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Job Title Beamline Scientist - Serial Crystallography
Job Reference 0072/16/CH
Post Type Permanent / Full time
Division Life Science
Salary information £32k - £37k
Application deadline 07/08/2016


Job Description

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.
 
The Microfocus Macromolecular Crystallography beamline I24 provides a high flux (>10^12 ph/s), versatile X-ray beam (3 - 100 µm) for the most demanding of structural biology problems. A recently rebuilt bespoke end-station, a 100 Hz Pilatus3 6M hybrid pixel array detector and a robot for automated sample handling of both pins and crystallisation trays combine to provide a state-of-the-art MX beamline. I24 offers users the options of conventional pin-based crystallography, in situ experiments, and we are actively developing approaches for serial crystallography of microcrystals. These serial approaches have recently been successfully used at LCLS and SACLA in addition to at I24.

The Beamline Scientist will work closely with the Principal Beamline Scientist in the continuing development of the beamline including design, procurement, construction, commissioning of upgrades as well as ongoing user support.  In particular, the Beamline Scientist will take an active role in developing new techniques for sample delivery at I24 and elsewhere with a particular focus on exploitation of the serial crystallography technique both at synchrotrons and XFELs. The successful candidate will be expected to develop an internationally competitive research program in methods development or structural biology that complements the research and development activities within the MX village.

Duties:

To support the Principal Beamline Scientist for I24 in the following areas:

  • Develop novel sample presentation methods in particular to exploit the technique of serial crystallography
  • Continued commissioning and further optimisation of the beamline
  • Assist in operation of the beamline for users including a user support role and out of hours support across the MX beamlines via the local contact system
  • Provide operational support and analysis of operational systems including fault diagnosis and resolution
  • Carry out own research in an area relevant to the beamline and disseminate through publications and presentations
  • Assist in the development of a new equipment on the beamline, including testing and commissioning
  • Take the lead in the design, procurement, installation and commissioning of significant beamline components
  • Enhance the operation of the facility by collaboration and dissemination of specialist knowledge with the other Diamond staff and users.

 

Qualification & Experience - Essential

  • Appropriate First Degree;
  • Relevant Postgraduate degree (or ability to demonstrate significant relevant experience);
  • Good interpersonal, communication and presentational skills;
  • Ability to interact effectively and diplomatically with staff and facility users at all levels;
  • Ability to design, plan, organise, and implement projects and tasks within an allotted timeframe;
  • Ability and initiative to get to the heart of the problem and take it effectively through to completion;
  • Strong organisational skills and methodical record keeping;
  • Ability to work flexibly with occasional weekend and out-of-hours working;
  • Experience of macromolecular crystallography data collection at a synchrotron and free electron lasers;
  • Experience in delivery methods for serial crystallography;
  • Experience with Windows/Linux/Unix;
  • Experience of the commissioning and operation of instrumentation for MX (preferably synchrotron/XFEL beamline).

Qualification & Experience - Desirable

  • Experience of MX beamline user support;
  • Experience of beamline instrumentation and optics;
  • Experience of project management;
  • Experience in scientific programming (Python and/or Java) and motion control;
  • Experience with computer programming in support of data collection and/or processing.

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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