Diamond Light Source is the UK’s national synchrotron science facility. Located on the Harwell Science & Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire a 20 minute drive south of Oxford in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Diamond Light Source conducts world-class research in virtually all fields of science and offers rewarding career opportunities covering both technical and scientific disciplines.

As part of our vision to provide an integrated facility for structural biology we have recently received funding to provide a national facility that will aid the UK structural biology community to fully exploit the potential of hard X-ray FEL sources worldwide. As part of this initiative the UK will lead in the construction and operation of a dedicated crystallography beamline (SFX) at the European XFEL in Hamburg, Germany.

The scientist will be responsible for the development of sample environment(s) and for novel sample delivery systems for submicron diffraction experiments at Diamond light source beamlines and will collaborate with our partners at the European XFEL in development of novel sample delivery systems for serial femtosecond nanocrystallography diffraction experiments at the SFX/SPB instruments.

The scientist will establish and direct operations of the XFEL Hub at diamond. The facility will operate a user programme and the scientist will assist in supporting users who will use the facility to prepare for XFEL experiments both pre and post experiment.

The successful candidate will be expected to develop an internationally competitive research programme that complements the research and development activities within the European SFX project and the MX village at Diamond.

Duties

Lead the development of novel sample delivery systems for sub-micron crystals at Diamond and nanocrystals at the European (XFEL) and contribute to the establishment of a UK XFEL Hub at Diamond.

• Lead the development of novel sample delivery systems for sub-micron crystals at Diamond and nanocrystals at the European XFEL facility;
• Establish and Develop a sample evaluation facility for crystal diffraction experiments that exploit the emerging technique of serial femtosecond crystallography method for use at Diamond and hard X-ray FEL facilities;
• Contribute to the development, coordination and operation of the UK XFEL user access programme which will be administered and operated through the Diamond user office;
• Contribute to ensuring the XFEL Hub at Diamond continues to meet the scientific requirements as agreed with the user community;
• Carry out an independent and internationally competitive research programme to compliment activities at Diamond and the SFX project at the European XFEL

• Experience of macromolecular crystallography data collection at a synchrotron;
• Experience in instrumentation development and or commissioning and operation of a beamline or equivalent;
• Appropriate PhD degree or equivalent qualification or experience;
• Good interpersonal, communication and presentational skills;
• Strong organisational skills and methodical record keeping;
• Ability to design, plan, organise, and implement projects and tasks within an allotted timeframe;
• Working knowledge of Unix/Linux and Microsoft Windows;
• Ability to work flexibly with occasional weekend and out-of-hours working.

• Experience of project management;
• Experience in Python and/or Java programming;
• Experience in managing a user facility.

Must be available to travel occasionally within the UK and abroad, including overnight absences;
For an informal discussion about this vacancy, please email diamond.science@diamond.ac.uk and your enquiry will be directed accordingly.