Postdoc Opportunities in France

Summary

This presentation introduces postdoctoral and student research opportunities within the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission’s Military Applications Division (CEA/DAM) and partner academic institutions including LULI, CELIA, and GANIL. It outlines the mission, organizational structure, research facilities, and the application procedure via the Eric Bauge exchange program between France and the United States.

Title Page

Postdoc Opportunities in France Olivier VACUS, Scientific Director of the CEA’s Military Applications Division Stockpile Stewardship Academic Program Symposium June 11th, 2025, Chicago ©P.Stroppa/CEA

DAM Centers in France

DAM centers in France …

LE RIPAULT: Non-nuclear materials
DAM ÎLE-DE-FRANCE: Physics package conception and guarantee, Basic physics, High performance computing, Treaty monitoring, Nuclear engineering
CESTA: Architect of nuclear warheads, Megajoule Laser (LMJ)
VALDUC: Nuclear materials, EPURE
GRAMAT: Systems vulnerability and conventional weapons efficiency
INBS PN CADARACHE: (no student)

To Enjoy a Postdoc Experience

… to enjoy a postdoc experience [Visual showcase featuring French cultural landmarks, landscapes, and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games]

CEA and CEA’s Military Applications Division Overview

CEA and CEA’s Military Applications Division

CEA (17,100 staff):

Defense & Security
Nuclear and renewable energies
Technological research for industry
Fundamental research (physical sciences and life sciences) Structure: 4 Operational Divisions, 9 Centers, 9 Administration Divisions

DAM (4,990 staff): Structure: 5 Program Directorates, 5 Operational Directorates (Centers), 5 Administration Directorates

CEA/DAM Missions

CEA/DAM missions « CONTRACTING AUTHORITY »

NUCLEAR WARHEADS
NUCLEAR PROPULSION
NUCLEAR MATERIALS (weapons and nuclear propulsion)
SECURITY AND NON-PROLIFERATION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS
CONVENTIONAL DEFENSE
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER IN DEFENSE AND INDUSTRY

CEA/DAM Organization

CEA/DAM Organization « CONTRACTING AUTHORITY »

NUCLEAR WARHEADS
NUCLEAR PROPULSION
NUCLEAR MATERIALS
SECURITY AND NON-PROLIFERATION
CONVENTIONAL DEFENSE

« PRIME CONTRACTOR » : warheads & materials recycling A goal of sovereignty

DAM ÎLE-DE-FRANCE: Physics package design and guarantee
LE RIPAULT: Non-nuclear materials
CESTA: Architect of Nuclear warheads
VALDUC: Nuclear materials
GRAMAT
INBS-PN CADARACHE

Students at CEA’s DAM

5,000 employees:

56% researchers/engineers ► 35% Ph.D. ► 65% engineer

700 students:

Apprentices and trainees (From high school to master’s degree)
Doctoral students
Postdoctoral students

Students Working and Hired per Year at DAM

Students working and students hired per year at DAM

700 Students working at CEA’s DAM:

40 postdoctoral positions
180 Ph.D. students
240 Apprentices
240 Trainees

250 students hired:

Ph.D.
Master’s
Bachelor’s
Associate / Certificate
High School or equivalent

French Academic Partners Overview

French academic partners: LULI, CELIA, GANIL Locations mapped across France alongside CEA/DAM centers.

LULI - Laboratoire pour l’Utilisation des Lasers Intenses

LULI stands for « LAboratoire pour l’Utilisation des Lasers Intenses » LULI is a plasma physics research center operating three Laser facilities:

LULI2000 dedicated to the study of High Energy Density Science:

kJ/ns laser coupled to a 60J/ps laser
Facility open to the international community via a call for proposal
Member of the European laserlab network

Research Infrastructure Apollon dedicated to the extreme light study:

Multi PW, Multi beams
Facility open to the international community via a call for proposal
Member of the European laserlab network

Hera platform dedicated to Material study:

200J x2 ns laser, a shot every 20’, cm size focal spot
Industrial and academic access via beam time purchase

CELIA - Overview and Academic Support

CELIA stands for “Centres d’études des lasers intenses et applications” CELIA : a research center on laser/matter interaction in Extreme regimes

Located near Bordeaux and close to breathtaking seaside landscapes.
About 90 people with 33 permanent researchers and 30 PhDs and Post-docs.
About 70 publications / year, numerous National and EU grants awarded to CELIA’s physicists.
Founded for providing an academic support to the nearby MegaJoule Laser facility.
Strong involvement in student training at Bordeaux University: ✓ Bachelor and Master degrees in laser technology ✓ Master degree in Physics with EUR Light S&T ✓ National gathering in Bordeaux of Master formations in Laser Plasma Physics
Strong involvement in industrial transfer: ✓ 5 start-ups created incl. Amplitude Systems ✓ 1 Labcom, several industrial maturation projects granted, about 3 patents / year
Strong involvement in international collaborations: ✓ MOU’s, IRP LUMAQ, Weizmann-CNRS partnership, Eurofusion projects, PI of experimental campaigns on large scale facilities (NIF, LMJ, LLE, ILE, ELI, GSI, LULI, CLPU, LCLS, EU-XFEL, …)

CELIA - Scientific Axes and Platforms

CELIA stands for “Centres d’études des lasers intenses et applications” [Highlight: NOBEL PRIZE IN PHYSICS (2023) awarded to ANNE L’HUILLIER and PIERRE AGOSTINI for their work on attosecond laser pulses at CEA.]

Four main scientific axes: ✓ Physics and technology of high average power, intense, ultra-short pulses lasers ✓ Ultra-high repetition rate laser processing in burst mode ✓ Attoscience and Ultra-fast processes (as–fs) in atoms, molecules and condensed matter ✓ HDE and UHI Plasma physics: FCI, magnetized plasmas, Astrophysics, warm dense matter, particle acceleration

Technical Capabilities:

10 beamlines: laser, XUV X-rays
In house code dev. capabilities: TDSE, TDDFT, 3D Hydro-rad, PICs, …
3 Platforms open to access (Member of the European Laserlab network):
1. ECLIPSE (Platform for UHI Physics: Plasma, HHG): 100 TW CPA, 800 nm, 150 mJ - 30 fs @ 10 Hz, HCF P-compr. 10 mJ, 10 fs, 10 Hz, 2 x 1.5 J, 30 fs, Contrast 10⁹, 1 Hz
2. AURORE (Platform for ultrafast processes study): TW CPA, 800 nm, 8 mJ - 25 fs @ 1 kHz, HCF P-compr 1 mJ, 7 fs
3. Blastbeat (Platform for attochirality and TR photoemission): 2x50 W, Yb, 1030 nm, 2 X 300 µJ - 140 fs @ 0.17-2 MHz, HCF P-compr 515 nm, 100 µJ, <20 fs, Complex polarization

GANIL - Cyclotrons and Experimental Equipment

GANIL “Grand Accélérateur National d’Ions Lourds” GANIL cyclotrons and experimental equipment

Stable Beams: ¹²C to U
Energy: from <1 MeV up to 95 MeV/nucleon
Up to 4 experiments in parallel
Exotic beams produced by heavy ion fragmentation: ➢ In flight with LISE spectrometer ➢ With ISOL method with SPIRAL1 target-source system, postaccelerated with CIME cyclotron
State of the art equipment: ➢ LISE spectrometer ➢ VAMOS spectrometer ➢ γ detection: EXOGAM, AGATA (2015-2021) ➢ Charged particles: MUGAST, ACTAR TPC ➢ Fragments: INDRA/FAZIA Facilities include: EXOGAM, ACTAR TPC, VAMOS, AGATA, GANIL Cyclotrons (CSS Cyclotron, CIME Cyclotron), MUGAST, LISE Spectrometer, INDRA + FAZIA, Ion Sources, SPIRAL2.

GANIL - SPIRAL2 LINAC and New Experimental Rooms

GANIL “Grand Accélérateur National d’Ions Lourds” SPIRAL2 LINAC and the new experimental rooms

High intensity beams:

5 mA, 33 MeV protons
5 mA, 40 MeV deutons
1 mA, <14.5 MeV/A heavy ions

Project Timeline:

First beams: end 2019
First NFS experiments: 2021
Commissioning S3: 2024
DESIR construction start: 2023

Components & Rooms:

Superconducting Linear Accelerator (LINAC)
ION SOURCE (NEWGAIN)
Experimental room NFS (Neutrons for Science), Convertor room, Time of Flight room
Experimental room DESIR (Decay, Excitation and Storage of Radioactive Ions)
Experimental room S3 (Superconducting Separator Spectrometer)

Eric Bauge Program Application Procedure

Eric Bauge program: how to get a postdoc position? contact your “national” board to apply!

Boards: French Board:

Olivier VACUS
Jean-Luc MIQUEL
Philippe BELLEVILLE
Pierre-Henri MAIRE
Virginie SILVERT
Jean-Chr. JOLY

US Board:

Sarah NELSON
Mike KREISLER
Thomas MATTSSON
James COLGAN
Jason HARKE

Application Workflow:

French PhD Student -> STEP 1 -> French Board -> STEP 2 -> US Board -> Postdoc Position
US PhD Student -> STEP 1 -> US Board -> STEP 2 -> French Board -> Postdoc Position

Notes: → STEP 1 for US students, files (CV+letter) must be first submitted to a member of the US board (in any case, the PhD has to be defended before the beginning of proposed postdoc time) → If the US board transfers the files to the French board for STEP 2, answers are generally given 6 weeks later