Diamond Light Source is the largest scientific research facility to be built in the UK for 30 years. The Diamond synchrotron produces extremely intense light beams, mainly as X-rays, that can penetrate deeply inside all kinds of matter from proteins to plastics to enable world class research. The synchrotron is located 10 miles south of Oxford.
 
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 would 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.

Duties

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 in order to support beamline research;
• Maintain UHV laboratory equipment such as UHV system with sputtering, annealing, STM, AFM, LEED and XPS facilities;
• Develop the UHV laboratory to allow sample preparation under different user defined conditions;
• Support the research projects of the users and in-house research teams using the UHV laboratory by assisting in sample surface preparation using sputtering and annealing and characterisation using STM, LEED and XPS;
• 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;
• Ability to work on own initiative;
• Good interpersonal, communication and presentational skills;
• 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;
• Good practical skills.

• Appropriate First Degree (Applicants with equivalent work experience will also be considered);
• Experience of machining and assembly of components for ultrahigh vacuum environments;
• Computational and Data Analysis skills;
• 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.

Some travel may be required, usually within the UK.