Beamline Scientist / Senior Beamline Scientist

Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Oxfordshire

Full time / Flexible hours considered.

About Us

Diamond Light Source is the UK’s national synchrotron science facility. Located at Harwell Science & Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire, we enable world-leading research across a wide range of scientific disciplines and industrial applications including structural biology, physics, chemistry, materials science, engineering, earth and environmental sciences. 

At Diamond we are currently undertaking a major upgrade of the facility, known as Diamond-II.

The ‘OCTOPI’ flagship project relates to the upgrade of the I13L Imaging and Coherence beamlines. Their scope is multiscale and operando imaging, performing tomography in real (phase contrast tomography; X-ray microscopy) and reciprocal space (coherent X-ray diffraction/imaging)[1]. 

About the Role

We now have an opportunity for a talented and motivated Beamline Scientist (Grade 5) or Senior Beamline Scientist (Grade 4), subject to knowledge, skills, and experience. 

The role is located on Diamond’s I13-2 Imaging beamline. Micro- and nano-structured materials from diverse scientific fields such as biology, materials, and earth science are studied in the energy range of 6-30keV. New instrumentation for high-resolution microscopy is being developed, a full-field microscope (TXM) with a large field of view is operational as a prototype. Recently a fully automated sample changer (robot arm) has been installed, permitting scanning several hundreds of samples per day. The beamline undergoes upgrades including the rebuild of major optical components and the endstation. 

We are looking for someone to actively engage in a research programme in one of the following areas: materials science, bio-medical research, energy science, environmental science and geology, chemistry or engineering. The research can be carried out across I13L and other beamlines, with the opportunity of multiscale imaging. You will proactively seek collaboration in your area of research, engage in collaborative research activities with the Diamond users and develop the beamlines instrumentation in conjunction with the Principal Beamline Scientist. 

Further responsibilities at Beamline Scientist level will include:

• Acting as the local contact to support users by setting up the beamline, providing advice and guidance on the best approach to experiments, data analysis and research techniques.
• Following up user experiments to the level of dissemination (publication).
• Setting up multiple complex and bespoke pieces of equipment to meet the requirements for user’s experiments.
• Managing the day-to-day coordination of support groups at Diamond to implement beamline upgrade projects.
• Carrying out collaborative research.
• Developing you own research and disseminating through publications and presentations.
• Collaborating on beamline upgrades and the development of new items of equipment or systems, including taking specific responsibility for certain components of the beamline such as design, manufacture, installing, testing and commissioning phases.
• Working with the software teams and principal beamline scientist to deliver a user-friendly environment for users and automatic data analysis pipelines. 

Additional duties for appointment at Senior Beamline Scientist level will include:

• Leading design, procurement, testing, installation and commissioning of particularly significant items for the beamline or instrumentation, including for the Diamond-II beamline upgrade.
• Developing a well-identified independent scientific, technical or software research theme and become internationally recognized in this field of expertise.   

[1] C. Rau et al. Physica Status Solidi (a) 208 (11). Issue 11 2522-2525 10.1002/pssa.201184272 

About You

Suitable candidates will hold appropriate first and second degrees along with relevant synchrotron research experience. 

You will demonstrate experience in (coherent) imaging, ideally in tomography and X-ray microscopy, data analysis, including reconstruction techniques, and of software packages and programming. Applicants with good knowledge in neighbouring fields such as electron microscopy are welcome. 

The forthcoming Diamond-II beamline upgrade also requires somebody with excellent knowledge in beamline instrumentation, including nano-positioning, cryo-technology and X-ray/beamline optics. 

For appointment at Beamline Scientist level, experience in beamline x-ray optics and x-ray instrumentation, including x-ray detectors is required, along with:

• Post-doctoral experience in a relevant science area: chemistry, physics, biology, material science.
• Experience in a large-scale facility operation: Synchrotron, Neutron, or similar.
• Evidence of a collaborative research program in a science area relevant to the beamline.
• Experience of supporting scientists in the conduct of research in a synchrotron or equivalent facility. 

For appointment at Senior Beamline Scientist level, expertise in both scientific research and synchrotron imaging and instrumentation are required, along with:

• A successful scientific publication record.
• Experience of beamline instrumentation.
• Experience of beamline design, construction and commissioning.
• Experience in additional techniques such as tomography or spectroscopy.
• Experience of managing a beamline for users.
• Ability to manage a small team. 

Strong social skills are required for the work with beamline users and the capability to integrate with a beamline team. 

Benefits

Diamond offers an exceptional benefits package to support staff in achieving a positive work/life balance. This includes 26 days annual leave plus Christmas closure, public holidays, 2 annual volunteering days and flexible working hours. We also offer an excellent defined benefit pension scheme. Staff also have access to a range of amenities on site including a nursery, cafes, a restaurant and sports and leisure facilities. A relocation allowance may also be available where applicable.

To Apply

Please click on the 'Apply' button above and tell us why you believe you are suitable for this role. 

The closing date for applications is 22nd September