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Job Title Principal Beamline Scientist, B18
Job Reference DIA1046/TH
Post Type Full time, permanent
Division Physical Science
Salary information Circa £50k
Application deadline 21/06/2015


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.

B18 is a general purpose XAS beamline on Diamond, being part of an integrated project devoted to XAS, which includes I18, a Microfocus beamline based on an undulator source (2-20 keV), and I20, a high flux versatile multi-pole wiggler, (4-35 keV). The Core-XAS beamline naturally complements the specialized activities undertaken at the other XAS beamlines, allowing experiments with more general and less demanding specifications, preliminary studies, and open to the access of one-time and new users.  

Beamline B18 covers the energy ranges of both I18 and I20. It is used for an extensive range of studies that underpin research programmes across a wide range of applications, including local structure and electronic state of active components, and the study of materials including fluids, crystalline and non-crystalline (amorphous phases & colloids) solids, surfaces and biomaterials.

The Principal Beamline Scientist will take overall responsibility for the operation, maintenance and development of B18 and assist in supporting academic and industrial users who visit the beamline.  The successful candidate will be expected to develop an internationally competitive research programme which aligns with the beamlines’ capabilities. Applicants working in the field of environmental or catalytic science would be particularly welcome.

To provide the lead in the management of the operation, maintenance and development of the core XAS beamline B18, working closely with other XAS scientists within the spectroscopy village and the relevant support groups at Diamond. Pursue an internationally competitive research programme to complement the capabilities of the Diamond suite of XAS beamlines.

Take a leading responsibility for the B18 beamline in the following areas:

  • Operation of the beamline user programme including collaboration and advice to the user community;
  • Lead the upgrade and development of the beamline, including instrumentation and software;
  • Ensure that the beamline and associated facilities continue to meet the scientific requirements as agreed with the Directors and user community;
  • Carry out an independent and internationally competitive research programme in an area relevant to the XAS beamlines at Diamond.
  • Management of the beamline staff;
  • Budget management;
  • Take responsibility for monitoring and reporting of the beamline’s progress, providing regular updates to the Divisional Director and other internal and external stakeholders. 

Qualification & Experience - Essential

  • Appropriate PhD degree or equivalent qualification or experience;
  • Demonstrated expertise in all aspects of X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy;
  • Demonstrated experience in the management of staff;
  • Ability to manage a small team;
  • Ability and initiative to get to the heart of the problem and take it effectively through to completion;
  • Good interpersonal and presentational skills;
  • Ability to interact effectively with staff at all levels;
  • Ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team;
  • Self motivated;
  • Must be available to travel occasionally in UK and overseas including overnight absences.

Qualification & Experience - Desirable

  • Python and/or Java programming;
  • Commissioning and operation of an XAS beamline;
  • Beamline instrumentation and optics experience;
  • Project management experience.

Further Information

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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