Department of Physics - Part Time Research Support - Ultrahigh Energy Neutrinos

Job Description and Position Requirements

The Department of Physics at Penn State is seeking to hire Part-time undergrad research supports to work with Dr. Stephanie Wissel and her lab. These individuals will assist Dr. Wissel with support research in ultrahigh energy neutrinos.

Neutrinos can act as probes of explosive astrophysical objects and help identify the origin of cosmic rays – the most energetic charged particles in the universe. However, because energetic neutrinos are rare and interact only weakly, enormous detectors are required to observe a substantial flux of neutrinos. By taking advantage of the long propagation lengths of radio signals generated when neutrinos interact with the Earth, radio detection techniques build can the volumes needed. Neutrinos interact with matter in the Earth to produce particle showers in either ice or air and the showers radiate in radio frequencies.

The successful candidate will work on one of several experimental efforts designed to detect neutrinos in this way. Beacon and HERON aim to detect air showers from a high-elevation mountain after they interact in the Earth, while PBR aims to detect those events from an ultra-long duration balloon launched from New Zealand. RNO-G, ARA, and IceCube-Gen2 aim to detect ice showers from neutrinos using radio antennas embedded in polar ice at both Summit Station in Greenland and at the South Pole in Antarctica. PUEO searches for both types of neutrino interactions by flying a balloon over ice in Antarctica.

Beacon and HERON

• Collaborate with Dr. Wissel on experiments aimed at detecting air showers from a high-elevation mountain after they interact in the Earth.
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of experimental equipment and data analysis tools.
• Participate in regular meetings and discussions with the research team.

PBR

• Work on experiments designed to detect neutrinos from an ultra-long duration balloon launched from New Zealand.
• Assist in the deployment and recovery of the balloon payload.
• Contribute to the analysis of collected data.

RNO-G, ARA, and IceCube-Gen2

• Contribute to the installation and operation of radio antennas in polar ice at both Summit Station in Greenland and at the South Pole in Antarctica.
• Help collect and analyze data from neutrino interactions detected in ice.
• Collaborate with international partners and researchers.

PUEO

• Engage in balloon flights over ice in Antarctica to search for neutrino interactions.
• Collect and analyze data from neutrino interactions detected in ice.
• Collaborate with international partners and researchers.

Benefits

Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants.