Research engineer with expertise in instrumentation

We are hiring a research engineer with expertise in instrumentation to coordinate the construction and commissioning of the MIGA instrument (Gravitational Antenna based on Atomic Inetrferometry) at the LSBB site.
This fixed-term contract will start as soon as possible at the LSBB Laboratory in Rustrel, Vaucluse, in the Parc Naturel Régional du Luberon in Provence (France), for a renewable period of 12 months.

Post-doctorate position : Hydrogen deceleration for its first observation of the Gravitational Quantum States

This project aims to perform the first observation of Gravitational Quantum States on
hydrogens in flight. This experiment is part of the international collaboration GRASIAN: GRAvity Spectroscopy and Interferometry with ultra-cold Atoms and Neutrons (
https://grasian.eu).

Full time postdoctorate, mainly experimental position. 12 months contract (possibility of extension).

Start date: February 2024 January 2025.

Location: Laboratoire Kastler Brossel, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, ENS, Collège de France. 4 place Jussieu, 75005 Paris

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Series of 3 seminars on CSOs at FEMTO-ST (February 1-8-15, 2024)

FEMTO-ST is pleased to organize a series of 3 seminars on February 1, 8 and 15, 2024 from 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm, entitled:

Cryogenic Sapphire Oscillator: 30 years of Research at the FEMTO-ST Institute

by Vincent Giordano, CNRS Research Director at the FEMTO-ST Institute.

This series of lectures can be attended in the Jules Hagg lecture hall at Supmicrotech-ENSMM (Besançon, France) or online at MS TEAMS.

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Workshop on Standardization of Galileo Timing Receivers (Prague, February 2, 2024, 10:00-13:00 CET)

The primary objective of the workshop is to present the ongoing standardisation activities for timing receivers.

The availability of accurate and secure timing information is crucial for a range of strategic sectors. This is especially the case for critical infrastructures, like telecommunication networks, energy distribution grids, financial markets. All of these will benefit from the future Galileo Timing Service.

In a joint effort, EUSPA and the European Commission will host  a workshop dedicated present the ongoing standardisation activities for timing receivers, aimed at the publication of the first ever Standard in 2024, a key component of the upcoming Galileo Timing Service. The workshop will provide a great opportunity for discussing with Stakeholders on the benefits for Timing and Synchronisation (T&S) applications, and on the user needs of the Timing community.

The workshop will be hybrid, taking place online and at EUSPA HQ.

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UFFC-JS 2024 (Taipei, September 22-26, 2024)

The 2024 IEEE Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control Joint Symposium will take place September 22 – 26, 2024 at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center in Taipei, Taiwan. This joint conference celebrates the 70th anniversary of the IEEE UFFC Society.

The following conferences will be involved:

  • International Ultrasonics Symposium (IUS)
  • International Symposium on Applications of Ferroelectrics (ISAF)
  • International Frequency Control Symposium (IFCS)
  • Piezoresponse Force Microscopy Workshop (PFM)

=> Plus de détails.

=> Call for paper.

EFTF 2024 (Neuchâtel, June 25-27, 2024)

The European Frequency and Time Forum (EFTF) is the Europe’s leading technical conference for time and frequency products and related technologies. The congress brings together researchers and technologists from manufacturers, service providers, operators, application developers, National Metrology laboratories, defense timing, and standards bodies to share the latest information and promote the development of precise time and frequency systems and components.

The conference will comprise invited plenary presentations as well as parallel oral and poster presentations. Last held in Neuchâtel in 2014, the 2024 edition of the conference will once again be held at the University of Neuchâtel, in the beautiful lakeside city of Neuchâtel, Switzerland. The main conference venue is the Aula de Jeunes Rives. This will mark the 37th edition of EFTF.

=> More details.

Experiment with the amazing properties of light with the LightBox kit

The LightBox project is based on an educational kit designed by the Atouts Sciences association (Laboratoire de Physique des Lasers – CNRS/USPN), enabling students to discover some remarkable properties of light through experimentation. The kit is used as the basis for scientific outreach activities, workshops and training courses. Over and above the dissemination of scientific culture, the aim of this project is to structure a national network of scientific referents, fostering the development of lasting links between teachers, organizers, young people and the world of research.

The LightBox kit is available free of charge to teachers, trainers, organizers, associations, museums and student clubs. Each project is led locally by a project manager (teacher, organizer, trainer, student, etc.) who is supported by a scientific advisor (a researcher, teacher-researcher, engineer or doctoral student) involved in the research. The project leader turns to the scientific advisor for all questions relating to his or her project, as well as for training, guidance and advice on how to use the equipment and carry out the experiments. In consultation with the project manager, the scientific advisor may be called upon to intervene directly with the project group (pupils, children) to run a workshop or give a talk. The scientific advisor can also host the project group for an event in its professional environment (laboratory, university, company, etc.). 70 projects have already been initiated in France, West Africa, Madagascar, Reunion Island and Peru (see Google Map: https://urlz.fr/oO4K)…

The kit is mainly supported by Labex First-TF, the Laboratoire de Physique des Lasers, Sorbonne Paris Nord University, the Société Française d’Optique, and has been recognized by UNESCO for the International Day of Light and by CNRS for the Year of Physics 2023/2024.

To join the project, click here: https://www.sfoptique.org/pages/sfo/lightbox.html

European Frequency and Time Seminar (Besancon, 1-5 July 2024)

The EFTS is an intensive full-week seminar intended to provide education and training with lectures and laboratory sessions. It targets a broad audience: Engineers, Ph.D. Students, Post-doctoral Fellows, Young Scientists, Newcomers, etc.

This seminar is original in the following:

  • Broad spectrum of topics related to time and frequency
  • Broad target audience, yet keeping high level education
  • Balance between academic and applied issues
  • True laboratory sessions (as opposite to demos). The attendees are expected to practice on a wide range of instruments made available.

We plan 23 lectures, 12 H hands-on labs in small groups, visits at the FEMTO-ST Institute and the Observatory of Besancon, social events, and an Astronomy Session on the “exact time” from stars.

Please look at the preliminary Program.

WRC-23 approves the adoption and implementation of Continuous Universal Time Coordinated UTC

The ITU World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 (WRC-23), held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from November 20 to December 15, 2023, approved the adoption and implementation of UTC Continuous Universal Time as the internationally recommended reference time scale. Successful negotiations focused on the importance of making UTC a continuous time scale, and on the revision of Resolution 655 (WRC-15) concerning the definition of a time scale and the broadcasting of time signals using radiocommunication systems. The main results include :

  • Recognition of Resolution 2 of the 26th CGPM (2018) on the definition of UTC and Resolution 4 of the 27th CGPM (2022) on the use and future evolution of UTC. The latter aims to provide a continuous reference time scale for a century;
  • Recognition of the results of studies carried out by Working Party 7A and published in Report ITU-R TF.2511, dealing with the various aspects of the current reference time scale and those that could be defined in the future, including their implications and applications;
  • The continuation of the fruitful collaboration between the BIPM and the ITU-R, in preparation for the decision of the 28th meeting of the CGPM (2026) concerning the new maximum tolerance for UT1 – UTC and its date of application;
  • The continuation the study of the content and structure of time signals to be broadcast using radiocommunication systems, including wireline technologies, using the combined technical expertise of the organizations concerned, in order to produce new and revised ITU-R reports and recommendations, including but not limited to a revised version of Recommendation ITU-R TF.460-6 on standard frequency and time signal emissions.

Contact LNE-SYRTE: Joseph Achkar <joseph.achkar@observatoiredeparis.psl.eu>
CEPT European Coordinator on UTC at WRC-23 and Chairman of ITU-R Working Group 7A