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.

The BioSAXS Beamline, B21, are seeking a support scientist who will be a self-motivated individual with a background in the life sciences and biochemical experience in purification and analysis of proteins and nucleic acid samples. Individual is expected to work closely with the principal beamline scientist in advancing the scientific goals of the UK user community. The position requires excellent communication skills for assisting the growing user community.

To work under the direction of the Principal Beamline Scientist and beamline scientist(s) in support of experiments performed at B21. The support scientist will aid B21 users in their scientific investigations, maintain the B21 wet-laboratory and provide basic services for remote data collection.

Duties

• Provide user support via the local contact system
• Maintain a detail experimental laboratory notebook both written and online
• Run samples for the mail-in SAXS service
• Prepare results with the beamline staff
• Maintain the B21 wet-laboratory and equipment (e.g., Agilent HPLC and Wyatt MALS instruments)
• Prepare experiments at the direction of the Principal Beamline Scientist
• Keep and maintain experimental details in a notebook and in a shared cloud service.

• BSc or MSc in biochemistry or related disciplines; or equivalent qualification or experience;
• Wet laboratory research skills; troubleshooting and running HPLC instrumentation, centrifuge, nano-drop UV spectrophotometer;
• Good interpersonal, communication and presentational skills;
• Good organisational skills;
• Interact effectively with staff at all levels;
• Interact with visiting scientists to provide support in the laboratory and beamline;
• Using Windows and UNIX operating environments;
• Experience in purification of biological macromolecules such as protein or RNA;
• Experience in optimizing PCR reactions;
• Demonstrated experience in using laboratory instrumentation such as an Agilent HPLC system;
• Working and maintaining sterile environments.

• Ability to work in a team to solve problems;
• Relevant experience in a life sciences research laboratory.