Senior Support Scientist / Beamline Scientist / Senior Beamline Scientist

About Us

Diamond Light Source is the UK’s national synchrotron science facility. Located at Harwell Science & Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire, we enable world-leading research across a wide range of scientific disciplines and industrial applications including structural biology, physics, chemistry, materials science, engineering, earth and environmental sciences. 

About the Role

We now have an opportunity for a talented and motivated Senior Support Scientist (Grade 5), Beamline Scientist (Grade 5) or Senior Beamline Scientist (Grade 4), subject to knowledge, skills and experience. 

Diamond’s Beamline I13L scope is multiscale and operando imaging. For this purpose, two independent branchlines for imaging in real (phase contrast tomography; X-ray microscopy) and reciprocal space (coherent X-ray diffraction/imaging) are in operation [1]. The beamline team closely collaborates with Manchester University, which co-funded the imaging branchline. 

This role is located on the Diamond-Manchester (real-space) Imaging branchline. Micro- and nano-structured materials from diverse scientific fields such as biology, materials, and earth science are studied in the energy range of 6-30keV. New instrumentation for high-resolution microscopy is being developed, a full-field microscope (TXM) with a large field of view is now operational as a prototype. The beamline will undergo a major upgrade within the context of the Diamond II project, including a rebuild of the endstation. 

We are looking for someone to actively engage in a research programme in one of the following areas: materials science, bio-medical research, energy science, environmental science and geology, chemistry or engineering. The research can be ideally carried out on both branchlines of I13L with the opportunity of multiscale imaging. You will proactively seek collaboration in yourarea of research, engage in collaborative research activities with the Diamond users and develop the branchline’s instrumentation in conjunction with the Principal Beamline Scientist. Strong social skills are required for the work with beamline users and the capability to integrate with a beamline team. You will be highly motivated, able to work independently, and have experience of interacting with support staff effectively. 

Responsibilities at Senior Support Scientist level will include:

  • Carrying out collaborative research with Diamond scientists, collaborators or users.
  • Acting as the local contact to support users by setting up the beamline, providing advice and guidance on the best approach to experiments, data analysis and research techniques.
  • Following up the user experiments to the level of dissemination (publication).
  • Setting up multiple complex and bespoke pieces of equipment to meet the requirements for the user’s experiments.
  • Managing the day-to-day coordination of support groups at Diamond to implement beamline upgrade projects to improve the quality of the beamline.

 

Additional duties for appointment at Beamline Scientist level will include:

  • Developing own research in an area relevant to the beamline and disseminate through publications and presentations.
  • Collaborate on beamline upgrades and the development of new items of equipment or systems, including taking specific responsibility for certain components of the beamline such as design, manufacture, installing, testing and commissioning phases.
  • Enhancing the operation of the facility by collaboration and dissemination of knowledge.
  • Working with the software teams and principal beamline scientist to deliver a user-friendly environment for users and automatic data analysis pipelines.

 

Additional duties for appointment at Senior Beamline Scientist level will include:

  • Leading design, procurement, testing, installation and commissioning of particularly significant items for the beamline or instrumentation, including for the Diamond-II beamline upgrade.
  • Developing a well-identified independent scientific, technical or software research theme and become internationally recognized in this field of expertise.

 

Diamond offers a multitude of opportunities for career and skill developments. The current position will permit to develop the career across the different roles described above.

[1] C. Rau et al. Physica Status Solidi (a) 208 (11). Issue 11 2522-2525 10.1002/pssa.201184272

About You

Suitable candidates will hold appropriate first and second degrees along with relevant synchrotron research experience.  

You will demonstrate experience in (coherent) imaging, ideally in tomography and X-ray microscopy, data analysis, including reconstruction techniques, and of software packages and programming.  Applicants for the entrance level position (Senior Support Scientist) with good knowledge in neighbouring fields such as electron microscopy are welcome.

The forthcoming Diamond-II beamline upgrade requires somebody with excellent knowledge in beamline instrumentation, including nano-positioning, cryo-technology and X-ray/beamline optics.  

For appointment at the beamline scientist level, experience in beamline x-ray optics and x-ray instrumentation, including x-ray detectors is required, along with:

  • Post-doctoral experience in a relevant science area: chemistry, physics, biology, material science.
  • Experience in a large-scale facility operation: Synchrotron, Neutron, or similar.
  • Evidence of a collaborative research program in a science area relevant to the beamline.
  • Experience of supporting scientists in the conduct of research in a synchrotron or equivalent facility.

 

For appointment at the senior beamline scientist level, expertise in both scientific research and synchrotron imaging and instrumentation are required, along with:

  • Successful scientific publication record.
  • Experience of beamline instrumentation.
  • Experience of beamline design, construction and commissioning.
  • Experience in additional techniques such as tomography or spectroscopy.
  • Experience of managing a beamline for users.
  • Ability to manage a small team.

 

Strong interpersonal, communication and presentation skills are required to work with beamline users and to integrate with the beamline team. 

Benefits

Diamond offers an exceptional benefits package to support staff in achieving a positive work/life balance. This includes 25 days annual leave plus 13 days of statutory and company holidays, along with flexible working hours and an excellent pension scheme. Staff also have access to a range of amenities on site including a nursery, cafes, a restaurant and sports and leisure facilities. A relocation allowance may also be available where applicable.

To Apply

Applicants are required to state why they are interested and suitable for this role. 

Business Area
Science
Full Time Salary
£33,963 to £39,955 per annum, or £43,790 to £51,517 per annum for the most senior level, dependent upon skills and experience
Post Type
Full time / Permanent
Closing Date
30/05/2021
Ref No
10490

 

Other information

 

Diamond is open to different ways of working and we are committed to supporting our employees to have more flexibility and autonomy over where, when and how long they work.

Where relevant, and possible for the role, we will consider flexible working arrangements, secondment and job share opportunities.

Diamond attract talented individuals from around the world and currently employ 44 different nationalities. Reflecting trends in our sector we employ more men than women (77% men and 23% women as at March 2021). Therefore, we particularly welcome applications from suitably qualified women. 

If you are disabled and would like to be considered under the Disability Confident Scheme, please let us know via the online application process.

Diamond are members of Working Families (the UK’s work-life balance organisation), we have also achieved the Athena SWAN Bronze award and Disability Confident Level Two.