PhD studentship novel opaque scintillator detector R&D and neutrino physics

PhD in Experimental Particle Physics – Sussex group

Applications are invited from talented, creative, and motivated students for a PhD place in Experimental Particle Physics to join the Sussex group working on novel opaque scintillator detector R&D and neutrino physics under the supervision of Prof Jeff Hartnell.

You will have the opportunity to work on the exciting and counter-intuitive idea of using opaque scintilla tors as particle detectors. Traditionally, light travels through a transparent scintillator to a photosensor. Our approach, called Liquid

O, embeds a lattice of optical fibres in an opaque scintillator with a short scattering length. The scintillation photons are stochastically confined close to the point of production via scattering and extracted by the fibres, removing the need for manual segmentation to create high-resolution imaging detectors. There are many applications in particle physics and beyond. Further information can be found here:

You will join one of the largest groups developing this technology world-wide. Prof Jeff Hartnell co-leads the CLOUD neutrino experiment, which will deploy a 10-ton Liquid

O detector 35 metres from Europe’s most powerful nuclear reactor cores at Chooz in France on the timescale of this studentship. The Sussex group also has a strong programme of in-house prototype development, construction, operation and analysis as well as characterisation of different scintilla tors and fibres.

This project also includes the opportunity to spend an extended period working overseas.

Funding is available for a September 2026 start which includes a tax-free bursary (£20,780 per annum in 2025/26) and fully paid tuition fees for 3.5 years at the home-student level (£5,006 per annum in 2025). Additional financial support is provided to cover short-term and long-term travel. Interviews of shortlisted candidates will be held in March initially and will continue until positions are filled.

Applications from self-funded students interested in our research are also welcome at any time of the year.

For more details about the project, please contact Prof Jeff Hartnell:

For practical questions about applications and/or eligibility for funding, please contact

For academic questions please contact the coordinator of EPP PhD admissions, Dr W Clark Griffith

Applications:

Please state in the Finance section of the online form that you are applying for STFC EPP studentships.