Description Science and Technology Facilities Council Salary: £23,493 per annum Contract Type: Fixed Term – 12 weeks Hours: Full-time Location: Boulby Underground Laboratory, Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Cleveland, TS13 4UZ Closing date: 8 th March 2026 Interview: Virtually via Microsoft Teams in April 2026 Start date: July 2026 An exciting opportunity for a placement student is now available to join the science support team in the Particle Physics Department (PPD) at The Boulby Underground Laboratory. They are a tight-knit team of about 25 people in a diverse range of roles working in close collaboration with many groups both national and international. The laboratory is located at Boulby Mine on the north-east coast of England and on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors. It is the UK’s deep underground science facility and has hosted deep underground science since the 1990s. It is a special place for science – a ‘quiet place in the universe’ – where studies can be carried out almost entirely free of interference from natural background radiation. Projects at the Boulby Underground Laboratory range from astrophysics (including the search for dark matter) to ultra-low background material screening, studies of geology and geophysics, climate, the environment, life in extreme environments on Earth and beyond. You can learn more about us here: https://www.boulby.stfc.ac.uk/Pages/home.aspx The Particle Physics Department (PPD) at STFC, is one of the largest Particle Physics groups in the UK. We work with people across the world to understand and discover the fundamental building blocks of the Universe. We design, construct and operate some of the most sensitive scientific instruments in the world, collaborating with partners in academia, industry and international laboratories such as CERN. We currently work with the ATLAS, CMS, LHCb, DUNE, Hyper-K, T2K, MICE, Lux-Zeplin, DEAP-3600, CERN DRDs, Electron Ion Collider and AION collaborations. One of the key components of Boulby Underground laboratory is BUGS. BUGS stands for 'Boulby Under Ground Screening’ and is our world-class material radio assay suite. We use different types of detectors to find out the radionuclides present in samples. The sensitivity we achieve is only achievable deep underground where we escape cosmic radiation. The samples we screen are from particle physics experiments all around the world, and this is a key step in material selection and modelling for creating these experiments. This summer placement would allow you to work as part of our BUGS team to characterise these detectors to achieve these sensitivities. We have many different detectors suited to search for radionuclides within certain energy ranges, and each one is calibrated using a source of known radioactivity to do so. You will be tasked to create an updated calibration model, exposing different areas of the detectors to the source to identify how uniform the sensitive area of the detector is. You will be working with experienced scientists, engineers and technicians to complete this task and will gain experience at the UK’s deep underground science facility. You will also gain practical laboratory skills, modelling and 3d printing skills, and techniques for analysing the data collected during the placement. Summer Placements at STFC STFC’s incredibly diverse range of placements allow you to work alongside world leading engineers, scientists, and technicians in highly collaborative environments. Whichever you choose, you will become a critical member of the team in which you will be exposed to exciting projects and challenges from the start. You will also be supported every step of the way by our dedicated Early Careers Development Team Key Duties & Responsibilities Guided and supported by our team, gain an understanding of how our germanium detectors work and use this information to develop a detector calibration programme Develop modelling skills to design and 3D print a radioactive source holder for detector calibration With support, undertake a series of measurements and document each step in the process. Collect and organise the results to make data-driven decisions. Analyse data to understand detector responses Person Specification The below criteria will be scored during Shortlisting (S), Interview (I) or both (S&I). In order to apply for the role, we are looking for the following: Essential: You are in full time education at university, and will be returning to university/your studies to complete your undergraduate degree once the summer placement has concluded (S) You have the right to live and work in the UK for the duration of the placement (S) Interest in science, engineering and the work done at STFC (S&I) Health and Safety awareness (S&I) Confident using a computer, especially tools like Word, Excel and Outlook (S&I) Time management skills, self-motivated, innovative and reliable. (I) Evidence of practical skills through University, working both individually and part of a team. (S&I) An interest in how things work and a willingness to develop technical skills through hands-on experience (S&I) Desirable: Experience of CAD software (S) Employee Benefits We are offering a fixed term position with a whole host of benefits including: 30 days holiday pro rata Flexible working hours. Easily accessible public transport links/ free parking. Excellent learning and development opportunities. Link to more benefits: https://stfccareers.co.uk/rewards-and-benefits/ As this job does not fulfil the UK Government minimum criterion for obtaining sponsored migrant worker status, we will be unable to apply for sponsorship for anyone not eligible to work in the UK. At interview, all shortlisted candidates are required to bring with them identification documents and original documents that prove they hold or can obtain the right to work in the UK. You can check your eligibility here: https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa/y Application Guidance Please note that we can only accept a maximum of 2 applications per candidate. Part of our application process involves submitting your CV and a cover letter. Your cover letter should address your suitability for the opportunity based how you meet each essential criteria stated in this advert. Please note that we hold the right to close this vacancy early if a sufficient number of applications have been received. We ask some of the biggest questions in the universe, to answer some of the biggest challenges in the world. Together, our scientists, technologists, engineers and business support team explore the unknown across every field you could think of. And they turn what they find into work that changes the world around us. What could you achieve with the world-leading facilities and experts of one of Europe's largest research organisations by your side? Join us and discover what's possible!