This vacancy is now closed
Job Title Support Scientist/ Senior Support Scientist
Job Reference DIA0804/CB
Post Type
Division Science
Salary information Circa £26K or Circa £33K
Application deadline 24/02/2013


Job Description

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.

Beamline I13 is one of the latest beamlines, dedicated to imaging and coherence and has been operational since October 2011.

The scientific applications for the two independently operating beamline branches relate to imaging in real (micro-/nano-tomography) and reciprocal space (ptychography/coherent X-ray diffraction imaging).


The imaging branch has been operating an active user programme in micro-tomography since April 2012, including collaboration with Manchester University, who are co-funders of the branchline. On the coherence branch we are currently implementing new coherent imaging methods, namely ptychography in collaboration with leaders in this field.


Certain beamline responsibilities are shared between both branches (detector support, user support), others are branchline specific. For this post specific tasks are centred on the coherence branch. 


We are looking for candidates with experience in X-ray imaging, ideally with synchrotron radiation. Applicants with experience in neighbouring fields such as electron microscopy, neutron imaging or similar are welcome to apply. You will be highly motivated, able to work independently as well as in a team. The task requires strong social and communication skills for closely interacting with scientists visiting the beamline.  The position offers working in a thrilling environment, promoting the beamline’s scientific profile.

Working in support of the Principal Beamline Scientist in the following areas:

• Assist in the installation, assembly, and maintenance of a range of equipment and systems on the beamline and support laboratories, including testing and commissioning;
• Provide support to users, answering queries and ensuring they are fully briefed to use the appropriate equipment;
• Measurement of samples sent to Diamond by users; including data reduction and basic reports;
• Undertake problem solving and fault diagnosis of complex instrumentation eg the beamline end station;
• Support of in-house research activities;
• Management of beamline peripheral laboratories where appropriate;
• Produce documentation for external users to enable use of standard laboratory instrumentation;
• Co-ordinate meetings, documents, reports and communications

Duties at Senior Level:

Working in support of the Principal Beamline Scientist in the following areas:
• 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;
• Local contact support to users by setting up and providing advice and guidance on the best approach to experiments, data analysis and research techniques;
• Measurement of samples including data analysis and contributing to publications;
• Undertake problem solving and fault diagnosis of the beamline;
• Develop and maintain expertise in a scientific field, and apply it to user support;
• Work closely with other scientific and technical staff to produce designs for  new systems equipment or processes;
• Collaborate with users and in house staff research within area of expertise;
• Contribute to scientific papers from external or in-house research;
• Produce reports and documentation (e.g. manuals) to support the beamline and laboratories
 

Qualification & Experience - Essential

  • Ability and initiative to get to the heart of the problem and take it effectively through to completion;
  • Good interpersonal, communication  and presentational skills;
  • Ability to interact effectively with staff at all levels;
  • Ability to work flexibly with occasional weekend and out-of hours working;
  • Self motivated;
  • Experience in imaging/coherent imaging;
  • Experience of software packages and programming;
  • Communication skills

 

Qualification & Experience - Desirable

Qualifications & Experience Desirable:

  • Appropriate first degree or equivalent qualification;
  • Second degree in appropriate subject;
  • Must be available to travel occasionally in UK and overseas including overnight absences;
  • Relevant synchrotron research experience;
  • Experience or knowledge of synchrotrons; 
  • Experience in tomography data analysis;
  • Experience of beamline instrumentation;
  • Notions about coherence, microscopy, imaging or tomography

Note for appointment at the senior level the candidate should have experience in supporting Scientists in the conduct of research in a synchrotron or equivalent facility and a appropriate PhD with 3 years relevant experience.

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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