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Job Title XFEL Hub Software Scientist / Senior Software Scientist
Job Reference DIA0960/TH
Post Type Full time / 3 year, fixed term contract
Division Science
Salary information Circa £33k and Circa £42k at the senior level
Application deadline 02/11/2014


Job Description

Diamond Light Source is the UK’s national synchrotron science facility. Located on the Harwell Science & Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire a 20 minute drive south of Oxford in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Diamond Light Source conducts world-class research in virtually all fields of science and offers rewarding career opportunities covering both technical and scientific disciplines.

As part of our vision to provide an integrated facility for structural biology we have recently received funding to provide a national facility that will aid the UK structural biology community to fully exploit the potential of X-ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL) sources worldwide. As part of this initiative the UK will lead in the construction and operation of a dedicated crystallography beamline (SFX) at the European XFEL in Hamburg, Germany.

The scientist will be responsible for the development of automated data reduction and analysis pipelines for use with the serial femto-second crystallography (SFX) technique which will be presented to the user in a highly automated fashion at the SFX beamline of the European XFEL. (S)He will contribute to software initiatives already in place in Diamond and Hamburg for analysis of challenging samples being presented for data collection at next generation synchrotron beamlines and XFELs. The post holder will also contribute to data management at the UK XFEL hub and the SFX beamline.

The facility will operate a user programme and the scientist will assist in supporting users in the data analysis of XFEL data collected from visits to XFEL facilities and the SFX beamline at the European XFEL when it comes online.

Duties

Implement, support and enhance software for data reduction, analysis and management of diffraction data collection with a special emphasis on microcrystallography and data from XFEL sources.

As part of the UK XFEL Hub in the following areas:

  • Contribute to the development and implementation of diffraction data reduction and analysis software specifically associated with the emerging technique of Serial femtosecond crystallography
  • Implementation of automated data reduction and analysis pipelines for scientific instruments (beamlines) at the European XFEL
  • Assist in the operation of the UK XFEL user access programme from the UK XFEL hub through acting as a local contact to advise and train external users on use of software and data analysis
  • Assist in development of software tools to aid in data management
  • Contribute to ensuring the XFEL Hub at Diamond continues to meet the scientific requirements as agreed with the user community.

Qualification & Experience - Essential

  • Appropriate PhD degree or equivalent qualification or experience;
  • Experience in macromolecular crystallography data collection and analysis;
  • Experience of modern programming languages such as C, C++ and Python;
  • Ability and initiative to get to the heart of the problem and take it effectively through to completion;
  • Good interpersonal, communication, organisational and presentational skills;
  • Ability to interact effectively with staff at all levels;
  • Ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team;
  • Self motivation;
  • Ability to work flexibly with occasional weekend and out-of hours;
  • Be available to travel occasionally within the UK and abroad, including overnight absences.

Essential for the Senior Level

  • Experience in leading a successful software project involving string engagement with users and collaborators;
  • Experience with Free Electron Laser serial crystallography;
  • Ability to influence at a senior management level using in-depth professional knowledge;
  • Experience with Free Electron Laser serial crystallography Experience of contributing in a major way to a successful scientific software project;
  • Experience of contributing in a major way to a successful scientific software project.

Qualification & Experience - Desirable

  • Experience with Free Electron Laser serial crystallography;
  • Experience of contributing in a major way to a successful scientific software project;
  • Experience in advanced programing techniques;
  • Experience in providing expert support to end-users.

Further Information

Must be available to travel occasionally within the UK and abroad, including overnight absences.
For an informal discussion about this vacancy, please email diamond.science@diamond.ac.uk and your enquiry will be directed accordingly.

Applying for employment

For further details on applying for employment at Diamond, please visit our 'Application Form' page.

Appointments will be made depending on the skills and experience of the candidate. Electronic Diamond application forms in MS-Word are preferred. These should be emailed to recruitment@diamond.ac.uk



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