The Diamond Synchrotron Light source is the largest scientific facility to be built in the UK for over thirty years. The facility consists of three accelerators which provide high brightness photon beams through beamlines to experiment stations.  Diamond is now operational with an initial complement of 7 experiment stations and a further 15 in design and construction. 

The Diamond photon beamline and experiment stations use a range of computer systems, for experiment control, data acquisition, data analysis and data storage. These are predominantly x86 based, running the Linux operating system. Local to each beamline and experiment station are servers and workstations core to supporting the science on that beamline and, in addition, there are large central computation clusters and storage servers.  The availability of these systems is core to the operation of Diamond Light Source, and they are managed by a dedicated Scientific Computing Systems Administration Team.

There is a vacancy for a   Systems Administration Assistant as part of Scientific Computing Systems Administration Team. The position will have following responsibilities:

• Providing user support to  queries raised from the IT help desk
• Undertaking changes to the installed networking, including hardware installation and patching.
• Installation and commissioning of new computer systems
• Assisting in Systems administration
• Documentation

• Demonstrate ability to communicate effectively, both orally and written.
• Ability to solve technical problems, evaluating alternative courses of action and innovating where necessary.
• Demonstrate good organisational skills
• Demonstrate a willingness to take responsibility and ownership of problems. 
• Demonstrate ability to work as part of a team.
• Demonstrate ability to work effectively alone and without direct supervision
• Experience of the Unix operating systems.
• Understanding of networking  Fibre optic and Category 5/6/7l implementation
• Experience of computer systems  configuration and installation
• NVQ or  BTEC in relevant subject
• Be willing to travel in the UK and abroad, including occasional periods away from home.
• Be prepared to undertake further training.

• Experience of administration of networks  and computer infrastructure
• Experience of systems security.
• Understanding of network protocols
• Completion of a recognised Unix Systems Administration certification (Linux Professional Institute certification, Certified Solaris Administrator or similar).
• Be willing to work overtime at unsociable hours as required.