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.

The Science Division are seeking to recruit a Surface Science Technician. The main duties will be to provide laboratory support to scientists, visitors and Users of the Diamond beamlines and peripheral laboratories. You will be expected to provide technical and operational support to users of the surface science and microscopy equipment in the laboratories of the Surface Science Village and to be involved in beamline and support laboratory developments, specifically design input for future projects.

The successful candidate will have experience of ultrahigh vacuum and sample environment equipment and the ability to design, maintain and support the equipment. Experience in the maintenance of microscopes e.g AFM, Raman, optical etc would be useful.

Experience with the handling of hazardous chemicals and specialist gases and supervising, monitoring and maintaining equipment in laboratories would be useful but not essential.

You should be highly motivated and able to work under your own initiative. Good communication skills are essential and experience of working in a multi-discipline environment with scientists would be an advantage.

There is a strong emphasis on Health and Safety so familiarity of risk assessments and legislation would be desirable but not essential.

Job Description - To provide technical and operational support to users of the surface science and microscopy equipment in the surface science support laboratory of the Surfaces and Interfaces Village. To support the beamlines of the Surfaces and Interfaces Village.

• Provide a high quality support laboratory for UHV surface science;
• Maintain UHV laboratory equipment;
• Maintain and develop the UHV laboratory;
• Support the research projects of the users and in-house research teams using the UHV laboratory;
• Assist users to characterise samples;
• Be involved in support laboratory developments, specifically design input for beamline experiments involving sample transfers etc;
• Perform assembly tasks for the Surface and Interfaces Village Beamlines. 

• Experience or knowledge of surface science experimental equipment;
• Experience or knowledge of ultrahigh vacuum equipment and sample environment equipment;
• Ability to work on own initiative;
• Good organisational and planning skills;
• Ability to interact effectively with staff at all levels;
• Ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team;
• Self motivation.

• Appropriate First Degree or equivalent. Applicants with equivalent work experience will also be considered;
• Experience of machining and assembly of components for ultrahigh vacuum environments;
• Experience in maintenance of microscopes e.g AFM, STM etc;
• Experience in design of equipment;
• Experience of sample environment equipment;
• Knowledge of synchrotron beamline equipment;
• Experience with Windows/Linux/Unix;
• Familiarity of risk assessments and legislation;
• Experience with the handling of hazardous chemicals and specialist gases and supervising, monitoring and maintaining equipment in laboratories;
• Good practical skills;
• Good interpersonal, communication and presentational skills;
• Computational and Data Analysis skills.

• Some travel may be required, usually within the UK.