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The European Gravitational Observatory (EGO) seeks an optical physicist for the Virgo injection system. EGO is a French-Italian consortium founded by INFN and CNRS to foster European collaboration in gravitational wave research. EGO is located in Cascina, near Pisa - Italy, and hosts and operates the gravitational wave detector Virgo, a 3 km-long laser interferometer (ITF). Virgo and the two LIGO ITFs in the US are the most sensitive gravitational-wave detecting instruments in the world. The Virgo project involves the collaboration of about 25 laboratories with more than 300 scientists, engineers and technicians in France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Hungary and Spain.

Assignment 
The selected candidate will work as an Optical Physicist for ITF Operation/Commissioning/Upgrade, in the Optics team of the EGO ITF Technology Department, and will collaborate with other team members and Virgo members working on the ITF. She/he will work mainly on the Injection sub-system which is under the responsibility of the EGO Optics team. The Injection subsystem involves not only complex optical setup but also control loops and suspended mirrors and benches In particular the selected candidate will work on: 

• simulation, commissioning, maintenance, trouble-shooting and improvement of the Injection sub-system;
• daily monitoring and operation of the Injection sub-system, and critically analyze its performance;
• setting-up and use of instrumentation and analysis tools for control and characterization;
• develop new methods to control the degrees of freedom of the Injection sub-system with better performance;
• understanding, operating and trouble-shooting several optical elements (Electro-Optical Modulators, Faraday Isolators, Mode Cleaner cavity, Frequency reference cavity);
• possibly collaborate within the Optics group on projects for upgrades of future optical systems.

Essential required qualifications and experience 

• Physicist or engineer holding a PhD related to Optics, with a minimum of 4 years of professional experience on optical systems (including the possible PhD period);
• experience in the field of advanced optical instrumentation in a research lab, with operational experience;
• operational knowledge of optical resonators and related control systems;
• ability to communicate efficiently with colleagues from different European countries and a good sense of team spirit;
• good knowledge of English;
• basic knowledge of UNIX/LINUX operating systems and good knowledge of Matlab or Python Programming language.


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Desired qualifications and experience 
One or more of the following will be an asset:

• some experience in the field of laser systems;
• some experience in Laser-based Gravitational wave detectors commissioning
• competence with optical software design is desirable (Zemax or equivalent);
• working knowledge of Italian and/or French.