Diamond Light Source is the UK’s national synchrotron science facility. Located at Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire, we enable world-leading research across a wide range of scientific disciplines and industrial applications.

We require a scientist with a good understanding of materials being studied and the related imaging/tomography process to advise and collaborate with the users in developing methods for applying synchrotron tomography techniques to the research questions and advise the technical and engineering support teams on implementing these techniques. To this end, a scientist, experienced in tomographic methods, is required to advise and collaborate with Users and Diamond staff in developing the application of synchrotron tomography techniques to the research questions and advise the technical and engineering support teams. The person appointed to the role will be expected to assist external Scientists during their experimental sessions in tomography and imaging.

Scientific support to designated beam lines and the user operation programme. 

• Advise and collaborate with the users in developing methods for applying synchrotron tomography techniques to the research questions;
• Advise the technical and engineering support teams on implementing tomographic instrumentation techniques;
• Advise the data-acquisition and control support teams on implementing tomographic reconstruction and analysis methods;
• The person will be expected to act as local contact during user-operation for the experimental techniques of tomography and imaging;
• Act as local contact during user-operation for imaging experiments which do not use tomography;
• Measurement of samples including data analysis and contributing to publications;
• Develop and maintain expertise in a scientific field and apply it to user support;
• Contribute to scientific papers from external or in-house research;
• Assist in the procurement, installation, assembly, and maintenance of a range of equipment and systems on the beamline and support laboratories, including testing and commissioning;
• Undertake problem solving and fault diagnosis of the beamline;
• Produce reports and documentation (e.g. manuals) to support the beamline and laboratories.

• Appropriate PhD degree or equivalent qualification or experience;
• Practical experience in suitable scientific areas, e.g.  Materials Science and other engineering sciences or other relevant science area;
• Thorough experience in designing, leading and supporting of tomography and imaging experiments for external research teams and in-house groups;
• Knowledge of mechanical properties and material processing such as casting, heat treatment, forming, microstructural development, biomedical implants, processing;
• Knowledge in microstructural analysis, particularly in 3D;
• Extensive knowledge of imaging, tomographic reconstruction and analysis of 2D and 3D-data volumes;
• Process of data acquisition and artifact removal;
• Thorough understanding of tomography instrumentation;
• Understanding of real-time control of motors and detectors;
• Understanding of data-acquisition and storage dynamics;
• The person needs to be able to have experience of controls engineering and data acquisition, in order to work effectively with the relevant support groups and lead the instrumental development on a user facility in operation. In particular, the person should have working knowledge of: Mechanical systems control,physical electronics, Object oriented programming languages.
• Good interpersonal, communication and presentational skills;
• Ability to interact with staff and facility users at all levels;
• Ability to work flexibly with occasional weekend and out-of hours working;
• Ability and initiative to get to the heart of the problem and take it effectively through to completion;
• Ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team;
• Self motivation;
• Must be available to travel occasionally within the UK and abroad, including overnight absence.

• Network and data management;
• Parallel processing issues in a cluster environment.