by Daniel Kerszberg (LPNHE, CRCN), Silvia Manconi (LPTHE, CPJ), Marco Cirelli (LPTHE, DR), and Jean-Philippe Lenain (LPNHE, CRCN with HDR). The teams at LPTHE (Marco Cirelli and Silvia Manconi) and LPNHE (Daniel Kerszberg and Jean-Philippe Lenain) are naturally complementary, as evidenced by the results presented in their respective publications over the last decade, results often reused by the other team for their own work. By collaborating more closely, the two teams aim to establish a new benchmark for indirect dark matter research, both theoretically and experimentally.

The LPNHE (Laboratory of Nuclear and High Energy Physics, https://lpnhe.in2p3.fr/) is a laboratory of IN2P3 (National Institute of Nuclear and Particle Physics), an institute of the CNRS (French National Centre for Scientific Research), and of the universities "Sorbonne University" and "University of Paris". The laboratory is located in Paris, France. It is involved in major international collaborations in the fields of particle physics, astroparticle physics, and cosmology. It has 130 permanent researchers, professors, and administrative, technical, and engineering staff.

Working environment
Training: access to the CNRS's internal training catalogue (over 80 courses)
Social initiatives: access to the Social Action and Mutual Aid Committee (sport and leisure, ticket sales, etc.)
Health insurance: compulsory membership (unless exempt) of MGEN, with 50% of costs covered

Constraints and risks

Missions planned in France and abroad, including a 3-week observation shift at the H.E.S.S. site in Namibia, and possibly a shift for the commissioning of the first CTA MST telescope in La Palma in the Canary Islands.

Compensation and benefits

Compensation

2300 € gross monthly

Annual leave and RTT

44 jours

Remote Working practice and compensation

Pratique et indemnisation du TT

Transport

Prise en charge à 75% du coût et forfait mobilité durable jusqu’à 300€

About the offer

About the CNRS

The CNRS is a major player in fundamental research on a global scale. The CNRS is the only French organization active in all scientific fields. Its unique position as a multi-specialist allows it to bring together different disciplines to address the most important challenges of the contemporary world, in connection with the actors of change.

CNRS

The research professions