Detector Scientist - Scintillator Technologies

Reference number ESD-62264

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The European Spallation Source (ESS) is one of the largest science and technology infrastructure projects being built today. The project includes the most powerful linear proton accelerator ever built, a five-tonne, helium-cooled tungsten target wheel, 15 state-of-the-art neutron instruments, a suite of laboratories, and a supercomputing data management and software development centre. In the context of its history and future as a scientific organisation, however, it is more than the sum of its parts. It is a brand-new Big Science organisation and we are building it from the ground up.

Come and build the future of Science with us!

About the role:
ESS is at an exciting turning point. It is in transition from being a construction site, to being an operating scientific facility. To further our efforts, we are now looking for a Detector Scientist to join our Detector Group. In this role, you will work primarily towards the realisation of the scintillator-based Solid State Neutron Detector (SoNDe) for the Small-K Advanced Diffractometer (SKADI) instrument. SKADI is a general-purpose polarized Small-Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) instrument. It will be used to probe structures between several nanometres and a several hundred nanometres, which comprise materials such as polymers and structural biology samples and self-assembled samples. This makes it an ideal tool for areas such as drug delivery and pharmaceutical and chemical investigations. The polarisation capabilities also allow for the investigation of magnetic structures in the same size regime, which can relate to information storage materials or superconducting phenomena.

We are seeking a motivated and skilled individual to manage all aspects of the Scintillator Detector Work Package, which will include taking ownership of this critical project from now through installation and commissioning, as well as eventual handover to and support of the SKADI scientific team. In this role, you will develop and execute a comprehensive plan that covers all technical, financial, and timeline considerations, ensuring that the Work Package is delivered on schedule and to the highest standards. Key resources will be drawn from the Detector Group and other technical and scientific groups within the Neutron Scattering Systems (NSS) Project Division as required. Effective communication skills are essential to this role, and you will work closely with the NSS Planning and Coordination Group to develop and maintain a detailed project plan to track progress.

A key responsibility will be to finalise the remaining integration efforts for the detector, which will include working closely with firmware Work Package Manager and firmware engineers involved in the finalisation of the instrumentation electronics and the instrument scientist involved in the commissioning measurements. You will oversee the transfer of the scintillating SoNDe technology from the In-kind partner to ESS. You will lead the team responsible for the experimental verification and validation of the performance of the detector, which may include comparing experimental results with detailed simulation efforts to ensure optimal performance. This work will extend to the planning and coordination of the installation of the detector and the commissioning in beams of neutrons, where you will guide the team through detector-level commissioning and perform advanced analyses of the resulting data.

Other scintillator-based activities will require your support and will extend to cameras used for imaging with neutrons.

This is a permanent position with a six-month probationary period and is based at the ESS Campus in Lund, Sweden.

About you:
Our ideal candidate for this role will hold a PhD in physics or engineering and can demonstrate a strong academic background and ideally several years of highly related experience, including experience leading the industrialization of a post-PhD project involving all aspects of the detector/hardware/software/firmware chain. This experience should encompass the instrumentation and use of highly pixelated detectors, ideally combining inorganic scintillators with multi-anode photomultiplier tubes. Proficiency in programming and data analysis is essential, with a large preference for experience in Python and C/C++. Additionally, familiarity with detector simulation software such as GEANT4 is highly desirable. Some knowledge of EPICS would be advantageous, as would some knowledge of analog and digital electronics. While experience in the corresponding scientific techniques is also advantageous, it is not mandatory. However, you must possess the hands-on practical skills necessary to prepare experimental setups for the precision evaluation of the performance of detectors (including beam tests at off-site facilities).

We are building ESS from the ground up, so we need someone who is comfortable not only following procedures, but also creating them. We attach great importance to personality and attitude, so we're looking for a real team player. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills are vital for effective collaboration with a diverse group of scientists, engineers, and technical staff within a multidisciplinary team where everyone is committed to helping this amazing project to realise its full potential. We need a hands-on self-starter who is able to work in a structured, orderly, responsible and – most importantly – safe way.

The working language of ESS is English and we need someone who can start as soon as possible.

To apply:
A career at ESS gives you the opportunity to contribute to the future discoveries within neutron science at a stunning, brand-new workplace filled with innovative minds and brilliant people from across the globe. We offer market competitive, individualised compensation which is differentiated according to role, responsibilities, individual skills, abilities and achievements, 30 days of annual leave, more than 10 days of public holiday and company days off (or days with limited working hours), as well as monthly pension contributions on top of your salary.

If you see yourself in what we’re looking for, please provide your CV and motivation letter in English by clicking on “apply” and following the instructions. Please be aware that we can only accept direct applications made via the ESS website. Submit your application as soon as you can and quote the job reference number ESD-62264 in your application.

This role is subject to enhanced security clearance procedures, which will be performed as part of the recruitment process.

For more information regarding the ESS recruitment process, please follow this link https://europeanspallationsource.se/ess-recruitment-process or contact Daniel Nordin Baker – Recruitment partner – at daniel.nordin@ess.eu.

For trade union information, please contact Unionen representative Mikael Johansson on Mikael.Johansson@ess.eu or SACO/Swedish Association of Graduate Engineers representative Marc Kickulies at marc.kickulies@ess.eu

URL to this pagehttps://europeanspallationsource.se/careers/vacancies?rmpage=job&rmjob=1821&rmlang=UK

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