Job Information
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory Controls and Data Systems Engineer in Menlo Park, California
Controls and Data Systems Engineer
Job ID
5795
Location
SLAC - Menlo Park, CA
Full-Time
Regular
SLAC Job Postings
Position overview:
Do you enjoy collaborating with a diverse group of people to solve complex challenges? Does contributing to breakthrough discoveries in science and working with unique experimental instrumentation in a world-leading scientific research environment excite you? The Photon Controls and Data Systems (PCDS) Department within the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) Directorate at SLAC is seeking a Controls and Data Systems Engineer to plan, implement, and operate customized experimental installations, and develop enhancements to our scientific instrumentation and supporting hardware and software for the Control, Data Acquisition, and Data Analysis systems for one of the eight instruments supported by LCLS teams. There include three instruments receiving the LCLS-II beam, the five Hard X-ray science instruments using the copper beam as well as the Megaelectrovolt Ultrafast Electron Diffraction (UED) instrument. For more details on these instruments, see https://lcls.slac.stanford.edu/instruments and https://lcls.slac.stanford.edu/instruments/mev-ued.
Reporting to the Experiment Control Systems Delivery Department Head, the Controls and Data Systems Engineer will be a member of a multidisciplinary engineering group focused on developing software and hardware solutions to support scientific instrumentation, laser systems, controls, and data acquisition systems. In this position you will also work with scientific and operations support staff involved in advancing scientific instrumentation capabilities. LCLS is the world’s first hard x-ray free electron laser (FEL) with unprecedented capabilities in photon energy range, peak power, and pulse lengths. There are seven independent instruments currently in operation, which are specifically designed to utilize the exceptional beam characteristics of the LCLS to probe the structure and dynamics of matter at atomic size and timescales. The evolution of science and experimental techniques on these instruments, along with upgrades in the x-ray FEL source and optical lasers (LCLS-II), require regular improvements to the supporting software and hardware platforms.
See https://lcls.slac.stanford.edu/ for more on LCLS and the unique capabilities of our instrument facilities.
Your specific responsibilities include:
Plan, implement, and operate customized experimental installations.
Reconfigure hardware and software to meet experimental needs; develop software for data analysis, data acquisition, controls, and to support new instrumentation.
Manage hardware and software for the controls, data acquisition, and data-analysis systems and related infrastructure such as computers and local networks, x-ray detector systems, digitizers, scopes, cameras, power supplies, motion systems, vacuum and PLC systems, etc.
Participate in upgrades to scientific instrumentation and capabilities including laser systems, timing systems, hardware and software selection, and lead teams of engineers and technicians to implement and integrate the control, data acquisition, and analysis aspects of these upgrades.
Additional opportunities include development toward, or project leadership for core capabilities of the CDS systems including:
Real time Data Acquisition and EPICS (Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System) control system software and driver development.
Real-time and offline data analysis frameworks which run on Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), teraflop computing clusters, multi-petabyte storage systems at SLAC and NERSC.
Graphical User Interface framework.
New and unique instrumentation and electronics systems such as
Sample delivery systems.
Peta-Watt laser systems.
Femtosecond timing systems.
X-ray sensitive CCD cameras and detectors.
Machine and human protection systems.
To be successful in this position you will bring:
Bachelor's degree in physics, computer science, engineering or related discipline and 2 years of relevant experience in experimental process, data analysis design and development of prototypes, scientific instrumentation and/or systems. Advanced degree strongly preferred.
Ability to learn and understand the workings of a broad range of hardware and software.
Demonstrated programming skills with C and/or C++ and experience with Linux/Unix and a scripting language such as (and preferably) Python.
Exceptional communications skills and ability to work well in a research and development team.
Demonstrated project leadership, planning, and excellent organizational skills.
Ability to understand the basic functionality and scientific purpose of each part of the x-ray science instrument.
In addition, preferred requirements include:
Real-time and networking software, familiarity with EPICS framework, knowledge of motor, vacuum and camera controls.
Developing scientific instrumentation, laser and laser diagnostic systems.
Background in x-ray or material science.
SLAC Employee Competencies:
Effective Decisions: Uses job knowledge and solid judgment to make quality decisions in a timely manner.
Self-Development: Pursues a variety of venues and opportunities to continue learning and developing.
Dependability: Can be counted on to deliver results with a sense of personal responsibility for expected outcomes.
Initiative: Pursues work and interactions proactively with optimism, positive energy, and motivation to move things forward.
Adaptability: Flexes as needed when change occurs, maintains an open outlook while adjusting and accommodating changes.
Communication: Ensures effective information flow to various audiences and creates and delivers clear, appropriate written, spoken, presented messages.
Relationships: Builds relationships to foster trust, collaboration, and a positive climate to achieve common goals.
Physical requirements and Working conditions:
Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of his or her job.
Given the nature of this position, SLAC will require onsite work.
Work Standard:
Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrates the ability to work well with Stanford colleagues and clients and with external organizations.
Promote Culture of Safety: Demonstrates commitment to personal responsibility and value for environment, safety and security; communicates related concerns; uses and promotes safe behaviors based on training and lessons learned. Meets the applicable roles and responsibilities as described in the ESH Manual, Chapter 1—General Policy and Responsibilities: http://www-group.slac.stanford.edu/esh/eshmanual/pdfs/ESHch01.pdf
Subject to and expected to comply with all applicable University policies and procedures, including but not limited to the personnel policies and other policies found in the University's Administrative Guide, http://adminguide.stanford.edu
Classification Title: Staff Engineer
Grade: K, Job Code: 0132
Duration: Regular Continuing
The expected pay range for this position is $108,000 to $163,000 per annum. SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory/Stanford University provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location and external market pay for comparable jobs.
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is an Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Employer and supports diversity in the workplace. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital or family status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or genetic information. All staff at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory must be able to demonstrate the legal right to work in the United States. SLAC is an E-Verify employer.