Type of contract
Traineeship contract for a period of 2 months within the EGO Optics laboratory in the Interferometer Technology Department.
Description
The Virgo Interferometer is the most sensitive gravitational-wave (GW) detector in Europe. It is a 3km laser interferometer located near Pisa, Italy. The European Gravitational Observatory (EGO, www.ego-gw.it) is the laboratory hosting and operating Virgo. Since the first GW detection in 2015, Virgo and the two LIGO interferometers in the USA have jointly detected several GW signals, opening the new era of GW astronomy.
A 1-year-long observation run (“O3”) was concluded in March 2020. The next observation run should start mid-2022: in the meantime, all detectors are being upgraded and work is ongoing to improve their performance, building on experience gained during the O3 run.
One of the most important upgrades of Advanced Virgo before next observing run consists in the integration of a frequency dependent squeezing for a broadband quantum noise reduction in the detector sensitivity.
In parallel, Virgo researchers are also developing an alternative and more compact setup capable to produce frequency dependent squeezing by exploiting the EPR (Einstein Podolsky Rosen) quantum entanglement. This tabletop experiment is currently under design and it will be soon installed in the R&D squeezing lab at EGO.
During this internship, the student will participate to the installation and will be in charge to align and test the optical elements that will be installed on the bench.
This will include measurements of the performances of a Mach Zehnder interferometer, a Second Harmonic Generation cavity, an OPO cavity, two balanced Homodyne Detectors and possibly measure squeezing.
Participation to the possible publication of the results will be part of the internship work.
Requirements
Applicants should be at the end of their first year of study in optics or physics. English required. Good attitude to experimental work is mandatory, familiarity with control systems and related hardware/software will be an asset. European citizenship, no criminal convictions.
Place of work
EGO – European Gravitational Observatory – Via Edoardo Amaldi cap 56021 Loc. Santo Stefano a Macerata – Cascina (Pisa) Italy. Given the lack of public transport to reach EGO, a driving license and a personal vehicle are strongly recommended.
Further information
For the whole duration of the traineeship, EGO will pay a gross monthly wage of 500,00 euro and offer the lunch service at its canteen during working days to the student.
How to apply
Interested candidates are invited to fill in the Internship Application Form and send it, together with the CV, to internships@ego-gw.it
Privacy policy
Controller: European Gravitational Observatory – email: ego-gw@pec.it
Responsible for data – email: privacy@ego-gw.it
Under Article 13 of UE Regulation (EU) 2016/79 of the European Parliament and of the Council, required personal data will be exclusively collected and treated for purposes strictly connected to the selection procedure also with the use of computerized procedures, according to current law and regulations concerning the implementation of this kind of activity.
Providing such data to EGO is necessary for the evaluation of participation requirements and of the holding of titles: failure to provide these data may compromise such evaluation.
Data will be kept only for the period required by the selection, evaluation and audit procedures.
EGO guarantees each person the right of access to personal data, as well as the rectification, or erasure or restriction of them, as well as the right to object to their processing; such requests shall be addressed to privacy@ego-gw.it
Closing date for applications
Until position is filled.
Contact
Matthieu Gosselin, PhD
Email: matthieu.gosselin@ego-gw.it
Phone: +39 050 752458